The Tottenham Hotspur chief executive officer wants to improve one major thing that has existed at the club in recent years
Vinai Venkatesham is looking to bring the Tottenham supporters and the club back together to repair the "strained relationship" that has existed for years.
Spurs have struggled on the pitch in recent seasons with former chairman Daniel Levy and the club's owners ENIC the focus of protests inside and outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium over the decades. Levy departed last year while new members of the Lewis family that own ENIC and therefore the club have come to the fore.
Tottenham were one of the biggest spenders in the recent summer window and while there are frustrations as the new-look side gels under Roberto De Zerbi, with the club bottom of the table after five matches, CEO Venkatesham is keen to bring the fans and the club closer together again after years of mistrust from the fanbase towards those running the organisation.
There has been a concerted effort in recent months to bring more of a community feel to the club's operations and also connecting stars from the past to their current group of players to ensure an understanding of what it means to play for Spurs.
In newly-published minutes from a meeting between Venkatesham and club staff with the Fan Advisory Board at the stadium last week, the CEO made it clear that the relationship with the supporters is a priority.
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"Vinai Venkatesham acknowledged that the relationship between the club and its supporters had been strained for some time, and reaffirmed the club’s commitment to strengthening that connection and rebuilding belief," read the minutes.
"The Hall of Fame, an initiative proposed by the FAB, had been celebrated at an event the previous evening recognising Bobby Buckle, Chris Hughton, Ledley King and Jenna Schillaci, and the Women’s Legacy Numbers had recently been launched.
"A number of former players had returned to the training ground to meet the current squad, with Dimitar Berbatov and Edgar Davids attending recently, and the Legends Lunch initiative was helping to bring people together. Venkatesham said that he wanted former players and the club's history to have a more visible and regular role around the club."
One very positive aspect of the club this season has been the women's team, who are flying under Martin Ho, and sit second in the Women's Super League table after four matches. Venkatesham spoke about their success and the work that has taken place this summer around the team.
"The club had invested significantly in the women’s team during the transfer window, with all signings completed before the start of pre-season in a well-executed window," read the meeting minutes of Venkatesham's address. "The squad combined established WSL and international experience with younger players of high potential, providing greater strength in depth and competition for places.
"There had been greater prioritisation and investment both on and off the pitch, and the team had made a strong start to the season. The immediate focus was on improving existing facilities to keep pace with the team’s growth. The long-term ambition for the women's team's base at Whitewebbs is unchanged and remains subject to an ongoing legal process.
"In the meantime, the club is investing in the team's current facilities, including changing space, gym and a briefing room, because the current building has been outgrown. Current improvements are a temporary requirement, not an alternative to Whitewebbs. A new Director of Women’s Football was being appointed to succeed Andy Rogers, in a role weighted more towards performance and technical than operational."