ANGE POSTECOGLOU believes Tottenham will select a new Sporting Director shortly, and he supports the position.
Spurs have been without a Sporting Director since Fabio Paratici resigned in April of this year. After his former team, Juventus, was found guilty of deceptive accounting, market manipulation, and filing misleading financial accounts, the Italian, whose official title was Managing Director of Football, was barred from any football operations for 30 months.
Scott Munn, an Australian, had joined the club as Chief sport Officer a few weeks before, but his experience is in commercial affairs rather than sport. He was previously the CEO of Melbourne City FC and the Executive Chairman of City Football Group China. This still leaves the role of Sporting Director open.
When asked about the possibility of an appointment, Postecoglou stated, “I think it will [happen soon], that is definitely the club’s plan.” Going into the (summer transfer window), there was no point in pushing that appointment, especially with a new management in place.
“I’m not going to appoint the person, I’m certainly not going to get involved in that process. The club have already got a clear idea of the way I work and the way I think and the way I want my teams to play. Whoever that person is … it’s my role then to get him to understand me and see the game through my eyes.
What I will have a say in is that whoever it is gets to know and understands me.”
Postecoglou, who took over at Tottenham in the summer, has stated his preference for working with a Sporting Director.
“I like working with a Sporting Director because they do most of the legwork that I just don’t have time to do,” he added. “When you have a good Sporting Director, you collaborate.
“They look at the game through your eyes and say, ‘This guy is going to be wonderful for you,’ and you look at it and go, ‘Brilliant, I don’t even have to worry about it.’
“I’ve never felt burdened by whoever I work with.”
“But there’s a whole range factors that come into it from the financial side of it. These kind of things I have zero control of. Obviously other people take over then. It’s not like I can do what I want. But it’s something I’m really strong on. I wouldn’t see the sense in bringing a player in I didn’t think would fit.
“I don’t care who was putting him forward or giving him to me. Because I think ultimately whatever happens I’m going to take responsibility. I would never say: ‘I didn’t sign this player’ or ‘He’s not one of mine’. Once a player comes into the club he’s mine. That’s how I see it.
“I will never say a signing wasn’t mine. So if I’m going to take that stance, I want the final say. I don’t say that [I get my own way] in an arrogant way. I like to think it gives people comfort. I’m going to take responsibility for it.
“It’s not like I go around telling people what to do. I want people to be at ease that whatever decisions we make as a collective, I will take responsibility for.”
Without a Sporting Director in place, Chairman Daniel Levy took the lead on transfers this summer in consultation with Postecoglou. The Austrlian admitted the situation was “unusual” but had worked.
“If you look at the way the club’s worked previously, [a Sporting Director has] always been in place,” he said. “So that means it’s different, which I assume won’t be the case moving forward.
“It’s just odd, it’s different.” When there is already a method in place, you know how it will function. Whereas there is a new manager and no Sporting Director, I believe it is rare. Normally, you would have one or the other.
“Perhaps a new coach, perhaps a new Sporting Director, but there are processes in place.” You have both here, so you’re entering a window when a lot of things that are usually embedded in this kind of period aren’t present.
“The thinking was that the best way to chart this unusual process would be to involve as few new people as possible.” So far, based on the players we’ve brought in, I believe we’ve navigated it fairly successfully.”
