I love our Chairman

[thinktank]

Best new training ground in Europe.
New shiny stadium on the way.
Does business by the book.
We are financially strong.

We are lucky, very lucky. I'm not overly excited by all of our signings, but it's a solid window. Anyone who can sign Lloris for 8 mil is just incredible considering how tough Aulas is.

Support the manager now please.

Like Levy?

 

[Shadydan]

Love Levy, wouldn't have anyone else, wouldn't want to do it any other way.

 

[amathews3416]

I thought our chairman had one hell of a good window.

First off, lets look at the major outs:

Luka - we all knew this was going to happen this Summer. We sold to a foreign club +++ and get a good price +++
VDV - Rafa wanted to leave due to family reasons. I'm sure Levy and AVB would have preferred for him to stay but out of respect for the man, we let him go.
King - out of his control

So if you were to tell me before that we lose these three players and we would be about equal on paper in quality of squad at the end of the window with a major profit to boot on transfers, I would have been over the moon.

The most impressive work he did was not only bringing in all young (w/ exception of Dempsey, quality players and got them all at great value.

Lloris - France #1, widely considered top 10 in the world, still in his mid 20's so can be our #1 for years and for less than 10 mil. F'n genius bit of business here.

Verts - Captain of Ajax (not too shabby), was sought after by some of the biggest clubs in the world. Yet, we sign him for less than 10 mil.

Sigs - young, has improved immensely as a player in the last year, quality is there for all to see. Again, got him at a great price compared to what other players were going for in this market. Beat out a rival for him. Excellent signing.

Ade - Got a Premier proven goal scorer for peanuts.

Dembele - quality is there for all to see. Has been bossing midfield's for over a year now and has only just moved into that position, so he is still only going to get better. Some of the best clubs in the world were sniffing around so Levy jumped in and activates the clause, still at a great value for this quality of player. This guy is the nuts, signing of the window for any team.

Dempsey - third highest goal scorer in the league last year, only behind Van Persie and Rooney for past two years, determined, winner. Granted, 29, but we just got a double digit goal scorer in the premier league for 6 million who has the ability to play multiple positions. Another great signing.

Well done Levy.

 

[THOWIG]

Like Levy?

I think he has bar the fixation on one unattainable player and the over realistic ambitions of some of our supporters.

 

[thinktank]

I think he has bar the fixation on one unattainable player and the over realistic ambitions of some of our supporters.

I don't think it's the type of support AVB had in mind. Anyway, when the shit hits the fan I'm not blaming AVB. Love levy but he's fucked this.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

I can see where you're coming from Rez, and I do appreciate that Levy has done a wonderful job for us since he arrived.

However, I am left pretty bemused by what he's done this year. His plan seems muddled.

How can you expect to challenge for top 4 whilst making a profit on transfer dealings? You can't unless you're an established top 4 side, and even then it's tough. If we seriously can't afford to spend money on players anymore then I can accept that, but I can't understand the decision to bring in a manager like AVB who clearly requires this kind of support in the market over a steady hand like Moyes. There will be the danger of unrest and dissatisfaction. Just looking at AVB in recent press conferences he doesn't seem too thrilled by our approach to the transfer market.

 

[amathews3416]

I don't think it's the type of support AVB had in mind. Anyway, when the shit hits the fan I'm not blaming AVB. Love levy but he's fucked this.

So you don't think Levy provided AVB with a talented enough squad to achieve top 4?

I find it laughable that apparently AVB can only win if he has Moutinho. If that is the case, I'm quite scared we don't have the right manager in charge. He has plenty of parts and quality to get the job done this year.

 

[Eric_s]

I believe AVB is Levy's choice to take Tottenham forward, hence bar a diaster, he will be given time to mould and build a team capable of challenging consistently at the top. I am sure during the window, Levy and AVB were not looking at just this season but also the next few at least. We may have missed Moutinho now but who is to say he wont be signed in the coming windows? Add to that Damiao.
I was gutted as well that we did not add a creative CM in time but we still have a strong squad and an outstanding head coach. Our season has finally kicked off.

 

[sim0n]

So you don't think Levy provided AVB with a talented enough squad to achieve top 4?

I find it laughable that apparently AVB can only win if he has Moutinho. If that is the case, I'm quite scared we don't have the right manager in charge. He has plenty of parts and quality to get the job done this year.

2 points in light of your post - which I am on the same page with you:

1- Spurs have enough talent currently to compete for 3rd/4th place in the premiership
2- If it is AVB's position that he cannot compete for honors without Moutinho, then maybe Herr Freund is to AVB as Jol was to Santini

Spurs finished 4th without AVB and Moutinho last season, so I think the line of thinking that Moutinho/AVB being pivotal is bollox in general - COYS!!!!

 

[thinktank]

So you don't think Levy provided AVB with a talented enough squad to achieve top 4?

I find it laughable that apparently AVB can only win if he has Moutinho. If that is the case, I'm quite scared we don't have the right manager in charge. He has plenty of parts and quality to get the job done this year.

No.

 

[rez9000]

I can see where you're coming from Rez, and I do appreciate that Levy has done a wonderful job for us since he arrived.

However, I am left pretty bemused by what he's done this year. His plan seems muddled.

How can you expect to challenge for top 4 whilst making a profit on transfer dealings? You can't unless you're an established top 4 side, and even then it's tough. If we seriously can't afford to spend money on players anymore then I can accept that, but I can't understand the decision to bring in a manager like AVB who clearly requires this kind of support in the market over a steady hand like Moyes. There will be the danger of unrest and dissatisfaction. Just looking at AVB in recent press conferences he doesn't seem too thrilled by our approach to the transfer market.

I'm so sorry for the length of the post, but there's so much to say.

In response to the point about gaining cash in this window. We would have spent money if we'd managed to get Moutinho. And we dont know what went on behind the scenes to prevent that from happening. Plus which, if our squad wasn't so bloated, we would probably have spent money even without Moutinho, because we wouldn't have sold so many players. If one considers the wider picture, then that argument, even with it's inherent logic, falls apart.

However, in the minds of the axe-grinders, it's down to Levy and no-one else and he could have done things differently but chose not to as if he deliberately wants to screw over his own club.

Then there's the wider picture still. Compare our activity to the other top clubs in the country:

Chelsea have done some good business, but they're woefully lacking in some areas. Some people look at their 100% record this season and think that they're going to be massive. They forget that we're only three games in and they played Wigan, Reading, and Newcastle. Hardly the elite of the division. They've not really strengthened the area that is most lacking for them - their overaged, creaking, arthritic defence. And when they come up against a real attacking threat, I can see them getting torn apart - as happened last night against Atletico.

Arsenal - have almost deliberately hamstrung themselves - RVP gone and replaced by a one-trick pony like Podolski who's already being shown up as a dud. And then they get rid of their other best player - Alex Song. Arsenal are toothles as shown by the fact that they've not scored any goals yet.

Manchester - Some good business, but Man U still have't filled the gap left by Scholes and probably won't for a couple of years when they might play for Dembele. By that time, I see us as being in the CL again and so we'll be able to rebuff them. Man City have done some business but it's hardly set the world apart - Scott Sinclair should be congratulated for finally getting that promotion to Man City benchwarmer; Maicon? Seriously? Richard Wright is there as third choice, so no help there. Nastasic is only 19 and has probably been brought in to develop. Javi Garcia is unproven as yet. Rodwell is a good buy. So, some strengthening, but nothing spectacular. (in truth, my money's on Man U for the title this season).

Liverpool - we took two of their number one targets away from them and should Rodgers be sacked, we will have played a massive part in that happening, because his side are desperately underpowered. They're woefully short of firepower up front and their defence is also suspect. The midfield engine is efficient but is hardly likely to pull up any trees.

Newcastle - have done virtually no business and will be found out very very soon.

Everton - have got off to a good start, and have done some good business, but simply don't have the quality to really challenge over the course of the season

Although on a net basis, we've lost some creativity, we still have creative midfielders - Siggurdson and Dembele in particular. They may not be as world-class as Modric or VDV, but unless we benched Modric until he bucked his ideas up (my preferred choice) the only other option was to sell. And with VDV, who knows what happened. Maybe when we thought that we would be getting Moutinho, we went ahead with the sale of VDV.

Although that would be classed as a mistake, everyone is entitled to make a mistake from time to time. The difference is that if one is upset by that mistake, I don't believe that one should launch an assault on the person who made the mistake and accuse them of deliberately trying to sabotage the club, wouldn't you agree?

I'm a little disappointed we didn't get Moutinho, to be honest. But that doesn't mean that I want Levy out or dead or strung up from a lamppost as some of the posters make me believe they want with their vociferousness.

In the greater scheme of things, we have done some bloody good business. We have brought in some truly excellent players. Not the likes of Saha or Nelsen this time, but some really, really good players.

Some people are shrieking like pigs being arse-raped becasue we haven't signed any 'world-class' players. There are two points on that: Firstly, we actually have bought a world-class player - Hugo Lloris; having said that, secondly, in general what they don't seem to realise is we can't buy world-class players, because we cannot offer them what they want - big money.

What Spurs can do is buy players on the verge of being world-class and then take them the rest of the way. Such as Berbatov. Such as Modric. Such as Dembele and Siggurdson, perhaps? And then hopefully, they will propel us into the CL on a regular enough basis for us to then be able to spend more money and so attract the odd world-class player and thus cement our position as a CL club.

Now, the VDV argument. Again, most of the shriekers don't look beyond the immediate picture. The one thing that was undeniable was that VDV had stamina issues. So this leads to the question of whether he would have been suitable in AVB's system (which is pressing and high-tempo)? Now, I'm not saying categorically that he wouldn't be, just suggesting that there must have been many considerations before deciding to sell. But the way some people have gone on about it is as if those that had the means are out to hamstring the club.

I've gone on far too long already, so I'll wrap it up. All I'll say to every Spurs fan is this:

Get behind your club, get behind your manager, get behind your players and get behind your chairman. All of them want what you want -a successful Spurs. And we're more likely to get there by pulling together than by pursuing individual agenda.