The Daily ITK Discussion Thread POST MORTEM

[teddy_sheringham_125]

My opinion is that Poch likes the narrative of, "look how well he is doing with no money!", and doesn't want to risk it shifting to, "Spurs spent over £100M and are still not winning anything", unless he is 100% sure about who is coming in.

 

[McFlash]

I'm rather proud that we have a manager who wants to create success, not just try to buy it.

 

[Stamford]

We've left ourselves too much to do this summer and that's without potentially Toby and Eriksen leaving

 

[dagraham]

Dunno why people get so upset about the NFL link, it's just business, which football is.

Well I can only speak for myself, but the fact they carved up the East Lower to accommodate NFL corporate space was wrong imo.

However I do recognise it’s just a business decision. Although as yet there are no tangible benefits to me as a Spurs fan. It’s not like it’s bringing in loads of money translating into investment on the pitch.

Hopefully that is what it will bring in time, but I have my doubts. Seems the club are gambling on a franchise, but I’m not convinced that will ever happen. And if it doesn’t we’re just left with 2 poxy games a season, which is not a lot of revenue.

Perhaps the whole NFL part of the business model will all come together with the eventual naming rights sponsorship or maybe even new American owners/investors with deep pockets.

If that transpires and leads to more investment in the playing squad then fair enough it will have been worth it. If not then I think it’s right for fans to question it.

 

[Spurs 1961]

I don't like using the word but this transfer window was so 'Spursy' The chairman finally decides to open his wallet and the manager tells him not to bother. I'm not going to go too deep into it as I have already covered it before but the manager clearly has a plan of action and a lot of belief in what he already has. I just hope this doesn't blow up in his face because this window was totally 100% down to him.

Very high risk strategy from Poch who must feel there are young players at the club who he can shape into the players he needs

 

[freeeki]

Too many reasons to be cheerful to worry about who we didn’t sign. We are in a great position. Urgently holding our own against big spending teams. We have unrivalled harmony in our squad. And we are about to embark on some great times with our club. I know patience is a dirty word in the FIFA/FM world we live In where you can buy and sell with a click of a mouse. But I still believe we have a plan. And we are working towards that. Good times lie ahead.

Thanks to all the admins and mods who made this very quiet thread tick along nicely. See you all In The summer!

Let's be clear - we are comfortably 3rd because Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have woefully and abysmally under-performed.

We have lost 25% of our games - a higher percentage than anyone else in the top 6.

We are one defeat away from equaling our total from last season, we've already accumulated 50% more defeats than we had in the season before that, have already equaled the total from the season before that, and we have already surpassed the cumulative number of defeats suffered by the team who finished 4th last season.

I accept that we are on course to equal our best-ever points haul of 86, however that only took us to 2nd place, two seasons ago. This season it should just about see us in to 3rd. That should be proof enough, if it were needed, that standing still while others progress is a sure fire way to go backwards.

We've done incredibly well to keep up with the top two thus far, but we're in no danger of overtaking them, and if the three teams immediately below us were playing as they should be, we'd be comfortably top 6, not comfortably top 3.

I can't help feeling that we're at a very real risk of plateau and stagnation here - we're showing no signs of doing any better in the league this season than we did two years ago, and for all the talk of Wembley and stadiums, you can't help but feel that lack of squad investment must be the reason for that. Liverpool and Manchester City have come on leaps and bounds since then, and that's because of squad investment.

While we won't match Liverpool and City in terms of financial clout any season soon, being unable to spend £100M every window cannot be considered a legitimate reason or excuse for spending zero in two windows on the bounce.

 

[Insomnia]

Daniel Levy at Transfers Anonymous:

"Hi, my name is Daniel & I've been transfer free for a Year"

 

[Hercules]

Poch is not going anywhere. He is content and fiercely ambitious to succeeed with us. The spin is, we expected to of been in the NWHL. And our transfer plans was around that. As there would be external finances bought in, which would satisfy the balance sheets etc. Unfortunately, we have been frustrated, which puts restrictions on the way we want to operate, inclusive of wages.

That being said, funds were available. And a decent amount at that, but Poch did not like the subjects offered. A couple of them I disagree with his stance. But he has earned that right. Nobody is going to mention what the budget is. But there will be a good amount. Take it into mind 2 windows has passed and we have not spent, though funds were available.

I am told, and agree we have heard that before. But new stadium releases more immediate funds to add to the kitty. And with sponsorship being activated, will trigger those funds. I again see optimistic ratings coming. Personally, I think as a corporate company, and for the very least PR, we should of bought in at the very least, one player. Or announced a signing agreed for the summer. This will test the metal of Poch, more than our Daniel. Poch knows the score. I expect couple of senior players to be moved on.

VJ’s situation, we got cocked about a lot from clubs who proposed to buy him outright, and play us off until it was too late. Daniel should of taken a loan. But told that it wasn’t that straight forward.

 

[Deleted member 27995]

Well I can only speak for myself, but the fact they carved up the East Lower to accommodate NFL corporate space was wrong imo.

However I do recognise it’s just a business decision. Although as yet there are no tangible benefits to me as a Spurs fan. It’s not like it’s bringing in loads of money translating into investment on the pitch.

Hopefully that is what it will bring in time, but I have my doubts. Seems the club are gambling on a franchise, but I’m not convinced that will ever happen. And if it doesn’t we’re just left with 2 poxy games a season, which is not a lot of revenue.

Perhaps the whole NFL part of the business model will all come together with the eventual naming rights sponsorship or maybe even new American owners/investors with deep pockets.

If that transpires and leads to more investment in the playing squad then fair enough it will have been worth it. If not then I think it’s right for fans to question it.

Well, guessing you're a season ticket holder (happy to be corrected) you'd be justified in your doubts and the view that in the short term it's not offering a whole lot.

I guess like all business, it's a speculated gamble. There is a lot of interest in the NFL a possible franchise and all that goes with it. I would say there has been a lot of exposure for the club especially on the NFL official website and continues to be plenty of exposure. The market is there, I guess we'll see how good those at the top are, at extracting the kind of cash to make it a worth while venture.

As tiresome as it is, we'll have to wait to get into the new stadium to see how beneficial it is to the club, and in a lot of cases, the fans.

 

[Spurs 1961]

I am not sure why anyone is surprised about this transfer window. We know Poch has a list of certain players he wants ... we know even when we buy players Poch will not play them until they are at the required fitness levels, understand what he wants from them and have proved themselves in training. Plus in the book, Brave New World, based on his diaries we clearly get the understanding that Poch prefers to mould young players with the mentality and habits he exposes rather than use older players. He totally backs his ability to develop players highly getting great satisfaction from this. Time will tell if he is right but it also gives fans some comfort as we know he will not get to do this all his way at Madrid or Manchester

 

[Qualsonic]

Will Janssen now get a squad number?

Or a punctuation mark?

 

[Styopa]

Hopefully there is a grand plan and what we have witnessed the past two windows isn't just a case of Levy and Pochettino being on completely different pages with regards to player prices, wages etc. There has been some value to be had in the market with Shaqiri
and Maddison going for reasonable fees and Grealish being available at what seemed like a fair price until the takeover at Villa. Maybe Pochettino doesn't see this level of player being adequate to bring us to the next level (and he may be right) but we have been given no reason to believe we are prepared to compete at the elite end of the market. Next season will be even more difficult if, as suspected Eriksen and Toby depart in the summer - including Dembele that's three outstanding players needing to be replaced. Add to that a seemingly permanently injured/off the pace Wanyama and continuing questions marks over the fitness of the likes of Lamela and Rose. Even if some of the younger players - Sanchez, Foyth, Winks, Skipp - are good enough to step up and cover all of this we will still need to bring in a good number of squad players assuming we don't expect the Winks etc to play every match. From the outside it looks as if two windows of inactivity has left us with a hell of a lot to do this summer.

 

[rossdapep]

Will Janssen now get a squad number?

Already happened I think

 

[Japhet]

Poch is not going anywhere. He is content and fiercely ambitious to succeeed with us. The spin is, we expected to of been in the NWHL. And our transfer plans was around that. As there would be external finances bought in, which would satisfy the balance sheets etc. Unfortunately, we have been frustrated, which puts restrictions on the way we want to operate, inclusive of wages.

That being said, funds were available. And a decent amount at that, but Poch did not like the subjects offered. A couple of them I disagree with his stance. But he has earned that right. Nobody is going to mention what the budget is. But there will be a good amount. Take it into mind 2 windows has passed and we have not spent, though funds were available.

I am told, and agree we have heard that before. But new stadium releases more immediate funds to add to the kitty. And with sponsorship being activated, will trigger those funds. I again see optimistic ratings coming. Personally, I think as a corporate company, and for the very least PR, we should of bought in at the very least, one player. Or announced a signing agreed for the summer. This will test the metal of Poch, more than our Daniel. Poch knows the score. I expect couple of senior players to be moved on.

VJ’s situation, we got cocked about a lot from clubs who proposed to buy him outright, and play us off until it was too late. Daniel should of taken a loan. But told that it wasn’t that straight forward.

All makes perfect sense.

 

[DiscoD1882]

Let's be clear - we are comfortably 3rd because Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have woefully and abysmally under-performed.

We have lost 25% of our games - a higher percentage than anyone else in the top 6.

We are one defeat away from equaling our total from last season, we've already accumulated 50% more defeats than we had in the season before that, have already equaled the total from the season before that, and we have already surpassed the cumulative number of defeats suffered by the team who finished 4th last season.

I accept that we are on course to equal our best-ever points haul of 86, however that only took us to 2nd place, two seasons ago. This season it should just about see us in to 3rd. That should be proof enough, if it were needed, that standing still while others progress is a sure fire way to go backwards.

We've done incredibly well to keep up with the top two thus far, but we're in no danger of overtaking them, and if the three teams immediately below us were playing as they should be, we'd be comfortably top 6, not comfortably top 3.

I can't help feeling that we're at a very real risk of plateau and stagnation here - we're showing no signs of doing any better in the league this season than we did two years ago, and for all the talk of Wembley and stadiums, you can't help but feel that lack of squad investment must be the reason for that. Liverpool and Manchester City have come on leaps and bounds since then, and that's because of squad investment.

While we won't match Liverpool and City in terms of financial clout any season soon, being unable to spend £100M every window cannot be considered a legitimate reason or excuse for spending zero in two windows on the bounce.

It’s a simple case of glass half empty. Glass half full. Yes we’ve lost more. We have also drawn less. Yes. Other teams have improved. Other haven’t. You can’t use other teams under performing as an excuse. We are there because we are good enough and have won enough game to earn that right. I would like a dogs bollocks signing as much as the next person. But as Herc has alluded to finances aren’t in place to make that marque signing a possibility. And if that is what we need to take us up to the top. Then I will wait. My toys are firmly in my pram.

 

[spurfetto]

Poch is not going anywhere. He is content and fiercely ambitious to succeeed with us. The spin is, we expected to of been in the NWHL. And our transfer plans was around that. As there would be external finances bought in, which would satisfy the balance sheets etc. Unfortunately, we have been frustrated, which puts restrictions on the way we want to operate, inclusive of wages.

That being said, funds were available. And a decent amount at that, but Poch did not like the subjects offered. A couple of them I disagree with his stance. But he has earned that right. Nobody is going to mention what the budget is. But there will be a good amount. Take it into mind 2 windows has passed and we have not spent, though funds were available.

I am told, and agree we have heard that before. But new stadium releases more immediate funds to add to the kitty. And with sponsorship being activated, will trigger those funds. I again see optimistic ratings coming. Personally, I think as a corporate company, and for the very least PR, we should of bought in at the very least, one player. Or announced a signing agreed for the summer. This will test the metal of Poch, more than our Daniel. Poch knows the score. I expect couple of senior players to be moved on.

VJ’s situation, we got cocked about a lot from clubs who proposed to buy him outright, and play us off until it was too late. Daniel should of taken a loan. But told that it wasn’t that straight forward.

Let's hope we do have a few deals in place for the summer then

 

[taricco]

I think it's a real shame for the fans. We needed a lift here - stadium delayed, wembley gloom, rumours of poch and big players leaving in the summer, just exited two cups, squad looking a bit threadbare. A decent signing could have really lifted the mood and got us through the rest of the season.

 

[Styopa]

I am not sure why anyone is surprised about this transfer window. We know Poch has a list of certain players he wants ... we know even when we buy players Poch will not play them until they are at the required fitness levels, understand what he wants from them and have proved themselves in training. Plus in the book, Brave New World, based on his diaries we clearly get the understanding that Poch prefers to mould young players with the mentality and habits he exposes rather than use older players. He totally backs his ability to develop players highly getting great satisfaction from this. Time will tell if he is right but it also gives fans some comfort as we know he will not get to do this all his way at Madrid or Manchester

This doesn't mean not signing anyone though. Arguably Kane is the only player in Poch's 5 seasons at the club to have come through the ranks to be in our top 3 or 4 key players. Winks could be. However the reason he's a default starter this season is at least partly due to our lack of options. The others - e.g. Eriksen, Dele, Son were all bought from other clubs - and at least partly established. Poch has also frequently relied on 'senior' players whilst at the club, e.g. Lloris, Vertonghen, Toby, Dembele, Wanyama, Lucas etc.

 

[freeeki]

It’s a simple case of glass half empty. Glass half full. Yes we’ve lost more. We have also drawn less. Yes. Other teams have improved. Other haven’t. You can’t use other teams under performing as an excuse. We are there because we are good enough and have won enough game to earn that right. I would like a dogs bollocks signing as much as the next person. But as Herc has alluded to finances aren’t in place to make that marque signing a possibility. And if that is what we need to take us up to the top. Then I will wait. My toys are firmly in my pram.

Whereas we've stayed still, allowing the performance of other clubs to ultimately dictate our league standing.

To press on, we need to actively improve, not stand still and hope the stars align.

 

[JCRD]

I'm rather proud that we have a manager who wants to create success, not just try to buy it.

You can invest to create success - it isnt bad to invest money which incidentally is something that some of our really high season ticket prices should be put towards

I agree we dont go out and blow 200m but if this current crop was going to have success it would have had some by now... we need to improve the squad and that requires investment.

As I have said previously, this summer is a crossroads and i expect a fair amount of activity given we are in this position. Toby and Eriksen may move on, we have Wanyama who may end up moving, Dembele has gone, our right back situation is also an area of focus. We them most likely need to replace Llorente as back up...