Daniel Levy - Chairman

[Craig_J]

Afford something? We're the 3rd or 4th biggest spenders since we moved into the stadium and that's what it was for.

I would be interested to see a graph of that which includes net spend with wages because I am dubious the case

And still, if you spend the overwhelming majoirty of that on a load of many, many teenage kids who cannot contribute to our team straight away it is artifcal

Our new stadium should be seeing us be compeitive in the transfer market.

6 years ago we were Champions League finalists without a permanent home to play at.

Surely we can stretch beyond signings who are virtually all below 22 years of age for once?

 

[Craig_J]

We never make moves for anyone whose older.

It's always trying to build a group of kids till they got torn apart.

When ever we have signed older players its almost always been on a loan. Off top of my head Bale, Saha, Werner, Gudjohsen...

Or on a free like Gallas, Llorente

We never spend on proven calibre players

 

[Craig_J]

I think the last time we did was Rafa VDV

And that was years ago (and when we were much poorer)

 

[spurs' magna carter]

Let's be honest.

From the word go Levy has been honest, ENIC are there to protect their interests like any investor is.

I am a chartered town planner and all I see in them is what I see whenever my clients speak to me about what they wish to have planning permission for. Money.

When I look at all the other top six clubs and some other clubs like Saudi Sportswashing Machine, and a few others I see clubs that want to win trophies that is what they're all about. They want to win. They do not care about anything else.

Yet when Levy speaks or even makes a decision, the impression I am left with is purely business, the on the pitch matters can be okay, so long as the money comes in. This is an investment for the future. I read the articles in years ago with how he was at Sydney Sussex College Cambridge on the shared Halls telephone, making deals with shareholders and all that jazz, seeking a mega deal, thinking he would do the same for spurs.

Yet what I failed to see and I see now more than ever is someone who in fairness is saying things which are interpreted in the wrong way. He wants to make money. He is now a billionaire, or for certain, will become a billionaire from the sale of this football club.

The moment this club went from cares for trophies to shares for yuppies in the mid 1980s under Irvine Scholar and the disaster which followed, which had to be saved from and then over protected by Sir Alan Sugar before Levy took over and became the next Scrooge this club has suffered miserably at the hands of businessmen and nothing else.

THAT IS FORTY YEARS OF ABSOLUTE MISERY.

And this from a club that won so much, and in such incredible style, whilst buying the best players available such as Gazza.

With Levy and ENIC, i am under the impression that if the Championship or even League One made more money, they would be happy to see us relegated.

Look at the obsession with the Champions League and simply taking part in it. The argument is that in doing so, we will be able to attract and buy the players which would enable us to win. But look at how many times we have qualified for the Champions League and tell me honestly, if you think that they felt that way, given we signed no one for a whole season in 2018/19. We may have reached the Champions League final that season, however, the rot is evidently and deeply rooted in that season.

There is a reason why we have the lowest wages to turn over ratio in the premier league and I honestly believe nothing will change until that lot go.

 

[Craig_J]

Let's be honest.

From the word go Levy has been honest, ENIC are there to protect their interests like any investor is.

I am a chartered town planner and all I see in them is what I see whenever my clients speak to me about what they wish to have planning permission for. Money.

When I look at all the other top six clubs and some other clubs like Saudi Sportswashing Machine, and a few others I see clubs that want to win trophies that is what they're all about. They want to win. They do not care about anything else.

Yet when Levy speaks or even makes a decision, the impression I am left with is purely business, the on the pitch matters can be okay, so long as the money comes in. This is an investment for the future. I read the articles in years ago with how he was at Sydney Sussex College Cambridge on the shared Halls telephone, making deals with shareholders and all that jazz, seeking a mega deal, thinking he would do the same for spurs.

Yet what I failed to see and I see now more than ever is someone who in fairness is saying things which are interpreted in the wrong way. He wants to make money. He is now a billionaire, or for certain, will become a billionaire from the sale of this football club.

The moment this club went from cares for trophies to shares for yuppies in the mid 1980s under Irvine Scholar and the disaster which followed, which had to be saved from and then over protected by Sir Alan Sugar before Levy took over and became the next Scrooge this club has suffered miserably at the hands of businessmen and nothing else.

THAT IS FORTY YEARS OF ABSOLUTE MISERY.

And this from a club that won so much, and in such incredible style, whilst buying the best players available such as Gazza.

With Levy and ENIC, i am under the impression that if the Championship or even League One made more money, they would be happy to see us relegated.

Look at the obsession with the Champions League and simply taking part in it. The argument is that in doing so, we will be able to attract and buy the players which would enable us to win. But look at how many times we have qualified for the Champions League and tell me honestly, if you think that they felt that way, given we signed no one for a whole season in 2018/19. We may have reached the Champions League final that season, however, the rot is evidently and deeply rooted in that season.

There is a reason why we have the lowest wages to turn over ratio in the premier league and I honestly believe nothing will change until that lot go.

I am grateful for Levy's stadium contributions. He will always be remembred for deliving us a first class stadium. And for getting us back on track.

But I am tired of us being treated as a hedgefund.

And I do personally feel so easily correct football deciison making could have seen success - actually increasing his own profit margin.

I won't argue with anyone about the ins and outs of that. I just personally feel we so easy could have silvereware. And that it has impacted his own potential sale price that we have been without for so long.

Labels like that do matter.

 

[Craig_J]

Before anyone else thinks "silverware doesn't matter... look at City, Chelsea, Saudi Sportswashing Machine etc..."

That is correct. Owners can do without it. Sometimes it is welcome.

BUT when you demand a return equivalent to an an absoloute elite club - it does matter. And the "sexy" tag is off putting.

We have seen how difficult Levy is to negotiate with. I can only imagine how MUCH more difficult he is when he is selling on his OWN behalf.

 

[spurs' magna carter]

I think the last time we did was Rafa VDV

And that was years ago (and when we were much poorer)

I will say this, they made the best endeavours to spend £70million on Marc Guéhi. Which, without any sarcasm, I have to say, I was very impressed with.

However, given the scale of the deal and Crystal Palace's own injury crisis in defenders, I was stunned at the timing and knew that this was gonna be another Sergio Agüero (January 2011) and Paulo Dybala (August 2019), aka too little too late.

But on the whole, I agree with your post, as said in an article I read recently, it's as if tottenham will let a manager sign one player they wish to sign for every three that ENIC wish to sign aka they are a good investment for the future and will help increase profits happily.

Apologies if anyone is finding me morose but ENIC have form.

 

[Raziel]

Let's be honest.

From the word go Levy has been honest, ENIC are there to protect their interests like any investor is.

I am a chartered town planner and all I see in them is what I see whenever my clients speak to me about what they wish to have planning permission for. Money.

When I look at all the other top six clubs and some other clubs like Saudi Sportswashing Machine, and a few others I see clubs that want to win trophies that is what they're all about. They want to win. They do not care about anything else.

Yet when Levy speaks or even makes a decision, the impression I am left with is purely business, the on the pitch matters can be okay, so long as the money comes in. This is an investment for the future. I read the articles in years ago with how he was at Sydney Sussex College Cambridge on the shared Halls telephone, making deals with shareholders and all that jazz, seeking a mega deal, thinking he would do the same for spurs.

Yet what I failed to see and I see now more than ever is someone who in fairness is saying things which are interpreted in the wrong way. He wants to make money. He is now a billionaire, or for certain, will become a billionaire from the sale of this football club.

The moment this club went from cares for trophies to shares for yuppies in the mid 1980s under Irvine Scholar and the disaster which followed, which had to be saved from and then over protected by Sir Alan Sugar before Levy took over and became the next Scrooge this club has suffered miserably at the hands of businessmen and nothing else.

THAT IS FORTY YEARS OF ABSOLUTE MISERY.

And this from a club that won so much, and in such incredible style, whilst buying the best players available such as Gazza.

With Levy and ENIC, i am under the impression that if the Championship or even League One made more money, they would be happy to see us relegated.

Look at the obsession with the Champions League and simply taking part in it. The argument is that in doing so, we will be able to attract and buy the players which would enable us to win. But look at how many times we have qualified for the Champions League and tell me honestly, if you think that they felt that way, given we signed no one for a whole season in 2018/19. We may have reached the Champions League final that season, however, the rot is evidently and deeply rooted in that season.

There is a reason why we have the lowest wages to turn over ratio in the premier league and I honestly believe nothing will change until that lot go.

Saudi Sportswashing Machine - owned by a state, entire function is sportswashing the perception of a bricky country/regime
Emirates Marketing Project - see above
Manchester United - worse run club in the PL
Chelsea - was sports washing and money laundering, now fudge knows what
Arsenal - huge downfall from their position of domestic top side to forever bridesmaids, I'd argue their ownership is quite happy with top 4.

Based on your definition, only state run clubs have ambition?

Levy is not a billionaire, nor will he become one when we sell the club (not unless someone will pay way fudging more than current value)

We go from we don't spend (ok, here's proof we do), no, no, it's net spend (ok, here's proof we do), oh, now it's wages to turnover ..

The ownership has a lot to answer for re the current place of the club this season, no question. But they "they don't care, we don't spend, everyone else is better run" is just a tired fudging narrative

 

[spurs' magna carter]

Before anyone else thinks "silverware doesn't matter... look at City, Chelsea, Saudi Sportswashing Machine etc..."

That is correct. Owners can do without it. Sometimes it is welcome.

BUT when you demand a return equivalent to an an absoloute elite club - it does matter. And the "sexy" tag is off putting.

We have seen how difficult Levy is to negotiate with. I can only imagine how MUCH more difficult he is when he is selling on his OWN behalf.

Good point about how Levy is so difficult too negotiate with. Partially, this has been to the benefit of the club, however, this has been to the detriment of the club.

There was a former scout or head of recruitment on talksport in the summer of 2023 who shut up Simon Jordan (who always defends chairmen in the Premier League, despite the fact that the Crystal Palace comical tagline of the future's bright, the Chairman's orange didn't quite come to fruition) when he said that there was players in the building that would improve spurs, and yet Levy pulled the plug much evidently to the bemusement of this ( who was evidently biting his tongue and those working on the deal.

 

[Raziel]

I will say this, they made the best endeavours to spend £70million on Marc Guéhi. Which, without any sarcasm, I have to say, I was very impressed with.

However, given the scale of the deal and Crystal Palace's own injury crisis in defenders, I was stunned at the timing and knew that this was gonna be another Sergio Agüero (January 2011) and Paulo Dybala (August 2019), aka too little too late.

But on the whole, I agree with your post, as said in an article I read recently, it's as if tottenham will let a manager sign one player they wish to sign for every three that ENIC wish to sign aka they are a good investment for the future and will help increase profits happily.

Apologies if anyone is finding me morose but ENIC have form.

It has been confirmed the Guehi bid was pre the Danso bid, so unless fudging Spurs has a time machine, the bid to Palace was not made on last day.

 

[Craig_J]

Saudi Sportswashing Machine - owned by a state, entire function is sportswashing the perception of a bricky country/regime
Emirates Marketing Project - see above
Manchester United - worse run club in the PL
Chelsea - was sports washing and money laundering, now fudge knows what
Arsenal - huge downfall from their position of domestic top side to forever bridesmaids, I'd argue their ownership is quite happy with top 4.

Based on your definition, only state run clubs have ambition?

Levy is not a billionaire, nor will he become one when we sell the club (not unless someone will pay way fudging more than current value)

We go from we don't spend (ok, here's proof we do), no, no, it's net spend (ok, here's proof we do), oh, now it's wages to turnover ..

The ownership has a lot to answer for re the current place of the club this season, no question. But they "they don't care, we don't spend, everyone else is better run" is just a tired fudging narrative

At the risk of inticing anger Arsenal are a better run club than us in recent years.

They are admittedly a bigger and more succesful club than us. They do have more draw. They are also quite a bit further ahead of us in their stadium repayment plans

But I think what I would say is they are not afraid to get in high level proven quality and to take risks about it.

E.g., Aubamayang, Lacazette, Luiz, Sterling, Willian...

By no means am I saying these are extremley succesful examples. There's probably loads more and loads better.

But even when they have been behind us they have still won the odd cup with these kinds of players.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

At the risk of inticing anger Arsenal are a better run club than us in recent years.

They are admittedly a bigger and more succesful club than us. They do have more draw. They are also quite a bit further ahead of us in their stadium repayment plans

But I think what I would say is they are not afraid to get in high level proven quality and to take risks about it.

E.g., Aubamayang, Lacazette, Luiz, Sterling, Willian...

By no means am I saying these are extremley succesful examples. There's probably loads more and loads better.

But even when they have been behind us they have still won the odd cup with these kinds of players.

They also paid most dentists to leave or lost money on them
They are bad examples (and I know your not saying they are good ones)

 

[Raziel]

At the risk of inticing anger Arsenal are a better run club than us in recent years.

They are admittedly a bigger and more succesful club than us. They do have more draw. They are also quite a bit further ahead of us in their stadium repayment plans

But I think what I would say is they are not afraid to get in high level proven quality and to take risks about it.

E.g., Aubamayang, Lacazette, Luiz, Sterling, Willian...

By no means am I saying these are extremley succesful examples. There's probably loads more and loads better.

But even when they have been behind us they have still won the odd cup with these kinds of players.

They mostly are, but they had a 20+ year headstart of CL/Top 4 revenue, plus built their stadium years before ours. That said, can you imagine the commentary if we were in their position and bought no one this January (opps, no need to imagine, we have done that and what was said, wasn't, we are well run)

 

[Craig_J]

Of course I have to admit we have had players like Bale, Kyle Walker, Berbatov, Carrick, Modric... who have all been signed young on the cheap and made us a tidy profit.

All I will say is thinking about when we signed Rafa in 2012... made some moves for some top draw players under Harry

Finished top 4 consistnently, challenged Conte's Chelsea, reached the CL final...

Moved into our new state of the art stadium.

I am underwhelmed that guys like Rafa are not who we are going on.

I am underwhelmed.

 

[Baleforce]

Let's be honest.

From the word go Levy has been honest, ENIC are there to protect their interests like any investor is.

I am a chartered town planner and all I see in them is what I see whenever my clients speak to me about what they wish to have planning permission for. Money.

When I look at all the other top six clubs and some other clubs like Saudi Sportswashing Machine, and a few others I see clubs that want to win trophies that is what they're all about. They want to win. They do not care about anything else.

Yet when Levy speaks or even makes a decision, the impression I am left with is purely business, the on the pitch matters can be okay, so long as the money comes in. This is an investment for the future. I read the articles in years ago with how he was at Sydney Sussex College Cambridge on the shared Halls telephone, making deals with shareholders and all that jazz, seeking a mega deal, thinking he would do the same for spurs.

Yet what I failed to see and I see now more than ever is someone who in fairness is saying things which are interpreted in the wrong way. He wants to make money. He is now a billionaire, or for certain, will become a billionaire from the sale of this football club.

The moment this club went from cares for trophies to shares for yuppies in the mid 1980s under Irvine Scholar and the disaster which followed, which had to be saved from and then over protected by Sir Alan Sugar before Levy took over and became the next Scrooge this club has suffered miserably at the hands of businessmen and nothing else.

THAT IS FORTY YEARS OF ABSOLUTE MISERY.

And this from a club that won so much, and in such incredible style, whilst buying the best players available such as Gazza.

With Levy and ENIC, i am under the impression that if the Championship or even League One made more money, they would be happy to see us relegated.

Look at the obsession with the Champions League and simply taking part in it. The argument is that in doing so, we will be able to attract and buy the players which would enable us to win. But look at how many times we have qualified for the Champions League and tell me honestly, if you think that they felt that way, given we signed no one for a whole season in 2018/19. We may have reached the Champions League final that season, however, the rot is evidently and deeply rooted in that season.

There is a reason why we have the lowest wages to turn over ratio in the premier league and I honestly believe nothing will change until that lot go.

What about the top 6 clubs ten years ago, or twenty?

Leeds, Ipswich, Bolton, Blackburn, Norwich, QPR, West Ham, Wimbledon, Southampton.

Were they all about trophies? How did that work out?

 

[spurs' magna carter]

Saudi Sportswashing Machine - owned by a state, entire function is sportswashing the perception of a bricky country/regime
Emirates Marketing Project - see above
Manchester United - worse run club in the PL
Chelsea - was sports washing and money laundering, now fudge knows what
Arsenal - huge downfall from their position of domestic top side to forever bridesmaids, I'd argue their ownership is quite happy with top 4.

Based on your definition, only state run clubs have ambition?

Levy is not a billionaire, nor will he become one when we sell the club (not unless someone will pay way fudging more than current value)

We go from we don't spend (ok, here's proof we do), no, no, it's net spend (ok, here's proof we do), oh, now it's wages to turnover ..

The ownership has a lot to answer for re the current place of the club this season, no question. But they "they don't care, we don't spend, everyone else is better run" is just a tired fudging narrative

Do you honestly believe that this club is squeaky clean?

There is a reason why Joe Lewis silently stepped aside.

Yes times have changed with billionaires and nationally owned clubs and granted,
poorly run clubs. However, this club has refused to go with those times of fighting for trophies. I don't expect the club to pour billions and billions. I just expect a football club that chooses winning trophies over equity.

I make it abundantly clear that I see the absolute opposite of that with spurs under ENIC.

Do I see Levy as a good employer and dare I say it, even a good person given the company that he holds? Yes, i say that honestly and especially given the amount that the club gave to charity over the past 25 years. Especially through the good work that they did through the Tottenham Hotspur foundation.

But for crying out loud, we have gone from a club that famously won 13 cup finals out of 16 (1901 to 1999) to winning just 1 out of 6 under ENICs stewardship (2001 to 2025). Also, there has been so many semifinals and quarter finals which the club has failed to turn up to.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Everytime we lose it’s the same story
Not enough money
Spend more
Owners are crap
All of that can be true
But also what can be true is that we are broken as a squad right now even with the investment that’s been made (which is huge despite the complaining)
Some of that is likely on management decisions and some is on bad luck … look at Richy tonight FFS
Unless we get new owners some fans will never be happy. Thats fine
But we have no one that anyone knows of publicly that is happy to spend them money ENIC will want so it’s no change and just negative noise. I don’t think it’s going to get a mad man to throw £3b at the club anytime soon
But it will of course keep some people happy

 

[spurs' magna carter]

What about the top 6 clubs ten years ago, or twenty?

Leeds, Ipswich, Bolton, Blackburn, Norwich, QPR, West Ham, Wimbledon, Southampton.

Were they all about trophies? How did that work out?

Some that you quoted overspent and some under spent.

To put it simply, this club is a halfway house in every single sense.

Levy is trying to bring in a billionaire simply for the benefit of ENIC, if you do not see that then I am really struggling.

Look at the hotel, he's even said in the latest fan forum that they need to increase the clubs capitol base, and it is evident that that is for infrastructure projects, not for on the pitch matters.

 

[Baleforce]

Do you honestly believe that this club is squeaky clean?

There is a reason why Joe Lewis silently stepped aside.

Yes times have changed with billionaires and nationally owned clubs and granted,
poorly run clubs. However, this club has refused to go with those times of fighting for trophies. I don't expect the club to pour billions and billions. I just expect a football club that chooses winning trophies over equity.

I make it abundantly clear that I see the absolute opposite of that with spurs under ENIC.

Do I see Levy as a good employer and dare I say it, even a good person given the company that he holds? Yes, i say that honestly and especially given the amount that the club gave to charity over the past 25 years. Especially through the good work that they did through the Tottenham Hotspur foundation.

But for crying out loud, we have gone from a club that famously won 13 cup finals out of 16 (1901 to 1999) to winning just 1 out of 6 under ENICs stewardship (2001 to 2025). Also, there has been so many semifinals and quarter finals which the club has failed to turn up to.

He stepped aside because he’s 127 years old and wisely chooses never to leave the warmth of the Bahamas.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Some that you quoted overspent and some under spent.

To put it simply, this club is a halfway house in every single sense.

Levy is trying to bring in a billionaire simply for the benefit of ENIC, if you do not see that then I am really struggling.

Look at the hotel, he's even said in the latest fan forum that they need to increase the clubs capitol base, and it is evident that that is for infrastructure projects, not for on the pitch matters.

You may be right on the latter but there is no evidence of it yet as there has been no new money