Among the more hilarious statements on this thread has to be your suggestion that Walker had any clue about the club's strategy; but maybe you think that Levy would have fireside chats with him about it.Agree that the result doesn't really matter but what does is that Poch sounded worryingly resigned about our chances against the likes of big spending Man City - not just yesterday but it felt like 'generally' too.
He says we're trying to sign players "with energy" (ie: younger? Cheaper?) who will make us more competitive while "building the squad" (yep younger and cheaper, "ones for the future" then?) but sources are saying Barkley's going to be our only signing. And this is probably because he will be EXPENSIVE - but even more concerning is that he will come in on Kane's salary.
That's not a surprise in the current market, but apart from the fact that he will only really make us marginally more competitive, the big fear is that It will likely have wider ramifications on the other first team members. Alli is better than him and he's only on £75k, Toby isn't on much more and he is absolutely key to any success and Eriksen is on, what, £85k? He won't be happy either.
This has turned out to be the silliest of transfer windows in terms of the amount of cash flying around, sure, with the big spenders - City and Chelsea especially - effectively creating a "shit or get off the pot" scenario for Levy and Spurs in terms of signing players and moving with the times in terms of wages. Is anyone else wondering if it might even be a calculated way of eradicating us as a threat longer term?
After all, they know that last season their squads were lacking, allowing us to compete for the title, but they also know Levy wouldn't ever invest enough cash this summer to allow Poch and the team to truly compete against them again (and win things) if they were to go all out to get the biggest players, pay the biggest wages, show the biggest ambition to win trophies. It all ends up making Spurs look a less and less attractive destination, not just this summer, not just to players (and agents!) in the transfer market but also going forward - and, crucially, to our existing, very desirable, players.
Walker knew Levy wouldn't invest this summer too, of course, and decided to jump early for a much bigger pay check when Poch called him out on his attitude. Sure, he had no need to stay anymore, but he's also publicly alluded to the fact that he knew the club wouldn't invest enough to help give the squad the "edge" he thought it lacked (and let's face it, based on our wasted Champions League campaign he's right).
He, like Poch, the team (and City, Chelsea, United and, well, everyone else), also knows that our wage cap will always prevent us from getting the best players in too.
All of this can only really ensure that Spurs will never be more than a stepping stone for 95% of even the best younger and cheaper "players for the future" - and as more and more teams even apart from the biggest of spenders start to pay new players more than we do, even more so. No matter where we finish in the league or despite being in the Champions League.
Even Kane, as committed to the club as he has publicly said he is, is guaranteed to start to get itchy feet if we don't invest this window, don't win anything this year and end up finishing 6th (all a very distinct possibility) and the likes of Alli, Toby, Eriksen, Vertonghen, Rose will be off like a shot next summer once the likes of United, City, Real, etc come knocking if this happens.
How long until Poch then decides HE wants to ply his very desirable wares at a club where he can actually sign proven players who can help a squad win trophies, not just be "more competitive"?
Losing him and our key players may make us a stack of cash but it'll also ensure we're unlikely to win much and even risk a trip back to annual mid-table obscurity. After all, what world class manager is going to want to go to Spurs when they see that one of the most successful managers in their history didn't get the right backing in the transfer window two seasons running, despite back-to-back Champions League qualifications?
So, a big few weeks for Levy - and potentially for the future of the club.
The biggest worry of all though is that Levy knows the new stadium will always be filled, whether we're winning the league, finishing top 4 OR finishing in 6th or 7th ... but maybe I'm being cynical ...