Spurs boss insists he will retain the final say on transfers in new leadership structure
Return: Fabio Paratici is back at Tottenham in a new role as co-sporting director, a title he shares with Johan Lange
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Matt Verri
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Thomas Frank believes that Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange will prove a "perfect match" at Tottenham.
It was announced this week that Paratici had returned to Spurs as sporting director, a job title he shares with Lange.
For the last two years Lange had been technical director , but he has been promoted after the club decided that the broad remit of a sporting director necessitates sharing the role.
Lange is expected to have more responsibility on the academy and scouting side of things, while Paratici will be focused on the transfer window and loans.
Tottenham head coach Frank is confident the new leadership structure will be a success, having had experience of working with two sporting directors while at Brentford.
"Yeah, also positive about it," he said. "Obviously Fabio worked as a consultant for the club so I met him there a few times in the last couple of months.
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“I'm looking forward to getting to know him more. Of course when it's more day-to-day, you'll get to know each other even better.
"I'm looking forward to working together. I'm not in doubt that Fabio, Johan, I and [CEO] Vinai [Venkatesham] will create a very strong team. And together I'm convinced that we can create something very good.
"I'm used to working with two sporting directors. I've done that for nine years in Brentford. First with Phil Giles and Rasmus Ankersen, then Phil Giles and Lee Dykes.
"I actually think you need two these days to cover everything because it's such a big job. And I think also the two of them complement each other."
Paratici has been working with Tottenham for several months as a consultant, having been managing director of football until he resigned in 2023 amid a ban.
His return to Spurs in an official capacity had been viewed as inevitable, with Paratici advising the club during the summer transfer window and on the search to replace Ange Postecoglou.
"The first time Vinai spoke about it, I was very positive because I think it will work very well," Frank added.
"And I think there is no one that is perfect in this world. The strong abilities both Johan and Fabio have, I think that they complement each other so well. So it's like a perfect match, we cover more together."
Chief executive Venkatesham insisted this week that he has no concerns over disagreements that could arise between Lange and Paratici, particularly on transfer-related decisions.
Asked how his opinion would fit into the new structure, Frank laughed: "I'll always have the final say. You know that. Yeah, of course in the end.
"No, it's teamwork. I'm pretty sure if one of the, I would say three of us, because Vinai is not technical or whatever you call it. Of course he will have an opinion.
"But the three of us need to agree. And if one, let's take an example - it doesn't matter if it's me, Fabio, Johan - is very, very, very strong that we should not [pursue a player], then that's probably not that right. So I'm pretty sure that we will find a good way."
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