Tottenham have begun an internal review of their disastrous Premier League season. That includes bringing in psychologists to banish the ‘Sparcy’ mentality, ending their horrific injury record and even investigating the retractable stadium pitch.
The north London club avoided relegation on a nervy final day thanks to Roberto de Zerbi turning their season around with 11 points from six games remaining. Spurs sporting director Johan Lange’s future at the club is in serious doubt after a disastrous 12 months under four different head coaches, and the Dane could end up in a supporting role or hand-off role to the next world-class new sporting director.
Tottenham were just two points clear of the Championship this season, but they were not helped by more injuries than any other Premier League club, many of them serious. James Madison, who had just returned from a partial to complete tear of his anterior cruciate ligament last summer, directly faced the problem.
“Our injury situation is worse than any other club,” the midfielder told reporters after Tottenham’s win over Everton. “People try to say, ‘Oh, but we have this and that,’ but ours is astronomical and we need to think about why that is.”
The north London club understands that a major internal investigation is underway behind the scenes, led by new performance director Dan Lewindon, who arrived from City Football Group in February, and has identified serious issues within Spurs. He joined the club after completing his notice period at City and walked through the doors at Hotspur Way the day before Thomas Frank left the club.
Tottenham’s medical and performance departments have also suffered major turmoil in recent years. New Zealander Jeff Scott is currently at Nottingham Forest, retiring in 2024 after more than 20 years’ service after a long period of stability as head of medicine and sports science.
Tottenham’s James Maddison has spent much of the season recovering from a serious knee injury (Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
Then Adam Brett, head of performance services, and Nick Davies, head of sports science, both left Tottenham after just one year as head of the department. Nick Stubbings joined Spurs last summer as medical lead for the men’s team after 11 years at Brentford, following Frank and other ex-Bees across the capital to join north London.
But it is Lewindon who is leading Tottenham’s transformation. He has a background in performance, science and medicine at the top levels of soccer, tennis and rugby, and believes Spurs can finally address the injury woes that have kept players in double digits playing too many games over the past three seasons.
De Zerbi is believed to already have a good relationship with Lewindon, with the two regularly discussing the club’s performance and the improvements needed to put the medical department on par with the world’s top clubs.
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Non-executive chairman Peter Charrington confirmed on Monday that moves would be made to “modernize football operations with a focus on improving standards across medical care and performance”.
De Zerbi’s approach has not only had an impact on the pitch. The 46-year-old is understood to have already impressed many in the medical sector with his clear and consistent approach despite the pressure to deliver results as he does not want to take unnecessary risks on his players.
People who have sat with the Italian say he has tried to put the individual above the need to win and has been keen to get as much feedback as possible to help him make the right decisions about when to bring players back into the squad.
Former England physio Dan Lewindon will overhaul the way Tottenham deal with injuries and player performance.
New signing Lewindon has already taken part in an investigation into whether Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’s retractable pitch – which slides under the south stand during NFL matches and concerts – is responsible for a series of ACL injuries, with five players at Spurs alone suffering ACL injuries in recent years, a number recognized within the club as too many. Real Madrid have also suffered a number of injuries since installing the retractable surface.
To ensure this is not just a coincidence, early external independent testing on each match day has so far shown no difference in bounce and spring between Tottenham’s stadium pitch and the Hotspur Way practice turf, but a more detailed analysis will be carried out over time to ensure a more detailed analysis.
Some ACL injuries are unfortunate, like the injuries to Xavi Simmons and Wilson Odbert. As with all injuries, Xavi’s injury response at Molineux was reviewed and supported by a physio, but although the player was keen to continue, he was unable to do so. It is believed that they took the necessary precautions and no further damage was done to the Dutch.
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It’s not just the physical aspect, it’s also the mental aspect. At a club often labeled as ‘spacy’ due to their tendency to self-destruct, Lewindon has hired a new chief psychologist who will work full-time with players and staff to help them cope with the pressures of top-level sport.
De Zerbi has made it clear to club officials that he considers part of his role to be a psychologist to his players, as evidenced by his frequent individual meetings with players and the use of video footage of Spurs games and past club moments, all the while reinvigorating his confidence to deliver important results towards the end of the season.
Lewindon is also said to be looking to change the way Tottenham deal with injury and recovery by switching to a more integrated style, with a focus on the individual. In a pod-based model, four to six players take an integrated approach around them, with physiotherapists and sports scientists focused on that small group rather than having broader authority.
Similar to teachers having fewer students to focus on, this switch is meant to give staff a better understanding of players’ needs as individuals and their position on the pitch, which should lead to better shared decision-making about training and physical preparation.
Roberto De Zerbi impressed at Tottenham (Image: Will Cooper/Shutterstock)
This is in line with De Zerbi’s belief that clubs need to properly understand their players personally, in their family lives and in their positions on the pitch, in order to provide them with better support on a personal level and enable them to challenge at a high level.
Spurs are also working to increase players’ confidence in the medical department, with some players sometimes relying on staff from their former club or doctors from overseas. All football clubs today employ an increasing number of individual performance staff and work in conjunction with national players, and Tottenham are looking to strengthen ties between all parties involved to ensure players receive the best possible treatment through a single agreed plan approved by all parties.
Once Lewindon’s review is complete, there could be changes to the staff behind the scenes, with fresh ideas and new personalities expected, improved integration between departments and a focus on understanding individuals, as well as changes to the type of transfers Tottenham make on the market to bring in more robust players to suit De Zerbi’s energetic style.
It is also recognized within the club that high managerial turnover contributes to injuries, as training sessions change frequently and new head coaches sometimes push players harder, with players pushing themselves beyond their limits to impress the new manager.
Tottenham know they cannot repeat the season that just ended, and having more players available for De Zerbi to choose from could go a long way in helping them do that. Results are unlikely to be seen immediately, but over time, Spurs hope that Lewindon’s course correction will bear fruit and the number of injuries will be significantly reduced.
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