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Spurs' Donna-Maria Cullen on Pochettino, pre-season and the NFL

mawspurs

Staff
Jun 29, 2003
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Donna-Maria Cullen, Tottenham Hotspur’s executive director, tells SportsPro about the thinking behind the club’s off-season plans.

Read the full article at Sports Pro
 

EZSpur

Well-Known Member
Jun 6, 2007
918
1,115
Interesting article. We're definitely making a huge push into the North American market, shrewd MLS agreement for the All-Star game and a tour no doubt helping to fulfil requirements of the Fanatics deal - but unfortunately it really does seem that Yedlin is just a marketing ploy to increase the fan-base. :(
...I really hope he can change Poch's mind though!
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
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Decent article. We need a stronger presence in the us it will help us grt bigger sponsors. Which in turn will help us get better players.
 

Gaz_Gammon

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2005
16,047
18,013
We have an Asian sponsor, AIA, so we were able to fulfil some deliveries for them while we were out there and Australia was unbelievable


Fuck me Poch had them delivering the morning milk?
 

Chattaben

Active Member
Aug 20, 2013
76
226
If the board and Poch thinks buying Yedlin and putting him on the bench/not playing him will help with marketing in N.America, then they haven't thought the decision through. If they do that, most Americans will see Spurs as the club that stunted the development of one of its young and rising stars. That won't help Spurs imagine to say the least.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
If the board and Poch thinks buying Yedlin and putting him on the bench/not playing him will help with marketing in N.America, then they haven't thought the decision through. If they do that, most Americans will see Spurs as the club that stunted the development of one of its young and rising stars. That won't help Spurs imagine to say the least.

They will do their best to develop him and i'm sure he will get the chance to show what he can do.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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I'm not sure I quite get the repeated discussions, on multiple threads, about whether or not Yedlin was signed for marketing purposes or for his football, with the universal assumption that it's somehow a Bad Thing if promoting the Spurs brand in America was an important factor.

It doesn't matter a damn. It's not as if he commanded a huge transfer fee or a large salary. He's a kid, he's fast and he's plainly talented enough to compete in our youth squad, just based on what we saw in the World Cup.

If he develops to a point where he's good enough to become a regular first team player, then great, he'll force his way into the first team because that's the way Pochettino works.If he isn't quite good enough, then so what? He's still achieved something for us in attracting American fans and it's not as if we mortgaged WHL to sign him.
 
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deadlight

Well-Known Member
Dec 14, 2006
1,361
788
If the board and Poch thinks buying Yedlin and putting him on the bench/not playing him will help with marketing in N.America, then they haven't thought the decision through. If they do that, most Americans will see Spurs as the club that stunted the development of one of its young and rising stars. That won't help Spurs imagine to say the least.

I don't buy this 'marketing sign' crap AT ALL.

Was Dempsey a 'marketing signing' then? Brad Friedel? Or maybe we'll going to host NFL GAMES IN OUR NEW STADIUM?#

We've already a big fan base in the US (I know, not a big as the UK's fan per square mile, but soccer will always be small compared to US 'football') but I can't see why DL wouldn't see ADY as a foreign player. I'll love for him to say otherwise..
 

Redfap

Active Member
Nov 8, 2011
557
791
I'm not sure I quite get the repeated discussions, on multiple threads, about whether or not Yedlin was signed for marketing purposes or for his football, with the universal assumption that it's somehow a Bad Thing if promoting the Spurs brand in America was an important factor.

It doesn't matter a damn. It's not as if he commanded a huge transfer fee or a large salary. He's a kid, he's fast and he's plainly talented enough to compete in our youth squad, just based on what we saw in the World Cup.

If he develops to a point where he's good enough to become a regular first team player, then great, he'll force his way into the first team because that's the way Pochettino works.If he isn't quite good enough, then so what? He's still achieved something for us in attracting American fans and it's not as if we mortgaged WHL to sign him.

Spot on, couldn't agree more.

Unrelated, I'll also add that I'm an Aussie and went to Sydney for the game. It really was amazing seeing the support that we have in Australia. I also went to games featuring Real Madrid, Roma and Liverpool, watched the Chelsea game on TV and whilst the crowds were slightly larger (Liverpool aside, smaller venue) nothing compared to the atmosphere at the Spurs game. The other games attracted more people just witnessing an unusual spectacle or event but not fans that actively follow the club day in and out.

I had no idea how big our support was here in Australia until I went to Sydney for the game, it was a great look, a city that size was blue and white for a weekend. Credit to the club too, the player access was great and the attitude towards the fans pleased many people.

Regarding the worth of post and pre season trips for marketing, there are many children who are taken to these games by the parents etc, in most cases to mark the occasion their parents buy them a Spurs top, cap, scarf etc...they are taken away by the experience and BANG become lifelong Spurs supporters. It sounds simple, but it really can work like that.

My mate who I dragged to Sydney with me, is now a Spurs supporter after singing the songs, visiting the spurs pub, drinking the beers and meeting fellow fans.
 
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newbie

Well-Known Member
Jul 16, 2004
6,051
6,342
If the board and Poch thinks buying Yedlin and putting him on the bench/not playing him will help with marketing in N.America, then they haven't thought the decision through. If they do that, most Americans will see Spurs as the club that stunted the development of one of its young and rising stars. That won't help Spurs imagine to say the least.

Like Portuguese fans see us for stunting Helda posiga or Belgium fans with Jonathan blondesl, or Argie fans with lamela I don't think they care that much. I thought he played last night as well?

I see your point, I just think it's hard to gauge the value added to a players biliary by a club, would lamela shine elsewhere ?

I think Yedlin was brought as he has potential in an area we were not happy, maybe he has not settled/ performed like we expected. But I am sure we will see him in a spurs shirt
 

Chris_D

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2007
2,652
1,278
I'm not sure I quite get the repeated discussions, on multiple threads, about whether or not Yedlin was signed for marketing purposes or for his football, with the universal assumption that it's somehow a Bad Thing if promoting the Spurs brand in America was an important factor.

It doesn't matter a damn. It's not as if he commanded a huge transfer fee or a large salary. He's a kid, he's fast and he's plainly talented enough to compete in our youth squad, just based on what we saw in the World Cup.

If he develops to a point where he's good enough to become a regular first team player, then great, he'll force his way into the first team because that's the way Pochettino works.If he isn't quite good enough, then so what? He's still achieved something for us in attracting American fans and it's not as if we mortgaged WHL to sign him.
We've signed a player who we all hope will be good enough for the first team. He's a youngster, some of those signings go spectacularly wrong (remember Bostock) and some work brilliantly (remember Bale). I hope he's the new Bale but right now none of us know. I hope he wasn't signed to get us exposure in the US. We'll get fans if we play good football and win trophies - let's hope Yedlin is part of that but if not best to move him on, he was a high risk, cheap signing but I have high hopes he can be a right winger yet.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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I hope he wasn't signed to get us exposure in the US.

Why? What's the problem with that? That was the point of my earlier post. People keep writing this, as if it's self-evident, but I don't see the logic.

Yedlin is obviously fast and reasonably talented, so why shouldn't we sign him to get exposure in the US market?

...he was a high risk, cheap signing...

And that's one good reason why it made plenty of sense to sign him to raise our profile in the US market.
 

Chris_D

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2007
2,652
1,278
Why? What's the problem with that? That was the point of my earlier post. People keep writing this, as if it's self-evident, but I don't see the logic.

Yedlin is obviously fast and reasonably talented, so why shouldn't we sign him to get exposure in the US market?



And that's one good reason why it made plenty of sense to sign him to raise our profile in the US market.
We should sign the best players we can get so I hope they're signed for being good footballers not to sell shirts. Best way to raise our profile is to win something.
 

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
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We should sign the best players we can get so I hope they're signed for being good footballers not to sell shirts.

But it's not one or the other. We sign loads of promising young players all the time, some of whom eventually develop into first team players and some who do not. If we can sign one who also helps with promoting the club internationally, that's a bonus.

No one could seriously suggest that we would have signed Yedlin "to sell shirts" if he had not shown signs of having the necessary talent.
 
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