Harry-Kari
Vital 1st Team Regular
He always looks like that.
Levy; Criminal Zero or Deadline Hero?
- Thread starter Spursex
- Start date
Will reserve judgement. I am in two minds - if we keep Mousa, Toby & Rose - great news. However, if Poch will not play Toby - then we may as well sell him - just abroad. seems far to late to do anything meaningful - still hoping for a quality addittion of Martial or N'Dombele
Matic
Alert Team
I think disappointment is a natural feeling for ALL our fans with regards to our transfer activity. The main difference is some "understand" reasons behind it and have found some form of peace with it, whilst others are angry about it and want to see active change and for people at fault to walk.
I am disappointed but I am not at all surprised. The window isnt even over yet but I am fairly confident that at 17:01 on Thursday we will all be feeling rather uninspired.
I think the fear for most fans (and I fall in to this category) is if we don't make top 4 this season it is BAD. We have a squad full of exceptional players who want and demand to being playing CL football each season. If we fail to make top 4, the very clear risk is our best players will want to walk. So, top 4 is priority number one, despite it not being a trophy. But after several seasons of being the bridemaids we are are under massive pressure to actually win something now. If we don't, we could once again be looking at our best feeling they have to move to better their chances of winning silverware.
When we don't strengthen for a new season, we're already giving ourselves a bigger challenge to achieve both of these things. For all of Poch's words like 'its sometimes better to not sign somebody' I can say for sure that that is absolute garbage. We all saw the impact Scott Parker had on our squad when he joined. We all saw the impact VdV had on our squad when he joined. On both those occasions it became apparent that not only is a new signing a good thing for squad numbers/depth it can also be a massive lift to all your existing team.
Really, if you aren't good enough one season and you then try again with only the same players the next season, chances are incredibly high that you aren't going to be good enough again. It will take above-best tactical and training work from Poch to prove that wrong and we will need a lot of luck in terms of injuries.
I agree though that Levy and Poch are at fault and the way we do our transfer business is bordering on craziness.
I am disappointed but I am not at all surprised. The window isnt even over yet but I am fairly confident that at 17:01 on Thursday we will all be feeling rather uninspired.
I think the fear for most fans (and I fall in to this category) is if we don't make top 4 this season it is BAD. We have a squad full of exceptional players who want and demand to being playing CL football each season. If we fail to make top 4, the very clear risk is our best players will want to walk. So, top 4 is priority number one, despite it not being a trophy. But after several seasons of being the bridemaids we are are under massive pressure to actually win something now. If we don't, we could once again be looking at our best feeling they have to move to better their chances of winning silverware.
When we don't strengthen for a new season, we're already giving ourselves a bigger challenge to achieve both of these things. For all of Poch's words like 'its sometimes better to not sign somebody' I can say for sure that that is absolute garbage. We all saw the impact Scott Parker had on our squad when he joined. We all saw the impact VdV had on our squad when he joined. On both those occasions it became apparent that not only is a new signing a good thing for squad numbers/depth it can also be a massive lift to all your existing team.
Really, if you aren't good enough one season and you then try again with only the same players the next season, chances are incredibly high that you aren't going to be good enough again. It will take above-best tactical and training work from Poch to prove that wrong and we will need a lot of luck in terms of injuries.
I agree though that Levy and Poch are at fault and the way we do our transfer business is bordering on craziness.
Matic
Alert Team
It really does, doesnt it.
Once again though, I'd really like to add more questions to the mix...
Is our scouting system working? If Poch favours giving young players a chance over big (expensive) signings, why aren't we actively signing more 18-21 year old players for much less and taking a bit more of a risk by seeing what Poch can do with them? It could be argued that we have done a bit of this with Nkoudou, NJie and Foyth - but if they arent going to get proper, regular game time then doesnt that show that Poch isn't brave enough to take these risks?
Ex, you and I have always agreed how scared our club is when it comes to take more risks and this is one of the biggest reasons why I cannot see us winning silverware any time soon. We try to be far too calculated with everything and that just does not turn in to success in sport.
Once again though, I'd really like to add more questions to the mix...
Is our scouting system working? If Poch favours giving young players a chance over big (expensive) signings, why aren't we actively signing more 18-21 year old players for much less and taking a bit more of a risk by seeing what Poch can do with them? It could be argued that we have done a bit of this with Nkoudou, NJie and Foyth - but if they arent going to get proper, regular game time then doesnt that show that Poch isn't brave enough to take these risks?
Ex, you and I have always agreed how scared our club is when it comes to take more risks and this is one of the biggest reasons why I cannot see us winning silverware any time soon. We try to be far too calculated with everything and that just does not turn in to success in sport.
Spursex
Alert Team
I come back to my orginal adage here when we first discussed all this many years ago - we are led by a chairman who is risk adverse and who has built the business by generating it's own funding - as the numbers have got bigger, my view is his appetite for risk has become even more measured...
But as always, tomorrow is another day - and it will be interesting to see what - if anything - it brings.
D
Deleted member 7310
Guest
Levy always delivered players, to one extent or another. The funds allocated felt like they were insufficient, but they were always allocated.
If this window shuts with zero incomings, this thread title should be edited to reflect the only culprit - Poch.
If this window shuts with zero incomings, this thread title should be edited to reflect the only culprit - Poch.
R
Removed at own request
Guest
If he really wanted Grealish levy’s fucked up.
We had all summer to get it done and it looks like it’s collapsed.
The gamble of waiting backfired
D
Deleted member 7310
Guest
Dont buy it, there was a list of players with market going rate, ready to go before the window opened.
Grealish must have been way down the pecking order, which would explain allocating a certain amount. Once all other targets vanished he was stuck with just him.
R
Removed at own request
Guest
I think he was a top target personally as we were linked from the off.
Levy gambled on them begging for us to sign him to help the cash flow.
Frustrating we will never know either way!
Spursex
Alert Team
he was always a target, that much I am absolutely certain of.
Spursex
Alert Team
Levy's Tottenham: a club worth £2bn, a brand new stadium... so why is he yet to spend a penny on players?
Levy believes Tottenham are now worth more than the £1.8bn at which Arsenal were valued this week Credit: GETTY IMAGES
As news filtered through that Stan Kroenke was completing a full buy-out of Arsenal that valued the club at £1.8billion, those in the know pointed to the fact that Daniel Levy believes Tottenham Hotspur is worth even more.
Levy has long denied Tottenham is being fattened up for a sale, but there is a belief that £2bn would be the magic figure that would see ENIC, for whom he is managing director, relinquish control.
Chief executives, directors and chairmen who have attempted to do business with Levy will not be surprised by the figure, as he has long adopted a similar approach to the transfer window.
The Spurs chairman places a high value on his own assets and likes to buy at the bottom of the market. But, with under 24 hours until the Premier League deadline passes, Levy faces one of the biggest dilemmas of his tenure. Stick or twist?
His supposed £2bn football club that, all being well, move into one of the best stadiums in Europe in mid-September are yet to spend a single penny this summer. That may yet change before 5pm on Thursday, but it does not appear there is a late bargain to be had.
Levy believed he could take advantage of Aston Villa’s precarious financial state over Jack Grealish and nobody would have argued with his logic when the Championship club could not afford to pay their wage or tax bills.
But, whether or not it is bad luck or bad judgement, the fact is Tottenham’s £25million bid for Grealish that was rejected on Tuesday night would have been accepted a month ago before new owners Nassef Sawaris and Wes Edens walked through the door.
Now Tottenham will only get Grealish if their offer tops £30m – a figure that has raised eyebrows outside Villa Park and would not enhance Levy’s reputation of extracting maximum value from his deals.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that Levy and Tottenham made a superb start to the summer by completing their two most important pieces of business before the World Cup had even kicked off.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino and star man Harry Kane signed lucrative new contracts to put off any suitors. Zinedine Zidane quit Real Madrid a week after Spurs had tied down Pochettino and Kane returned from the World Cup with the golden boot after agreeing his £200,000-a-week deal.
While Chelsea were forced into a corner by Thibaut Courtois, who entered the last 12 months of his contract and effectively went on strike, and Arsenal are yet to tie Aaron Ramsey down to a new deal, Tottenham has once again been a trouble-free environment this summer.
Aston Villa are holding firm over their star midfielder Jack Grealish Credit: ASTON VILLA FC
Heung-Min Son, Erik Lamela and Davison Sanchez have also signed new contracts and Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen are still expected to follow. In terms of keeping his best players, few do it better than Levy these days.
Tottenham insiders never expected a large influx of players this summer, with the club willing to sit tight if top targets such as Antony Martial could not be landed.
Pochettino explained in his book ‘Brave New World’ why he favours giving young players a pathway to bringing in new faces for the sake of it.
Recounting a trip away with Levy, Pochettino wrote: “We spoke about why I prefer to give homegrown kids chances rather than signing players and the problems that can be caused by buying players you don't need. Leaving a signing on the bench is not the same as having an academy graduate as a bench-warmer.
“I was able to explain to him in detail how, the more defined your playing style is, the more difficult transfers become, because either a player gives you something specific you're lacking, or you're better off not signing anyone.”
Further complicating this window for Tottenham is the need to bring in an extra homegrown player, which perhaps helps to explain the Grealish pursuit, or face starting the season with a reduced squad.
Only seven of Tottenham’s playing staff meet the requirements to be classed as homegrown by the Premier League, one less than the minimum required, so, as it stands, the club could only name a squad of 24 for the domestic season rather than the full compliment of 25.
The real surprise has been the static nature of Tottenham’s exit door, given Levy had aimed to raise around £150m by selling Tony Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Moussa Dembele, as well as some of the club’s fringe players.
Spurs have kept their own house in order but there have still been no summer arrivals
Manchester United could still reward Levy for holding his nerve over Alderweireld, but there is not a club willing to pay the £50m Levy once valued Rose at and Dembele looks most likely to see out the final year of his contract.
Tottenham will still have until August 31 to try to raise funds and offset any money they spend in the final hours of the Premier League window by selling their unwanted players overseas. But European clubs believe they are about to benefit from a shift in power.
No longer can Levy use the Premier League cash to negotiate with European rivals by trying to tell an Inter Milan or a Fenerbahce that desperate English clubs are willing to spend upwards of £15m on the likes of Moussa Sissoko or Vincent Janssen.
Of course, Levy will be able to argue that European clubs must pay top dollar for his players because he will be unable to replace them, but he is likely to find it hard to find too many people falling for that trick.
So Levy’s dilemma is this. Twist and potentially overpay for players with no guarantee of bringing big transfer fees in. Or keep his hand in his pocket and ask Pochettino to produce more miracles with a nucleus of players who enjoyed successful, but tiring, World Cup campaigns with their various countries.
Whichever route he takes will attract debate and criticism, but Levy has always been tough enough to roll with the punches and won’t let anybody tell him that Tottenham are not worth more than Arsenal, whatever happens.
- Matt Law, Football News Correspondent
As news filtered through that Stan Kroenke was completing a full buy-out of Arsenal that valued the club at £1.8billion, those in the know pointed to the fact that Daniel Levy believes Tottenham Hotspur is worth even more.
Levy has long denied Tottenham is being fattened up for a sale, but there is a belief that £2bn would be the magic figure that would see ENIC, for whom he is managing director, relinquish control.
Chief executives, directors and chairmen who have attempted to do business with Levy will not be surprised by the figure, as he has long adopted a similar approach to the transfer window.
The Spurs chairman places a high value on his own assets and likes to buy at the bottom of the market. But, with under 24 hours until the Premier League deadline passes, Levy faces one of the biggest dilemmas of his tenure. Stick or twist?
His supposed £2bn football club that, all being well, move into one of the best stadiums in Europe in mid-September are yet to spend a single penny this summer. That may yet change before 5pm on Thursday, but it does not appear there is a late bargain to be had.
Levy believed he could take advantage of Aston Villa’s precarious financial state over Jack Grealish and nobody would have argued with his logic when the Championship club could not afford to pay their wage or tax bills.
But, whether or not it is bad luck or bad judgement, the fact is Tottenham’s £25million bid for Grealish that was rejected on Tuesday night would have been accepted a month ago before new owners Nassef Sawaris and Wes Edens walked through the door.
Now Tottenham will only get Grealish if their offer tops £30m – a figure that has raised eyebrows outside Villa Park and would not enhance Levy’s reputation of extracting maximum value from his deals.
Of course, it should not be forgotten that Levy and Tottenham made a superb start to the summer by completing their two most important pieces of business before the World Cup had even kicked off.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino and star man Harry Kane signed lucrative new contracts to put off any suitors. Zinedine Zidane quit Real Madrid a week after Spurs had tied down Pochettino and Kane returned from the World Cup with the golden boot after agreeing his £200,000-a-week deal.
While Chelsea were forced into a corner by Thibaut Courtois, who entered the last 12 months of his contract and effectively went on strike, and Arsenal are yet to tie Aaron Ramsey down to a new deal, Tottenham has once again been a trouble-free environment this summer.
Aston Villa are holding firm over their star midfielder Jack Grealish Credit: ASTON VILLA FC
Heung-Min Son, Erik Lamela and Davison Sanchez have also signed new contracts and Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen are still expected to follow. In terms of keeping his best players, few do it better than Levy these days.
Tottenham insiders never expected a large influx of players this summer, with the club willing to sit tight if top targets such as Antony Martial could not be landed.
Pochettino explained in his book ‘Brave New World’ why he favours giving young players a pathway to bringing in new faces for the sake of it.
Recounting a trip away with Levy, Pochettino wrote: “We spoke about why I prefer to give homegrown kids chances rather than signing players and the problems that can be caused by buying players you don't need. Leaving a signing on the bench is not the same as having an academy graduate as a bench-warmer.
“I was able to explain to him in detail how, the more defined your playing style is, the more difficult transfers become, because either a player gives you something specific you're lacking, or you're better off not signing anyone.”
Further complicating this window for Tottenham is the need to bring in an extra homegrown player, which perhaps helps to explain the Grealish pursuit, or face starting the season with a reduced squad.
Only seven of Tottenham’s playing staff meet the requirements to be classed as homegrown by the Premier League, one less than the minimum required, so, as it stands, the club could only name a squad of 24 for the domestic season rather than the full compliment of 25.
The real surprise has been the static nature of Tottenham’s exit door, given Levy had aimed to raise around £150m by selling Tony Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Moussa Dembele, as well as some of the club’s fringe players.
Spurs have kept their own house in order but there have still been no summer arrivals
Manchester United could still reward Levy for holding his nerve over Alderweireld, but there is not a club willing to pay the £50m Levy once valued Rose at and Dembele looks most likely to see out the final year of his contract.
Tottenham will still have until August 31 to try to raise funds and offset any money they spend in the final hours of the Premier League window by selling their unwanted players overseas. But European clubs believe they are about to benefit from a shift in power.
No longer can Levy use the Premier League cash to negotiate with European rivals by trying to tell an Inter Milan or a Fenerbahce that desperate English clubs are willing to spend upwards of £15m on the likes of Moussa Sissoko or Vincent Janssen.
Of course, Levy will be able to argue that European clubs must pay top dollar for his players because he will be unable to replace them, but he is likely to find it hard to find too many people falling for that trick.
So Levy’s dilemma is this. Twist and potentially overpay for players with no guarantee of bringing big transfer fees in. Or keep his hand in his pocket and ask Pochettino to produce more miracles with a nucleus of players who enjoyed successful, but tiring, World Cup campaigns with their various countries.
Whichever route he takes will attract debate and criticism, but Levy has always been tough enough to roll with the punches and won’t let anybody tell him that Tottenham are not worth more than Arsenal, whatever happens.
freundorfoe
Vital 1st Team Regular
the whole promoting youth rather than sticking new signings on the bench argument is a good one, but we're hemorrhaging players from our academy at the moment. Didn't realise how bad it was til Windy gave a run down in the fighting cock podcast. Feels as if the good work done by Kane, Winks for the next youngsters wondering which academy to go to is being undone by the stagnation of a few others.
Let's hope we hold on to Skipp!
Let's hope we hold on to Skipp!
D
Deleted member 7310
Guest
A target yes, THE target? Don't believe so.
R
Removed at own request
Guest
Bench yes, but we are looking for those players to stop up the first 11 currently.
Nick Real Deal
Vital Football Legend
Skipp , Marsh and Winks all training with the first team today. Winks notable because his ankle must be close to ready.
Real Deal
Alert Team
It's a myth you get players cheap towards the end of the transfer window. You may get a average player on the cheap who isn't wanted and won't add anything but a player that makes a difference will always cost more.
Levy needs to feck off and stay away from transfers. He has cost us so many transfer windows over the years with his pathetic tactics.
Levy needs to feck off and stay away from transfers. He has cost us so many transfer windows over the years with his pathetic tactics.
muttley
Alert Team
So the biggest question we all have had this summer is whether Levy has served his useful purpose to us and his employer Lewis as chairman of THFC? He has been great at certain parts of his job, but in other important areas has been found wanting. That is totally normal for leaders in any walk of life.
What you find in these situations is that it is very rare that the leader (CEO,MD, Chairman) that gets you to this new place is the one that can take you to the next place. If I'm Joe Lewis, with his decades of experience, I'm now thinking that Levy needs replacing with someone that has more of a natural DNA of football and is more of a calculated risk taker. What I'm concerned about is that perhaps Joe Lewis in his eighties is too distanced from the reality and is missing the obvious decision staring him squarely in the face. He is a multi-billionaire, and has made plenty of tough decisions in his career. This would theoretically be one of the easier ones. He needs to have the tough conversation with Levy and rotate him into another senior position in the Tavistock Group, hence enabling THFC to have a new chairman with new ideas. That could be either an internal or external hire by Lewis.
Unlike some fans, I’d want Levy to leave with his head held high, but he simply has to be moved on by Lewis and the Tavistock Group at this stage. Being chairman of THFC is a really tough gig. He's done his best but isn't the man to take us forward. It's not about hero or zero.
What you find in these situations is that it is very rare that the leader (CEO,MD, Chairman) that gets you to this new place is the one that can take you to the next place. If I'm Joe Lewis, with his decades of experience, I'm now thinking that Levy needs replacing with someone that has more of a natural DNA of football and is more of a calculated risk taker. What I'm concerned about is that perhaps Joe Lewis in his eighties is too distanced from the reality and is missing the obvious decision staring him squarely in the face. He is a multi-billionaire, and has made plenty of tough decisions in his career. This would theoretically be one of the easier ones. He needs to have the tough conversation with Levy and rotate him into another senior position in the Tavistock Group, hence enabling THFC to have a new chairman with new ideas. That could be either an internal or external hire by Lewis.
Unlike some fans, I’d want Levy to leave with his head held high, but he simply has to be moved on by Lewis and the Tavistock Group at this stage. Being chairman of THFC is a really tough gig. He's done his best but isn't the man to take us forward. It's not about hero or zero.
