English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur were in India last week during which they meet a series of Indian clubs and the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The two member delegate consisted of Paul Barber, executive director, and Fran Jones, head of international development. Goal.com exclusively caught up with Mr.Barber in Mumbai before he headed back to U.K.
Paul Barber,Executive Director,Tottenhem HotspurGoal.com: Why a trip to India all of a sudden?
Paul: We are an internationally famous club with over 125 years of history. Following some international research, we identified five countries in our priority list for future international development. The five countries are India, China, U.S, South Africa and Middle East region as a whole.
In the research report, we got to know that they are twenty million people who have a positive inclination towards Spurs – almost four million of them in India. The Carling Cup final in February this year saw India have the second highest viewership for the game outside the U.K.
India is one of the fastest growing economies and football markets in the world today. We came here to learn more about Indian football and we met several clubs, the AIFF and the Indian Football Association (IFA) in Kolkata. We also met some major Indian companies with a view to looking at forming interesting partnerships.
Goal.com: Interesting Partnerships?
Paul: Yes. In South Africa, we have tied up with this club named Super Sports United, which is owned by media baron Rupert Murdoch and who became champions earlier this year. First, we are helping them with their academy. We coach their coaches and provide expert training. We also help them with administrative expertise and how to better market football. In future, maybe we can have some of their younger players in our club. The close relationship gives us the chance to have the first view of the best young talent and also hopefully to help South African Football, which is just as important.
We are to announce a similar tie-up with a club in U.S. shortly. In India, we may well look at the same avenues. Our approach to partnership is those that are sustainable over a long period of time in three key areas – Football and Player Development, Brand Building and Commercial Opportunities. It should be a mutually benefiting exercise for our partners and for our club.
India is such a huge market for football, the enthusiasm for the game is wonderful to see and we are very interested in becoming part of it in some way and to help the game in India to continue to develop. We would also like to see more expose for our own brand here too and if people become more interested in our club and are interested in our merchandise then that’s good too.
Goal.com: You mentioned about Carling Cup final viewership in India. Indian national team coach Bob Houghton recently mentioned that blanket coverage of the Premier League doesn’t do any favours to the local league. He further stated that several Asian leagues have suffered because of the Premier League coverage. What’s your opinion on this?
Paul: In India, cricket is such a massive and well established sport and so, it’s good that football is now competing with it. If the Premier League is helping to capture the imagination of the youngsters and the older people as well, then it’s good for the sport. If it can inspire the youth to take up football and the older people to want to coach and administer the game, then the Premier League will be playing its small part in helping to develop Indian football.
I do understand where Mr.Houghton is coming from because it is important that the Indian League and the national team are strong but I do believe that whilst the game is still developing here the Premier League has a role to play. If we or any Premiership club can help in a small way with partnerships of real substances and longevity, we will do what we can. We hope we can help just like we are in South Africa and we hope to in the U.S.
Goal.com: How was your meeting with the AIFF? Anything that came of it?
Paul: It was fantastic. I was earlier with the English FA earlier in my career. There are always challenges, politics and occasional frustrations when you are trying to develop a sport. When I was with the FA, we were constantly trying to raise money for the grassroots for better facilities, more equipment and more coaches. I know the AIFF and the IFA and the others are facing similar challenges and I wish them well.
Goal.com: Spurs were tipped to break the monopoly of the big four in the Premier League. Instead, they are seen at the bottom of the table. What are you aiming to achieve this season?
Paul: It’s early days in the season. Yes, we have had a disappointing start to the season but we are still competing in four competitions. We won 2-1 against Newcastle in the Carling Cup midweek. So, hopefully we can build on that. There is still a long way to go.
Goal.com: The fans have been asking for a defensive midfielder. Does the club have any plans to be active in the winter transfer season?
Paul: Player purchases is an area that I don’t get involved in! That one is for our head coach, Juande Ramos, and sporting director Damien Comolli.
Goal.com: White Hart Lane has a capacity of around 36,500. Are you on the lookout for a new stadium?
Paul: Yes, we are on the lookout to increase our capacity. The real challenge for us now is that we have 23,500 season ticket holders, close to 100,000 members – and almost 21,000 people on our season ticket waiting list! But only 250 people give up their season tickets at the end of the season. So, it could be an 80 year wait for some people – that’s a whole lifetime!
For now, we are working hard to develop our new training complex at Enfield in North London for our academy and the first team as well. The work is just beginning and it’s expected to be complete in around two years or so.
Goal.com: I read about the club being the first English one to participate in the Super league Formula.
Paul: Super league formula is a new concept of bringing together two of the biggest sports in the world – football and motor racing. A lot of big clubs are participating like Liverpool, Galatasaray, AC Milan, PSV Eindhoven and many more. It’s good for us as it increases our revenues, raises our brand profile across the world and also helps us entertain our sponsors and VIP guests at different sporting event occasionally.
Goal.com: Where is Tottenham heading in the near future?
Paul: Every year our aim is to do the best we can. Our chairman Daniel Levy has done a wonderful job and brought great stability to the club. We have no financial debts to speak of and in the last seven years or so; Daniel has taken the club in the forward with great skills and determination.
The deal with the current shirt sponsor Mansion.com will conclude at the end of the next season after what will be very four very successful years with us. We expect to have a new shirt sponsorship deal in place in the next 12 months. We have already had some interest and enquiries from Asia, including India. Clearly, it would be a great honour for us to have an Indian shirt sponsor as, if that happens; it would be the first time a Premier League club had carried the logo of an Indian company.
This is a very exciting time for the club. We have a long and rich history. We have a world class coach in Juande Ramos, an excellent playing squad, a stadium that is sold out every week, and we have a great set of very loyal fans across the world. We won the Carling Cup last season, we have competed in European competition for three successive seasons and we now need to keep this great momentum going.
Goal.com: You are a Tottenham fan and left your high profile job to join the club.
Paul: I remember I first went to the stadium back in 1975 with my father as an eight year old to see Glenn Hoddle. He did come on in that match against Norwich City as a substitute. I have followed the career of Hoddle ever since. Interestingly, I joined the club’s board in 2005 - almost 30 years to the day I watched my first game at White Hart Lane!
Goal.com: Did you enjoy the Indian food?
Paul: Oh yes, I love Indian food. We were greeted very well everywhere we went – The people in this country are magnificent. We enjoyed the whole visit – Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata and Delhi - especially the traffic jams!
Goal.com: It’s been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for spending your valuable time with us.
Paul: My pleasure.
Rahul Bali.
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