Chairman’s message 19 Jul 20

[Geez]

Club Chairman Daniel Levy provides a message for supporters in the matchday programme for today’s final home match of the season...

Official Site

Free digital programme on Sunday

 

[rupsmith]

I think we have a lot to thank Daniel Levy for. Apologies but I am reposting the following which I have posted several times.

From the dark days of the 90s - where a fancy dribble or clever pass would be what we would consider highlights of a game in a dingy stadium that we, an ageing mismanaged team, more often than not lost - to these days. A world class training facility with a top youth team and a world class stadium all cleverly financed and integrated with local community development and initiatives. We are playing in the Europe with regularity, giving teams in the premier league (which are basically owned by countries) a tough battle for top positions. The future looks very bright .

He has now appointed a proven winner and a world class manager - refreshed and raring to go, coming in generally pleased with the squad and not looking for expensive "fix-its". A ruthless but objective decision by Levy that I believe will take us to the next level. The worlds best players will want to play for a world class manager and champions league finalists.

A salute of gratitude and respect from a fan who has seen the dark days. A top astute business leader in a very volatile industry. Always has us punching well above our weight and has now taken us to the next level.

Looking forward to next season. Hope to finish this one on a high.

Come on you Spurs.

 

[Matthew]

I think we have a lot to thank Daniel Levy for. Apologies but I am reposting the following which I have posted several times.

From the dark days of the 90s - where a fancy dribble or clever pass would be what we would consider highlights of a game in a dingy stadium that we, an ageing mismanaged team, more often than not lost - to these days. A world class training facility with a top youth team and a world class stadium all cleverly financed and integrated with local community development and initiatives. We are playing in the Europe with regularity, giving teams in the premier league (which are basically owned by countries) a tough battle for top positions. The future looks very bright .

He has now appointed a proven winner and a world class manager - refreshed and raring to go, coming in generally pleased with the squad and not looking for expensive "fix-its". A ruthless but objective decision by Dan Levy that I believe will take us to the next level. The worlds best players will want to play for a world class manager and champions league finalists.

A salute of gratitude and respect from a fan who has seen the dark days. A top astute business leader in a very volatile industry. Always has us punching well above our weight and has now taken us to the next level.

Looking forward to next season. Hope to finish this one on a high.

Come on you Spurs.

Daniel? ......

 

[wizgell]

I think we have a lot to thank Daniel Levy for. Apologies but I am reposting the following which I have posted several times.

From the dark days of the 90s - where a fancy dribble or clever pass would be what we would consider highlights of a game in a dingy stadium that we, an ageing mismanaged team, more often than not lost - to these days. A world class training facility with a top youth team and a world class stadium all cleverly financed and integrated with local community development and initiatives. We are playing in the Europe with regularity, giving teams in the premier league (which are basically owned by countries) a tough battle for top positions. The future looks very bright .

He has now appointed a proven winner and a world class manager - refreshed and raring to go, coming in generally pleased with the squad and not looking for expensive "fix-its". A ruthless but objective decision by Dan Levy that I believe will take us to the next level. The worlds best players will want to play for a world class manager and champions league finalists.

A salute of gratitude and respect from a fan who has seen the dark days. A top astute business leader in a very volatile industry. Always has us punching well above our weight and has now taken us to the next level.

Looking forward to next season. Hope to finish this one on a high.

Come on you Spurs.

Whilst I agree with some of the points you make about the progress made, I will not accept anyone calling White Hart Lane 'dingy', the old place was magic and full of soul, history and character. There is a reason it was often very high on the list for many when discussing away days.

Whilst we have indeed punched above our weight over the last few years, we sacked a manager who no longer could keep that squad punching above its weight, rather than investing in the areas we had identified a year previously in order to move on to the next level.

I was one of those who would always find it hard to speak against what we had achieved in the Levy era because I had seen the clear progression from the bang average dross I grew up with in the mid 90's however even I can no longer deny that football (albeit a barely recognisable game anymore) progresses at such a rate that you can no longer just be happy to settle. If you truly want to compete AND succeed you have stop punching above your weight and simply increase your muscle mass if you were.

Levy has stalled our progress with his reluctance to listen to and support managers and we are all expected to get more excited about architecture awards than we are the prospect of winning actual football trophies. So yes, thanks for moving us forward but whilst we have done that, those we left behind have leapfrogged us so significantly they are a mere dot on the horizon.

 

[rupsmith]

Whilst I agree with some of the points you make about the progress made, I will not accept anyone calling White Hart Lane 'dingy', the old place was magic and full of soul, history and character. There is a reason it was often very high on the list for many when discussing away days.

Whilst we have indeed punched above our weight over the last few years, we sacked a manager who no longer could keep that squad punching above its weight, rather than investing in the areas we had identified a year previously in order to move on to the next level.

I was one of those who would always find it hard to speak against what we had achieved in the Levy era because I had seen the clear progression from the bang average dross I grew up with in the mid 90's however even I can no longer deny that football (albeit a barely recognisable game anymore) progresses at such a rate that you can no longer just be happy to settle. If you truly want to compete AND succeed you have stop punching above your weight and simply increase your muscle mass if you were.

Levy has stalled our progress with his reluctance to listen to and support managers and we are all expected to get more excited about architecture awards than we are the prospect of winning actual football trophies. So yes, thanks for moving us forward but whilst we have done that, those we left behind have leapfrogged us so significantly they are a mere dot on the horizon.

I think a lot of the strategy boils down to financial sustainability. A stadium like Old Trafford is what gives United the big bucks and the brand. Levy has more than ticked that box - one of the best stadiums in the world with a 60K capacity.

From a pure business risk perspective, he could have backed Poch - a young, popular, passionate manager who built a strong footballing culture, a sense of belonging and unity among a young squad, and had us punching well above our weight; but who had never won a trophy. When things started unraveling from the end of 2018, the Champions League run (we did well but did have a few breaks as well) papered over a few cracks. I think that is when a few doubts crept into Levy's thought process. Back Poch all the way and hope he grows into a winning manager?

When performance quality continued to decline and players - now more experienced - began to get restless, I think that where he took a tough business call. Jose Mourinho - a manager who has been there, done that and stitched (let alone "got") the t-shirt. Maybe not a popular decision but one that is a less risky appointment to back financially - back the guy who knows what he needs to start filling in the trophy cabinet rather than someone who is finding his "winning trophies" feet. And to be fair Jose seems happy and the results tide is turning. Toby staying on and a few signings hopefully lined up. Think this is what is needed to take us to the next level. Even if it doesn't work out, I think I understand the thought process which seems reasonable.

The future looks pretty good I think.

P.s. yeah "dingy" a bit harsh but described in the context of the new stadium. Glorious memories at the Lane for sure.

 

[DJS]

I think we have a lot to thank Daniel Levy for. Apologies but I am reposting the following which I have posted several times.

From the dark days of the 90s - where a fancy dribble or clever pass would be what we would consider highlights of a game in a dingy stadium that we, an ageing mismanaged team, more often than not lost - to these days. A world class training facility with a top youth team and a world class stadium all cleverly financed and integrated with local community development and initiatives. We are playing in the Europe with regularity, giving teams in the premier league (which are basically owned by countries) a tough battle for top positions. The future looks very bright .

He has now appointed a proven winner and a world class manager - refreshed and raring to go, coming in generally pleased with the squad and not looking for expensive "fix-its". A ruthless but objective decision by Levy that I believe will take us to the next level. The worlds best players will want to play for a world class manager and champions league finalists.

A salute of gratitude and respect from a fan who has seen the dark days. A top astute business leader in a very volatile industry. Always has us punching well above our weight and has now taken us to the next level.

Looking forward to next season. Hope to finish this one on a high.

Come on you Spurs.

We’re certainly still a lot better off than in the nineties, but it can’t be denied he’s massively fucked up recruitment wise in recent times

We had that glorious summer when we signed Toby and Son and followed that up with Wanyama the following summer.

And since then it’s been a cluster fuck and led to our side becoming stale and not capitalising on the successful platform we had built.

Some of that is unlucky (Wanyama only being good for one season) but issues with the squad should have been addressed.

And why is Perrerira at Leicester and we instead have Aurier? That’s a specific example of our recruitment.

And rather than wasting time on Dybala he should have got Fernandes sorted and then seen if Dybala was doable.

It just feels like transfer windows in recent times have been a cock up and badly managed.

 

[Metalhead]

Whilst I agree with some of the points you make about the progress made, I will not accept anyone calling White Hart Lane 'dingy', the old place was magic and full of soul, history and character. There is a reason it was often very high on the list for many when discussing away days.

Whilst we have indeed punched above our weight over the last few years, we sacked a manager who no longer could keep that squad punching above its weight, rather than investing in the areas we had identified a year previously in order to move on to the next level.

I was one of those who would always find it hard to speak against what we had achieved in the Levy era because I had seen the clear progression from the bang average dross I grew up with in the mid 90's however even I can no longer deny that football (albeit a barely recognisable game anymore) progresses at such a rate that you can no longer just be happy to settle. If you truly want to compete AND succeed you have stop punching above your weight and simply increase your muscle mass if you were.

Levy has stalled our progress with his reluctance to listen to and support managers and we are all expected to get more excited about architecture awards than we are the prospect of winning actual football trophies. So yes, thanks for moving us forward but whilst we have done that, those we left behind have leapfrogged us so significantly they are a mere dot on the horizon.

The old WHL was definitely not 'dingy' - I agree there. Obviously the new stadium is magnificent but I could never dismiss the old place - it holds a lot of fond memories.

 

[WePlayWednesday]

I don’t think we’ve messed up recruitment. The simple fact is, we don’t know the private details of player contracts. I think we’re very well managed and that means we don’t get players who are overly greedy or involved in agent politics.

Sure, quote a name of another clubs player who we could have instead of a current Spurs squad member.

However...

None of us know how much money the player and agent want. None of us know if they would rather be a bigger fish in a smaller pond. None of us know their personal ambitions, if their agents have an agenda to put them at a particular club or pressure a wage rise.

Here’s an example, I know an agent, who helped engineer the West Ham keeper Randolph to move to Middlesbrough. The plan was to put pressure on the club to give a wage rise to the other keeper at the club. So, a player who wasn’t interested in a move, got one and more cash, so that the agent could make more cash both ways.

I suspect that our club tries to avoid these games, which might mean we don’t always look like we have a great deal... However I suspect we are very well managed. We actually spend less than half what the traditional “top 4” do on agents per season.

Liverpool spend £30.3m on agent fees to lead Premier League clubs

Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea again complete top four; Burnley spent the least of any top-flight club

www.skysports.com

 

[Pillbug]

Whilst I agree with some of the points you make about the progress made, I will not accept anyone calling White Hart Lane 'dingy', the old place was magic and full of soul, history and character. There is a reason it was often very high on the list for many when discussing away days.

Whilst we have indeed punched above our weight over the last few years, we sacked a manager who no longer could keep that squad punching above its weight, rather than investing in the areas we had identified a year previously in order to move on to the next level.

I was one of those who would always find it hard to speak against what we had achieved in the Levy era because I had seen the clear progression from the bang average dross I grew up with in the mid 90's however even I can no longer deny that football (albeit a barely recognisable game anymore) progresses at such a rate that you can no longer just be happy to settle. If you truly want to compete AND succeed you have stop punching above your weight and simply increase your muscle mass if you were.

Levy has stalled our progress with his reluctance to listen to and support managers and we are all expected to get more excited about architecture awards than we are the prospect of winning actual football trophies. So yes, thanks for moving us forward but whilst we have done that, those we left behind have leapfrogged us so significantly they are a mere dot on the horizon.

Yeah... who would say that? New stadiums are nice but lack character to be hopefully gained with age.