Vinai Venkatesham reveals his plan to kickstart a new era of Tottenham’s academy
Vinai Venkatesham has offered insight into how Tottenham Hotspur plan to strengthen a key pillar of the club, with attention turning towards the long-term role of the academy.
Tottenham Hotspur are actively working to turn things around at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with those efforts reflected in the boardroom changes seen in recent months.
However, results on the pitch are not where they ought to be, and Vinai Venkatesham has outlined how Spurs’ broader transfer strategy could help address that imbalance.
The chief executive has now revealed the plans Tottenham have in place for their academy stars, an area of the club that has been underwhelming in recent seasons.
Vinai Venkatesham outlines Tottenham academy plans
Venkatesham addressed the importance of the academy and the steps being taken to improve its output in a letter to supporters published in the matchday programme ahead of the West Ham United fixture.
Explaining why youth development is central to Tottenham’s future, he said: “A productive Academy is vital to our future. It provides first-team players without transfer fees and enables investment elsewhere in the squad.
“Crucially, it also develops players who grow up as supporters and truly understand what it means to pull on a Spurs shirt.”
The Tottenham chief executive then outlined where improvements are needed and what the club are doing to address them, adding: “While there has been good progress in recruitment and coaching in recent years, we must deliver greater first-team minutes and transfer returns from our Academy.
“We have therefore committed additional investment to strengthen the Academy pipeline of players and to support the systems needed for it to flourish.”
The challenge of producing first-team players at Spurs
Spurs do have a few notable talents to have come through the academy, with Mikey Moore among the most eye-catching in recent times.
However, no player in the current Tottenham first-team squad has truly progressed all the way through the academy, which remains a concern.
Moore is impressing on loan with Rangers, while Luca Williams-Barnett is another to have caught the eye this season and earned his first minutes as a Tottenham player in the Carabao Cup, but for youth players to thrive, there must be a clear structure that allows for a seamless introduction.
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