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Building for the long term

3 min read
by Editor
Ben Norland looks at the effect the possible appointment of Paul Mitchell could have on the club at all levels.

The (hopefully imminent) appointment of Paul Mitchell to the Spurs management team is an exciting and much-needed addition. Yes, it would be great to have someone who makes decisions about first-team player recruitment based on more than one good season, who analyses whether they will actually fit into the team and league. Hopefully, there will be some evidence of improvement in the short term as a result of this, particularly if he is able to exert influence over any possible January acquisitions.

Yet the real excitement comes when we consider what Mitchell could do for our youth team structure, and the longer term impact that could have on creating a more sustainable environment at the club.

According to articles in the Guardian and Evening Standard, Mitchell has established a model at Southampton that sees a common philosophy being applied to recruitment and player development at every level of the club. This is similar to the Ajax model that Frank de Boer was proposing to recreate at Spurs had he been appointed, and to Barcelona’s La Masia academy and youth system.

[linequote]Mitchell has established a model at Southampton that sees a common philosophy being applied to recruitment and player development at every level[/linequote]

It is no coincidence that those clubs are widely recognised not only for their record of developing fantastic young players, but also for their ability to integrate those players into the first team when the time is right. If we look at the all-conquering team that Pep Guardiola built at Barca, no less than 8 key members (Valdes, Puyol, Pique, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, and Messi) had come through the club’s youth set up.

It is no coincidence that these clubs also play with a clearly defined philosophy, and continue to produce top-class players capable of slotting into the first team with ease. Youth team players have the playing style and history of the club drilled into them, are constantly reminded of the privilege of wearing the shirt, and, as a result, demonstrate the hunger and desire to seize their opportunity when presented.

Given their adoption of a similar model, it is no surprise that so many of Southampton’s young players have excelled, and that there has been a consistency in their style and success despite changes in management and playing staff.

[fullquote]As a London-based club, with bags of history and tradition, we should be able to attract top-class young talent[/fullquote]

Spurs, in theory, should present the ideal template from which to construct a similar model. We have a brand new, state-of-the-art training complex at Hotspur Way. As a London-based club, with bags of history and tradition, we should be able to attract top-class young talent. And with commitment to this philosophy, we would also be able to overcome a lot of the key challenges facing the club.

The ability to bring youth team players through into the first team would remove, to a considerable extent, our need to compete with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and the Manchester clubs in the transfer market, where our relative size and lack of Champions League football present a considerable stumbling block.

[linequote]It will also require an agreement on the style of football we want to be playing, something that can only be achieved through managerial consistency[/linequote]

Those who are unable to break into the first team could still be sold on at a considerable profit. And, above all, it could help to reduce our reliance on key individuals, knowing that even if youth team players weren’t yet of the same level as someone like Modric or Bale, they would at least have been schooled in the same playing style and attitude.

The creation of a self-sustaining club is critical to any aspirations that we at Spurs may have of genuine, long-term success. It is not a short-term fix, and will likely take years to implement and bear fruit. It will also require an agreement within the club on exactly what style of football we want to be playing, and how we want to define ourselves, something that can only be achieved through managerial consistency.

Moreover, patience from fans in the short term will be key, as a renewed focus on the youth structure may well necessitate less spending on players for the first team. But, if we do indeed appoint Mitchell, this would appear to be the key first step on the path to this sustainable structure, and hopefully a much brighter future for our club.

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