What's new

ENIC...

Status
Not open for further replies.

JayB

Well-Known Member
Aug 24, 2011
6,652
26,046
That’s a bit pessimistic. The stadium will generate a lot of money over the long term. How much of that drips through to the transfer budget, who can say but the potential of the stadium is nowhere near being realised (the naming rights deal for example could be a massive financial benefit to the club). The benefit of an absolutely superb training ground hasn’t really been realised. How efficient is the scouting network? Are the best prospects being identified? There is undoubtedly the foundations for success there but for reasons outside of the club’s control (COVID) and within the club’s control (fcked up transfer window), we have had a setback.
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.
 

doctor stefan Freud

the tired tread of sad biology
Sep 2, 2013
15,170
72,169
Bravo @jeremystorey you've put into words exactly how I'm feeling and I guess a lot of the older heads who've been through it all. That could and really should have been us celebrating winning a PL and CL but sadly for whatever reason our owners failed to go that extra yard to turn us into winners.

When you take into account 2 of them LFC players that's turned them into winners (Mane/Wijnaldam) were wanted by MP, they had met him and were reportedly ready to sign if we could agree a fee with their clubs/agent yet our owners failed to get the deals over the line. Instead they signed for LFC who didn't even have European football to offer then it hurts that much more. Them 2 + Batshuayi, who MP wanted and was recommended by Bielsa, would've turned our 16/17 team into champions.

No one can convince me otherwise that Mane/Batshuayi wouldn't have got us the goals, when Kane got injured in autumn 16 and we went on that run of 4 draws, to win them games. Instead we had to persist with that donkey Janssen and Sissoko. Sissoko may have reinvented himself as a CM now but that was not the position he was purchased for in the first place. Take into account his fee/wages weren't that far off Mane's and it hurts that much more. Let's not forget that derisory offer we made for Zaha at £12m after they had sold Bolasie a few weeks earlier for £25m. This after MP had said "Now I think we need some players in the second line of offence to help the team compete better and have more quality in the squad because it will be a very tough season with the Champions League". Sadly we don't have owners who value "on the field success" at the top of their priorities.

I've had plenty of disappointments supporting THFC over the last 41 years but never have I felt as crushed as I am right now. The fact I/you/the world knew we were on the cusp of greatness with just a little more addition of quality but the owners decided not to take that opportunity and try doing it on the cheap instead. We are MILES off the top teams now and I just can't see us reaching the levels of 3 years back anytime soon...:cry:
I feel like I’ve been hoofed in the nads by an ostrich after reading this. My testicles are swimming somewhere deep within my bowels right now, along with any shred of optimism I might have had left for our mid term future
 

shelfboy68

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2008
14,566
19,651
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.
Gutting but not surprising though.
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
24,179
48,764
Not really...

Kyle Walker has been instrumental in City's two league titles since his arrival. Levy's gift has solved many problems for them.
We on the other hand have a real problem at RB, and have done so since 2017. KW was not a fringe player when we sold him. Pretending he was is a joke.

As for the money for investments - that should have come out of the business. The point everyone keeps missing.
The destination for stadium revenues, commercial activity and TV rights should be the funding of the first team - not to build a nice stadium to generate wealth for the owners while saddling the club with a mountain of debt ...
Levy has switched the whole purpose of the operation - why we exist and why we do what we do - from giving us fans on-field success to lining his own pocket. And no-one raises an eyebrow...
I still think £50m was a very good price for Walker. We should have sold Rose for £50m to Chelsea that summer too. The problem was not selling him, it was shitty recruitment - buying Aurier. We could have got Perreira for less. The biggest mistake Levy made, though, was not insisting Sancho was included. Pep was desperate to get him in and Sancho was leaving regardless. I’m sure they would have folded if he stood his ground.
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
I still think £50m was a very good price for Walker. We should have sold Rose for £50m to Chelsea that summer too. The problem was not selling him, it was shitty recruitment - buying Aurier. We could have got Perreira for less. The biggest mistake Levy made, though, was not insisting Sancho was included. Pep was desperate to get him in and Sancho was leaving regardless. I’m sure they would have folded if he stood his ground.

I remember ITKs & news article saying we wanted Sancho in return but City weren't willing to do and also Sancho already knew about Dortmund offer - so he was also not keen
 

danielneeds

Kick-Ass
May 5, 2004
24,179
48,764
I remember ITKs & news article saying we wanted Sancho in return but City weren't willing to do and also Sancho already knew about Dortmund offer - so he was also not keen
I remember the word being that he was keen to join but after City said they would not sell to a rival that he turned his attention to Dortmund. Ha, imagine a time when City would see us as a rival!
 

arunspurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
8,807
35,543
ENIC have not been successful trophy wise. But fact is when they took us we were in financial shambles, in midtable. Now we are in top 10 or 15 club financially & top 4 or 5 footballwise. So, to say ENIC is a failure is plain wrong.

ENIC had the unfortunate timing of Chelsea & City hitting billion $ jackpot. Had those two not been lucky, we could have got few more trophies with organic growth.

We currently have all the necessary infrastructure of a top club.

Whatever gone is gone in terms of not building a team. Now, ENIC/Levy have no excuse. Hopefully soon, Corona will be over, terraces will be filled and commercial revenue will help us. But, here on in, team takes priority. Levy has got to deliver for the team here on in
 

Dillspur

Well-Known Member
May 18, 2004
3,747
9,926
ENIC have not been successful trophy wise. But fact is when they took us we were in financial shambles, in midtable. Now we are in top 10 or 15 club financially & top 4 or 5 footballwise. So, to say ENIC is a failure is plain wrong.

ENIC had the unfortunate timing of Chelsea & City hitting billion $ jackpot. Had those two not been lucky, we could have got few more trophies with organic growth.

We currently have all the necessary infrastructure of a top club.

Whatever gone is gone in terms of not building a team. Now, ENIC/Levy have no excuse. Hopefully soon, Corona will be over, terraces will be filled and commercial revenue will help us. But, here on in, team takes priority. Levy has got to deliver for the team here on in

We weren't in a financial shambles at all. It was Sugar that got us on the right track from Scholar.
 

DCSPUR

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2005
3,918
5,415
Bravo @jeremystorey you've put into words exactly how I'm feeling and I guess a lot of the older heads who've been through it all. That could and really should have been us celebrating winning a PL and CL but sadly for whatever reason our owners failed to go that extra yard to turn us into winners.

When you take into account 2 of them LFC players that's turned them into winners (Mane/Wijnaldam) were wanted by MP, they had met him and were reportedly ready to sign if we could agree a fee with their clubs/agent yet our owners failed to get the deals over the line. Instead they signed for LFC who didn't even have European football to offer then it hurts that much more. Them 2 + Batshuayi, who MP wanted and was recommended by Bielsa, would've turned our 16/17 team into champions.

No one can convince me otherwise that Mane/Batshuayi wouldn't have got us the goals, when Kane got injured in autumn 16 and we went on that run of 4 draws, to win them games. Instead we had to persist with that donkey Janssen and Sissoko. Sissoko may have reinvented himself as a CM now but that was not the position he was purchased for in the first place. Take into account his fee/wages weren't that far off Mane's and it hurts that much more. Let's not forget that derisory offer we made for Zaha at £12m after they had sold Bolasie a few weeks earlier for £25m. This after MP had said "Now I think we need some players in the second line of offence to help the team compete better and have more quality in the squad because it will be a very tough season with the Champions League". Sadly we don't have owners who value "on the field success" at the top of their priorities.

I've had plenty of disappointments supporting THFC over the last 41 years but never have I felt as crushed as I am right now. The fact I/you/the world knew we were on the cusp of greatness with just a little more addition of quality but the owners decided not to take that opportunity and try doing it on the cheap instead. We are MILES off the top teams now and I just can't see us reaching the levels of 3 years back anytime soon...:cry:

yes 100% - Poch didn't ask for the world but got an austerity budget when we are owned by a billionaire and the money was pouring in. To be clear - Joe Lewis was never going to go on a spending spree but surely some modest backstopping would have got us over the finish line.
Only hope is for Citeh to implode if their ban is upheld and Pep + key players leave (KDB and RS) and for Jose to discover his old magic touch.
 

SpursSince1980

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2011
4,732
14,439
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.
Indeed. Thx for expanding on my point.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.
I get what you are saying but I just don’t see the point in getting weighed down with pessimism. The stadium was always intended to be the game changer and it has barely opened its doors yet. Yes, of course there have been missed opportunities but assuming that we aren’t being taken for a ride by ENIC then we will see us becoming competitive again over the next few seasons. I guess that Levy’s thinking with Jose is to keep us ticking over until then. I have been supporting the club for 30 years and only seen us win 3 trophies and for most of that time we were floundering in mid table so I can wait a few more seasons. If the revenue from the stadium doesn’t discernibly increase the ability of the squad to compete then that’s when I will start to feel pessimistic but I do feel that once the stadium can be filled, naming rights sorted, NFL games are being played etc. then things will start to feel a lot better. I agree about the ‘sugar daddy’ clubs but there is nothing that we can do about them. Short of the club being sold to a mega rich person or organisation with a carefree attitude towards spending (highly unlikely given the value of the club) then the club will continue to have to finance itself.
 

sunnydelight786

Chief Rocka
Jan 7, 2007
6,075
4,241
I can't find the quotes so........roughly

In interviews the Liverpool owners outright said that they wanted to win trophies. Levy wants to compete

There you have it, right there. Perhaps Levy thinks if we're 'competing' at some stage the cards will fall right and we'll win something. He was nearly right. There you go, winners of 'nearly'...championees championees ole ole ole :D

This is a dangerous thread to be a dissident in so I expect i'll have my botty smacked shortly. Fingers crossed :cautious:
"It's too early to say what we're going to do, but obviously we're here to win and we'll do whatever is necessary."

This was said outside the courtroom the moment Fenway took over in 2010 by Henry.
 

SpursSince1980

Well-Known Member
Jan 23, 2011
4,732
14,439
"It's too early to say what we're going to do, but obviously we're here to win and we'll do whatever is necessary."

This was said outside the courtroom the moment Fenway took over in 2010 by Henry.
Sadly, I think this sums up the difference between the way our club is run versus some others. Levy is fixated on the business and operations aspect of Tottenham. Maximizing profit, through prudent financial management. Don't get me wrong... what he has done on the non-footballing side of things is massively important for our future. But his ideology is fixed on revenue above everything else. The 'winning' part is a tertiary priority. First is financial stability and growth. The second is competing at the highest level to raise the profile of the club, which increases brand value and also enhances the balance sheet. Third is winning. To him, being in the top 4 or 5, and playing in the CL is his equivalent of winning. As it means victory in terms of profit margin.

This will always be the way. And you never know... that may be the foundation to future success. Or may always be just enough to stay 'big club' relevant, but not enough to dominate. He and Uncle Joe might be just fine with that. Until the day comes that they want to move on and sell. They know this club is worth a ton now. Within five to ten years it'll be a veritable cash-cow. So they will continue to optimize for growth, so that the value of the club increases to the extent that it'll cost someone(s) a minimum of 2BN to buy. Not many can afford that price tag. But I don't doubt that day will come... I just hope the buyer is more akin to Henry, versus another ENIC.
 

KikoSpurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 8, 2019
379
936
I've said this before on twitter and I will say it here.

While the stadium will prevent us being bankrupt (hopefully...) it means we are gonna be dragged down in terms of financial investment on what really matter (good players). Even if Levy says it won't affect our transfer budget (which is zero) it def will. I am not sure but I think Spurs have to pay around £30M per year in debt ? That means that every year we are likely to miss a good player because we are paying the stadium (nevermind the player we have already missed by saving the funds to buy land / initial investment).

I feel we built the stadium in the wrong time. We should have secured trophies and expanding the brand worldwide by putting our stamp as winners first and then building a stadium.

The real test for the stadium it will be when our football declines (it already is) and we don't UCL matches. Are we gonna be able to fill the stadium in these conditions ? Time will tell.

I really hope Daniel Levy and Joe Lewis go soon. While they did amazing work at making us financial stable we need someone that is hunger for success on the pitch and not just on spreadsheets.
 

SPURSLIFE

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2011
1,578
2,132
Sadly, I think this sums up the difference between the way our club is run versus some others. Levy is fixated on the business and operations aspect of Tottenham. Maximizing profit, through prudent financial management. Don't get me wrong... what he has done on the non-footballing side of things is massively important for our future. But his ideology is fixed on revenue above everything else. The 'winning' part is a tertiary priority. First is financial stability and growth. The second is competing at the highest level to raise the profile of the club, which increases brand value and also enhances the balance sheet. Third is winning. To him, being in the top 4 or 5, and playing in the CL is his equivalent of winning. As it means victory in terms of profit margin.

This will always be the way. And you never know... that may be the foundation to future success. Or may always be just enough to stay 'big club' relevant, but not enough to dominate. He and Uncle Joe might be just fine with that. Until the day comes that they want to move on and sell. They know this club is worth a ton now. Within five to ten years it'll be a veritable cash-cow. So they will continue to optimize for growth, so that the value of the club increases to the extent that it'll cost someone(s) a minimum of 2BN to buy. Not many can afford that price tag. But I don't doubt that day will come... I just hope the buyer is more akin to Henry, versus another ENIC.
I'm not sure I can wait another 5 to 10 years I'm to old. I was brought up in Tottenham and have been following Spurs since the 1940's when Ramsey and Nicholson were players not managers. I have had the euphoria of 61' and a few cup finals but not a lot to show for all those years and 4 or 5 seasons ago I thought we were there. The team were playing football that everybody admired and the PL title seemed a reality but somehow it slipped away. I hate Financial stability it's the pension funds and Isa's that you were told to invest in when your in your 20's and can't be bothered and then wished you did years later. However we needed it at Spurs and had it but this is SPORT and we need to be entertained and win things.
We have certainly missed the boat in the last few seasons and I wonder if our chairman actually sits at home thinking I should have done it differently? I doubt it.
Being that much older I don't take the losses and setbacks as badly as I once did but I still get angry at poor club decisions and missed opportunities and we have had a few in these past few seasons. Having said all that I still love this club and my roots are there even if I'm not and I will still start the new season with optimism and hope.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
yes 100% - Poch didn't ask for the world but got an austerity budget when we are owned by a billionaire and the money was pouring in. To be clear - Joe Lewis was never going to go on a spending spree but surely some modest backstopping would have got us over the finish line.
Only hope is for Citeh to implode if their ban is upheld and Pep + key players leave (KDB and RS) and for Jose to discover his old magic touch.
I agree with that. We know that Levy would never go potty spending money so the ‘Leeds’ narrative is stupid. It just felt like there have been times when a little ‘speculate to accumulate’ could have paid dividends without putting the club into financial jeopardy.
 

Metalhead

But that's a debate for another thread.....
Nov 24, 2013
25,351
38,294
I'm not sure I can wait another 5 to 10 years I'm to old. I was brought up in Tottenham and have been following Spurs since the 1940's when Ramsey and Nicholson were players not managers. I have had the euphoria of 61' and a few cup finals but not a lot to show for all those years and 4 or 5 seasons ago I thought we were there. The team were playing football that everybody admired and the PL title seemed a reality but somehow it slipped away. I hate Financial stability it's the pension funds and Isa's that you were told to invest in when your in your 20's and can't be bothered and then wished you did years later. However we needed it at Spurs and had it but this is SPORT and we need to be entertained and win things.
We have certainly missed the boat in the last few seasons and I wonder if our chairman actually sits at home thinking I should have done it differently? I doubt it.
Being that much older I don't take the losses and setbacks as badly as I once did but I still get angry at poor club decisions and missed opportunities and we have had a few in these past few seasons. Having said all that I still love this club and my roots are there even if I'm not and I will still start the new season with optimism and hope.
I think that it’s more of a pity with the current regime. Sugar was so often reactive - never really having a strategy or understanding of where to take the club over the long term - obviously there were a few small bright spots like the signings of Klinsmann and Ginola but otherwise it was a very average era. Levy has had that big vision of where he wants the club to be but there have been times where, as mentioned by others, that little bit of an extra push could have reaped dividends.
 

Joeyboey

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2011
1,806
5,260
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.

Great post!

I doubt Levy and ENIC share this view. We have been so close to trophies over the last 7 years but any investment as been reactive rather than proactive.

Fans will feel like the ship (trophies) has sailed.

I wonder if Levy and ENIC feel like the ship (stadium) has arrived.

Different priorities
 

SecretLemonadeDrinker

Well-Known Member
Jun 30, 2020
2,027
11,165
Perhaps in the long term the infrastructure that ENIC have put in place will enable us to challenge again, but the point that @jeremystorey is making in the post that you quoted is that he's despairing over the short- and medium-term. We had a golden opportunity to kick on and the club utterly squandered it.

The failings in the transfer market have already been outlined in this thread so I won't re-litigate them, but it suffices to say that they have been numerous and costly. The end result is that City (who were always marginally ahead of us even at our best) and Liverpool have pulled miles ahead, Chelsea and United appear to be on the cusp of doing the same, the likes of Wolves and Leicester have pulled level with us if not marginally in front, and Newcastle are poised to be able to outspend us massively. Even Everton have now a world class manager and an owner who is not afraid to invest in their squad, so may pose a real threat to our position before long. We've been pulled back toward mid-table.

The pandemic has pulled the rug out from underneath us, undermining our financial position to a far greater extent than many of the clubs we are competing against. Just look at what Chelsea are doing, and then think that their capacity to spend is no greater than that of United, Liverpool, City, and soon to be Newcastle. Wolves and Everton are owned by free-spending billionaires as well. All of those clubs are going to continue to kick on while we try to work with scraps. It's hard to see us competing again for years to come.

By the time the dust settles and the benefits of the new stadium are bearing fruit again, Kane and Son will be in their late 20s or early 30s and the chance likely will have gone. We'll then have to start over again with a new generation of players, and with the competition being fiercer than ever there's no guarantee we'll ever make it back to the position Poch had us in, on the verge of glory.

That's what is so utterly depressing. Not that there's genuine cause for optimism of a theoretical future that may never come to fruition, but rather that we were so close and now it feels likely that our chance has passed us by. All that was needed was sensible backing and investment in a small number of key areas, and Levy refused to push the boat out. Now we'll likely be languishing for years as a result. It's gutting.

It’s interesting that you dismiss Metalhead’s restrained optimism as a “theoretical future that may never come to fruition” when your entire post is founded on unrestrained negativity about an equally theoretical future that may never come to fruition.

Of course, I do get why fans are unhappy. I’m unhappy too. You’re absolutely correct to say that we had a golden chance or three. And blew them. Levy undoubtedly has to take a share of the blame. As does Poch. And the players. And now we have Jose, who has done little yet to restore our faith. So, yes, I completely understand where you’re coming from.

But perhaps you could clarify for me what kind of pessimism specifically motivated your post? There are two generally accepted types - defensive and dispositional. The former is actually a positive trait because it helps us to prepare for the worst. The latter serves no purpose other than to suck every last drop of enjoyment from the lives of its sufferers.

So is your post simply your way, as a long suffering Spurs fan, of helping you to prepare for the worst, should it ever come to pass? In which case, that’s probably not a bad idea! Or is it just that you find yourself taking a kind of perverse solace in misery? In which case, shake it off.

We have no idea what comes next. Not for Spurs. Nor for any other club. All we can say is that, under Levy, Spurs rose to very near the top from a far lowlier position than now. The odds were stacked against us to a far greater degree. We had nothing like the resources then that we have now.

There is nothing to be gained from speculating that everything will go right for myriad other clubs in the near future while everything will go wrong for Spurs. Nothing to be gained, that is, apart from inuring yourself to disappointment. And while that is a valid defensive strategy, don’t let it suck the hope and enjoyment that you can and should still get from following Spurs. Hope still abides. Hold onto it.

Hello, everyone, by the way. Long time lurker. Thought I’d announce myself with a bland first contribution....
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top