tommysvr
Vedran Corluka
Continued:
Those who have worked with Munn make the point that while the lack of European experience could be an issue, the other way of framing it is that he has a global knowledge and expertise of emerging markets that very few possess. Australia and Asia are already important in a commercial sense — Spurs travelled to South Korea last summer and are heading to Perth in July — and with the potential to increase in a footballing one. One of CFG’s great strengths is how global it is in its outlook, with clubs all over the world, all feeding into a centralised hub that ensures Emirates Marketing Project at the centre can hoover up the world’s best young talent. South Americans like Julian Alvarez and Gabriel Jesus, signed as youngsters thanks to CFG’s global expertise, exemplify this.
Speaking to those who know how CFG operates, it’s also apparent that Munn, given how senior a role he was in, would have had a lot of exposure to the group’s knowledge base, and the slick operational skill that makes it the envy of most clubs in the world.
As explained in detail here, communication between clubs and centralised CFG staff is constant, with regular meetings and almost daily contact.
Even while in Melbourne, Munn visited the UK a few times a year to have meetings with senior CFG staff, such as Ferran Soriano, Begiristain and managing director of global football Brian Marwood. All major decisions — be that regarding infrastructure, signing players or changing managers — are co-ordinated with Manchester. So the idea that Munn has been working in footballing outposts and has no knowledge of European football might be a little deceptive.
As ever, there is a question mark over how much autonomy Munn will have at Spurs under Levy. Even with Paratici in situ and supposedly in charge of managerial appointments, it was still Levy who drove and executed the hire of Antonio Conte in November 2021. That said, the last couple of years have seen not only Paratici brought in, but also Gretar Steinsson, Andy Scoulding and Leonardo Gabbanini into senior recruitment roles, with Levy less hands-on than previously.
All four will report into Munn, as Tottenham continue their attempts to boost their off-field staff and improve the structure of their football operations.
The feedback Spurs received on Munn was very positive, and his CV speaks of his ambition and willingness to try different things.
He started his career with the Sydney Organising Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games, then switched to the National Rugby League, before becoming the first person employed by Melbourne Heart when the club was formed in 2009. The club had no offices, training ground or infrastructure and Munn essentially had to build it up from nothing.
The CFG takeover in 2014 was transformational, and the rebranded Melbourne City won their first title with the 2016 FFA Cup (now the Australia Cup and the nation’s equivalent of the FA Cup), but they struggled to compete with the already established Melbourne Victory, and averaged attendances of less than 10,000.
Moving to China in 2019 was another big step into the unknown, uprooting his wife and three children to a country where none of them spoke the language. Those who saw Munn operating in China were impressed with his diplomacy and ability to navigate his way through a challenging market, while developing contacts and building relationships. Being entrusted with looking after CFG’s operations in China, where they have a club Sichuan Jiuniu in the second tier, was a sign of the group’s trust in him.
In general, former colleagues and contacts speak of someone who is straightforward, respectful and has a lot of integrity. A small, slight man, Munn is a keen cyclist, and in Melbourne would go on long bike rides with colleagues. In his late teens, he briefly moved to the UK to work in a school assisting the PE staff.
Munn knows there will be doubts about his ability to step up to the role, but that was the case in Melbourne and China. He is said to be a very good listener while confident without being overbearing was one description.
He also left his mark in Melbourne with his generosity. In 2016, he led the initiative that saw Melbourne City donate at least a dollar for every fan attending the derby against Melbourne Victory, as well as hosting a fundraising auction, to raise money for a young man needing lifesaving cancer treatment.
Spurs feel they have hired someone who can drive forward the various footballing departments and with his global outlook help modernise the operation. His low profile may make the appointment feel underwhelming to some, but going for big names has not exactly worked out brilliantly for Spurs in the last few years. And for those who have criticised Levy for being too hands-on when it comes to footballing matters, this is surely another step in the right direction.
Either way, Munn will have an enormous job on his hands when he gets started and begins attacking his dizzying to-do list.
