Vinai Venkatesham: It would have been irresponsible for Tottenham not to plan for relegation

Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham said it would have been irresponsible not to plan for the possibility of the team being relegated to the First Division, referring to the club’s preparations for this season after it came close to going down last season.

Tottenham finished seventeenth in the Premier League in each of the past two seasons, and avoided relegation last season by beating Everton on the final day. Venkatesham described that period as difficult and painful, and said it brought people at the club closer together and strengthened their desire to prevent it happening again.

Venkatesham discussed the dismissal of Thomas Frank less than eight months after he took charge, following a run in which the team managed only two wins in 17 league matches. He described Frank as a wonderful person and said the decision to sack him was difficult because of their professional relationship.

He explained that Tottenham spent close to £400 million strengthening the squad in the summer, and that Mateus Fernandes was his first choice for that position. He added that the club managed to sign a number of its key targets and was not prepared to settle for alternatives to its first choices.

After a poor start left the team bottom of the table after six matches, Tottenham won three league games in a row and climbed the standings. Venkatesham said he had been frustrated by the start but was not worried, and had not expected the new changes to click immediately.