‘It’s the Vinai show’ – meet the former Arsenal chief who now runs Spurs

One of the most well-known football executives, Daniel Levy had a reputation for being a skilled negotiator.

How will Tottenham fill that void, in your opinion, after his unexpected resignation as the club’s executive chairman on Thursday? ‘.

We may have found the answer, though.

One reliable source claimed that “it’s the Vinai show now.”

Vinai Venkatesham was appointed Tottenham chief executive in April, less than a year after leaving his role as Arsenal CEO. He had spent 14 years overall with the Gunners.

What can the Tottenham hierarchy’s chief executives expect from them, then?

Firstly, he was at the forefront of Mikel Arteta’s appointment as manager, turning up at the Spaniard’s Manchester residence in the early hours of December 16, 2019, alongside fellow executive Huss Fahmy to seal the appointment of Unai Emery’s replacement.

Edu, the club’s loan and pathways manager, and former Norwich City assistant coach Ben Knapper, who is now the club’s sporting director, was the main force behind Arsenal’s pursuit of Arteta.

Venkatesham did, however, ultimately approve of the appointment. It happened on his watch.

As we all know, Arteta has had a major impact on the club’s fortunes on the pitch, and Venkatesham may be credited with doing that.

Second, many people think of his dedication to helping the Arsenal women’s team grow and his commitment to expanding the sport’s scope as one of his lasting successes.

The third part of his legacy is far less obvious, though no less important.

Following a transition from managing director to chief executive, the British-Indian led Arsenal through the coronavirus pandemic. The effects of that time were severe even for a club the size of Arsenal. Real people, with real life problems.

Venkatesham’s sympathetic and kind-hearted persona, in all accounts, was a great comfort for Arsenal’s staff from the bottom of the organization.

Although difficult decisions were made, those who had a job at the time claim that he handled them with warmth and compassion, which are not necessarily traits found in the football industry.

“An all-round top guy. One of his former coworkers at the Emirates Stadium claimed that he had no ego at all.

You couldn’t say a bad word about him as a person, they said. Really nice guy”.

Too nice for football, right? Not entirely. Venkatesham was at the heart of the decision to dispense with Emery just 18 months after his appointment.

It is unlikely that Venkatesham will rule Spurs with an iron fist. He is a firm believer in inclusive culture.

According to sources, he’ll lead by example rather than be overly vocal.

“He’s a leader – but an understated one”, said one of his colleagues at the Emirates.

It is very likely that he will rely on the expertise of head coach Thomas Frank and technical director Johan Lange to make decisions in football-related matters.

It is noted that Arsenal’s Edu and Arteta typically shaped the football team’s performance.

That may sound a given. However, inquire about it with managers across the nation.

Those who worked alongside him at the Emirates admired him as a skilled administrator with the intelligence to quickly analyze and interpret information.

That strength allows him to make relevant contributions internally and, on a wider basis, it has allowed Venkatesham to expand his influence.

He was a key member of the European Club Association, for instance, but he has since left that position.

According to some, his endearing persona helps him deal with situations where his appearance suggests he may not be as assertive as his persona suggests.

It will be interesting to hear if Venkatesham adopts an abrupter approach as he seeks to lay down a marker in the post-Levy era.

Venkatesham makes a good first impression if first impressions matter, according to those at the Emirates. In that regard, one of Venkatesham’s key strengths is relationship building, both internally and externally.

Levy – despite often facing the wrath of irate supporters who pinned the blame for Tottenham’s flaws squarely on him – was liked behind the scenes at Spurs.

He treated his staff well. For instance, he would make sure the club’s support staff had the same privileges as the players when Spurs would go on pre-season tours.

But it was Levy’s relationship with rival clubs that often left a sour taste, the now departed executive chairman’s famously fierce negotiation style left him unpopular in boardrooms across the country.

Given Venkatesham’s hospitable and cordial personality, how does Tottenham’s boardroom dynamics change as a result of his elevation.

How Venkatesham approaches negotiations for a transfer and a contract will determine how successful Tottenham is following the Levy era.

He played a significant role in discussions surrounding offers to sell clubs and player contracts at Arsenal and participated in the process for making deals.

But it is said that he selects carefully which deals he actively gets involved in – such as if he has a pre-existing relationship with a counterpart at another club or with a representative of a player.

Venkatesham would frequently be asked to make a decisive call if there was a disagreement within a particular agreement.

In light of this, how well Tottenham performs in negotiations for player contracts and the transfer market will depend on how Venkatesham builds the team around him.

As we know, Levy was fully involved in most deals at Tottenham during his near 25-year reign, it will be interesting to see if Venkatesham is as active.

Levy’s ability to transform Tottenham into a commercial superpower is unquestionable, despite being questioned for his commitment to improving the team off the pitch.

Tottenham are worth $3.3 billion, which ranks among the top ten most valuable clubs in the world, according to Forbes.

Tottenham’s infrastructure has improved under Levy’s tenure. Both the training facility and stadium are world-class.

In that regard, Venkatesham should have a chance of winning the club. Indeed, his track record at Arsenal for strengthening commercial revenues is part of his overall legacy at the Emirates.

He oversaw a rise in revenue of £340 million to £615 million during his four years as chief executive.

Venkatesham, according to those at the Emirates, saw a huge benefit in marketing Arsenal as a “cool” club in order to appeal to the younger generation of global football fans.

A club steeped in the traditions of Highbury’s marble halls gradually modernised during Venkatesham’s 13-year tenure.

When Venkatesham left Arsenal in the summer of 2024, he did so knowing he might never return to top-level sport.

Venkatesham, it is understood, didn’t feel an overwhelming urge to return to football despite being happy to take his time and weigh his options.

Venkatesham was still considering his next move and looking for other opportunities while Christmas passed by.

Then came the call. Venkatesham’s former coworkers across north London were shocked when he was appointed as Tottenham’s new CEO in April.

He was a component of Arsenal’s culture. He and his family were regulars at the Emirates.

However, following an internal review of the club that began in the middle of winter, the Lewis family, who effectively own Tottenham, decided to change.

The decisive conclusion of that review is now known. But the identification and eventual appointment of Venkatesham, in retrospect, was a telling acquisition.

Venkatesham, a veteran and knowledgeable operator in charge of running an elite Premier League football club, was arguably the best indicator of what came on Thursday night if Peter Charrington’s appointment in March sparked the start of Levy’s departure.