Spurs overhaul medical team again as injury crisis sparks action | OneFootball

Tottenham’s Second Overhaul in Two Summers Signals Deeper Faultlines in Fitness Strategy

Spurs reshape backroom staff after injury-plagued campaign

Tottenham Hotspur have once again swung the axe through their performance department, confirming the departures of director of performance services Adam Brett and head of sports science Nick Davies. The move marks the second successive summer in which Spurs have overhauled the very infrastructure designed to safeguard their squad’s fitness.

This latest shake-up, reported by The Athletic, comes after a gruelling 2024-25 campaign which exposed the club’s vulnerability to injury. While Spurs lifted the Europa League, their 22 defeats in the Premier League underscored a team stretched to its physical limits and a backroom setup that failed to manage those stresses.

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Davies is understood to have taken up a post elsewhere, while Brett’s exit reflects wider systemic changes initiated under now-departed chief football officer Scott Munn. His tenure, though short-lived, triggered a wave of departures, with Geoff Scott, who had spent 20 years with the club, ousted in 2024 to make way for Brett.

Brentford blueprint adopted as Frank stamps authority

New head coach Thomas Frank has not wasted time installing trusted personnel. Nick Stubbings, formerly of Brentford, arrives as medical lead. He is one of at least five staff members following Frank from West London, joining Tom Perryman and Chris Haslam, among others.

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It is a clear attempt to impose cohesion and restore a sense of order after a turbulent period where Spurs repeatedly faltered when key players returned too early from injury.

“That’s been our major problem this year, guys who are coming back from injury rather than us losing players as such,” Ange Postecoglou admitted in December. “It’s certainly happened too often.”

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That much was evident against Chelsea in December when Cristian Romero broke down with a quad issue within 10 minutes of returning from a toe injury. Micky van de Ven followed in the same game with a hamstring setback. Neither featured regularly again until March. It was a microcosm of a season where rehabilitation seemed more like guesswork than science.

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Postecoglou’s vision undermined by deeper problems

There was a romanticism to Postecoglou’s ambition, but his tenure was defined by misfortune as much as philosophy. A high defensive line, relentless pressing and Europa League travel took their toll. Yet the recurring injuries spoke not just of overexertion, but of mismanagement in how players were brought back into the fold.

Despite Europa League glory, their first trophy in 17 years, the injury crisis ultimately exposed weaknesses behind the scenes. While Postecoglou paid the price, so too now have Brett and Davies.

Tottenham are not just reacting, they are rebooting. And not for the first time.

Levy, Venkatesham and a fresh direction

Chairman Daniel Levy has taken decisive action. Thomas Frank replaces Postecoglou. Vinai Venkatesham, formerly of Arsenal, arrives as CEO. Donna-Maria Cullen has stepped down. Munn is on gardening leave. Brett and Davies have departed.

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It is not merely a case of new faces, but new thinking.

Nick Stubbings, having worked in a club with limited resources at Brentford, is expected to bring a more tailored, pragmatic approach to injury prevention and recovery. Chris Haslam, whose dual role encompasses performance and first-team coaching, indicates an emphasis on cohesion between physical performance and tactical preparation, something Spurs sorely lacked last season.

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Tottenham are attempting to move beyond reactive firefighting toward a more aligned, sustainable structure. Whether this latest reconfiguration solves their persistent fitness fragility remains to be seen. But after two successive summers of upheaval, there is little margin for error left.

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Spurs fans could be forgiven for having déjà vu. Another summer, another overhaul. While the Europa League triumph offered fleeting joy, the league form and injury carnage told a more worrying story. There is a sense now among supporters that this goes beyond bad luck, this has been systemic.

Many will look at the exits of Brett and Davies and ask: why were they hired just last summer if they weren’t the right fit? Others will question whether the club’s aggressive style of play under Postecoglou was ever feasible given the squad’s durability.

Frank brings hope, not just through his style, but because of the unity he creates. His decision to bring in his own team could restore the trust fans lost during the fitness crisis. Spurs need fewer gambles and more continuity.

There’s cautious optimism that with Stubbings, Perryman and Haslam, the club finally has a medical and performance setup fit for purpose. Brentford overachieved not by luck but by meticulous planning and care. Spurs need the same now.

Supporters are expectant not just for silverware, but for something more consistent, the availability of their best players when it matters most. If this structure keeps key men on the pitch rather than the treatment table, it will already be a success.

But if the injury list grows again, scrutiny will turn to Levy’s judgement, and faith in this new regime may not last long.