Tottenham CEO Venkatesham admits two 17th-place finishes 'clearly not good enough' as owners vow change

Tottenham Hotspur chief executive Vinai Venkatesham has broken his silence on the club’s second successive 17th-place Premier League finish, acknowledging the season was “clearly not good enough” and thanking supporters for helping the team avoid relegation on the final day.

Spurs secured their top-flight status with a win over Everton on the last weekend of the season, finishing above the drop zone at the expense of West Ham. The result ended a torrid campaign that saw the club embroiled in a genuine relegation battle during its final months.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Venkatesham said: “I understand the frustration around supporters. I think Tottenham supporters have been frustrated for some time. This is two 17th-place finishes in a row. It’s clearly not good enough. I think that is rational, normal, sensible, and is what we would expect from supporters.”

The chief executive also credited the supporters directly for helping the squad get “over the line” during the run-in, and praised head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who was appointed during the season and guided the team to three wins and two draws in seven matches.

“It is hard to underestimate the scale of the challenge he walked into,” Venkatesham said of the Italian. “And it’s hard to describe what a significant impact he has had in the dressing room with all the players. I think he’s an excellent coach, and we think that he plays the style of football that our supporters and the broader football public want to see.”

Club owners the Lewis family have also issued a statement insisting that a performance of this nature cannot be repeated, signalling an intent to make significant changes ahead of the summer transfer window. The specific commitments outlined in that statement point to a more active approach to squad investment, though the full details of their plans have yet to be disclosed.

The combination of a near-relegation finish, a managerial change mid-season, and now a public acknowledgement of failure from the club’s leadership marks a significant moment for Tottenham as they look to rebuild credibility with a fanbase that has grown increasingly disillusioned over recent years.