Fabio Paratici expresses gratitude to Tottenham for sticking by him during legal battles

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Following his return to the role of co-Sporting Director at Tottenham after a lengthy suspension, Fabio Paratici granted an interview to Sky Sport Insider, with details reported by Gianluca Di Marzio.

Paratici expressed deep gratitude for the treatment he received from the London club during his enforced absence, and he also provided insight into his philosophy on the relationship between a Director and a Manager, confirming his total backing for Thomas Frank.

Tottenham’s Unwavering Faith

Paratici spoke openly about the personal difficulty of the situation stemming from his previous tenure at Juventus, which resulted in a prolonged ban. He highlighted how Tottenham’s management provided crucial psychological support, ensuring he never felt isolated or judged.

“They truly made me feel at home,” Paratici stated. “I arrived in June 2021, then in November, there was this very, very intense matter. And it’s not easy: you are in a place where they know you only partially, and you fear they might judge you differently. Instead, here they never judged me but always supported and helped me.”

He emphasized the lack of skepticism from the club’s leadership, noting, “There was never a moment where I felt any doubt about me.” Paratici chose to remain at the club as a consultant out of respect for Tottenham, which “had nothing to do with what happened,” before officially resuming his full duties upon the expiration of his ban. “I have to thank everyone,” he concluded.

Total Endorsement of Thomas Frank’s Vision

Speaking about the relationship between a sporting director and a coach, Paratici articulated a philosophy of total commitment to the manager’s vision. He specifically cited his complete alignment with current Tottenham coach, Thomas Frank, stressing the importance of the director subordinating his own ideas to those of the chosen manager.

“I believe blindly in the director-coach relationship,” Paratici asserted. “As a director, you almost have to annul your own football ideas to embrace those of the coach you have. My football, today, is that of Thomas Frank.”

He stressed that the director’s job is to enable the coach, not challenge him: “The management must support and endure them in what they think is the right thing for them. We are there to help them, not to question them. The role of the executive is fundamental because they must ensure that everything works well. They must put everyone in the best possible condition to perform at a high level.”

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN