It would be interesting to compare, in relative terms, what sponsorship deals Spurs were managing to get in the 3-5 year period before they first qualified for the Champions League, with what we have now. Allowing for inflation.
I imagine it would still be a multiple of our deal, but how they have been able to capitalise by being Champions League regulars would be the interesting statistic.
Obviously our commercial department are hamstrung by factors they can't control - our results and league placings, and general obscurity, but that being said, I have never had a great deal of confidence in the team managing that side of things.
We needed to attract a commercial leader that would sit on the board rather than the very localised operation in place with the "Senior Management Team" under Denise. That type of figure is as strategically important as making a big signing for the squad. Too many of the business and commercial staff have personal and career backgrounds limited to the north-west. That can lead to groupthink and a golf-club culture when it should be globalised in outlook and much more hard-headed in trying to promote the club.
You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear but you can certainly improve on the bottom line by attracting, and paying for, a higher calibre of individual.
