Daniel Levy - Chairman

[Lilbaz]

I’m not sure that matters. What is impressive is how they have made good decisions, kept a good manager in place, signed good players, grown revenues, won things. It is not that impressive that they are ahead Malaga, it’s impressive they are competing with Real and Barca.

They are facing bankruptcy and their president has been put in prison for 3 years.

 

[DubaiSpur]

They are facing bankruptcy and their president has been put in prison for 3 years.

Err.....are we talking about the same club - Atletico Madrid?

Enrique Cerezo is fine, and their debts are smaller than ours while their revenue is comparable - where is this bankruptcy going to come from?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Those who remain unconvinced about the importance of trophies, ask Harry Kane.

 

[Raziel]

Those who remain unconvinced about the importance of trophies, ask Harry Kane.

ask him what mate? Kane has given us 8 seasons mate, 8 seasons from arguably the best striker in world football.

If goes, he will be missed, but if anyone thinks the 1 or 2 trophies Spurs would win in a decade make the difference between staying to the end of his career or not, I think you are fooling yourself.

Bale was a guy who thought trophies were all important (and stupid money), Kane could have left 4 years ago.

 

[Baleforce]

Those who remain unconvinced about the importance of trophies, ask Harry Kane.

Good point, if he was that fussed about trophies he'd pull his finger out when the opportunity to win one arose.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

ask him what mate? Kane has given us 8 seasons mate, 8 seasons from arguably the best striker in world football.

If goes, he will be missed, but if anyone thinks the 1 or 2 trophies Spurs would win in a decade make the difference between staying to the end of his career or not, I think you are fooling yourself.

Bale was a guy who thought trophies were all important (and stupid money), Kane could have left 4 years ago.

He always said he'd stay if he thought the club were progressing. It's clear that we've looked like we have no plan to do that for 2 years now.

If Levy can sit Kane down and lay out a really good vision for the club now we have the stadium, and show a reasonable and realistic path to competing, not spending City money but saying don't worry, the stadium is a game changer and we are going to sign the players to make a push for trophies. If Levy can do that, I think there's a chance Kane stays and is happy about it. I don't think this is about 1 or 2 trophies. It's about feeling like the club is making progress.

My question is...does Levy have that pitch? That you are talking about the 1 or 2 trophies in a decade as if that is the level we just need to accept suggests that you don't think it's realistic.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

He always said he'd stay if he thought the club were progressing. It's clear that we've looked like we have no plan to do that for 2 years now.

If Levy can sit Kane down and lay out a really good vision for the club now we have the stadium, and show a reasonable and realistic path to competing, not spending City money but saying don't worry, the stadium is a game changer and we are going to sign the players to make a push for trophies. If Levy can do that, I think there's a chance Kane stays and is happy about it. I don't think this is about 1 or 2 trophies. It's about feeling like the club is making progress.

My question is...does Levy have that pitch? That you are talking about the 1 or 2 trophies in a decade as if that is the level we just need to accept suggests that you don't think it's realistic.

Levy can do that
But it means nothing
The only reason Kane stays is no one will pay the money

 

[billyiddo]

He always said he'd stay if he thought the club were progressing. It's clear that we've looked like we have no plan to do that for 2 years now.

If Levy can sit Kane down and lay out a really good vision for the club now we have the stadium, and show a reasonable and realistic path to competing, not spending City money but saying don't worry, the stadium is a game changer and we are going to sign the players to make a push for trophies. If Levy can do that, I think there's a chance Kane stays and is happy about it. I don't think this is about 1 or 2 trophies. It's about feeling like the club is making progress.

My question is...does Levy have that pitch? That you are talking about the 1 or 2 trophies in a decade as if that is the level we just need to accept suggests that you don't think it's realistic.

Even if we have a plan, unless there's an instant payoff then Kane's probably looking at his age thinking he hasn't got the time - as i posted in the Kane thread earlier, we needed the last managerial change to work in order to keep him around for the medium to long term, too late now - only chance is he isn't bought in the summer and new guy has a big impact next season

 

[Finney Is Back]

So thanks for the answer, some thoughts

1. Are you willing to have effectively the DoF choose the manager as well? what happens when the DoF & manager don't agree? who do you back. Are you ok with us never hiring the "next big thing" because most top managers will want more control or their own DoF? What would stop a City/Chelsea from poaching that great DoF?
- I wouldn't use the Chelsea example re young players, they use it as a revenue stream not a development engine
- re not sacking managers, not going to happen mate, managers are going to get at best a bad 3rd of a season

2. If we spend £150M and City/Pool/Chelsea/United spend the same, how do we improve?

3. Is there any data to show any one club having a consistently better hit/miss ratio or this just anecdotal? It's real easy to see the hits of clubs you don't follow and point to that.

4. Ok

5. Based on that, fans should be happy with top 6 finish now?

Again, a lot in there I agree with, e.g DoF with aligned manager (hilarious that people beat Levy with that stick as he was pretty much the first top chairman in PL to go with that model), fan expectations (fans will never accept top whatever, in the end with Poch we were already having the 4th place trophy comments), etc.

1. Yes. The DoF gives the continuity. If the manager doesn't want the player the DoF suggests then fine, the player doesn't come. If the manager keeps on refusing all suggestions then clearly there is a problem and the manager may not be the best fit for the club. i.e. the manager effectively gets final say. Re: Young players and loaning them out as a revenue stream, nothing wrong with that, it is a smart thing to do.... but requires an extensive scouting network that it seems we do not have (another failing of the chairman?).

2. £150m (plus income from sales) is the net amount required to get the squad up to top 4 standard right now. 2 x CBS. 1 x GK who can challenge Lloris. 1 x CM, 1 x right back, 1 x alternative CF option, 1 x wide forward. If the teams you mentioned also spend the same then it will come down to who spends that £150m net the best, which team has fixed all their weaknesses? Which has the players and manager singing from the same hymn sheet? Which team has made those signings thinking long term as well as short term? etc...

3. Look at Lille’s budget and trajectory. Campos went there in 2017. They were 17th that season. From there finishes of 2nd, 4th and this season a win in the final game away from being 1st, making a significant transfer surplus each year. That was after brilliant transfer work at Monaco.

5. The current owners should be very happy with top 6 finishes yes. Our coach has the 6th biggest wage budget and not one of the biggest transfer budgets.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Even if we have a plan, unless there's an instant payoff then Kane's probably looking at his age thinking he hasn't got the time - as i posted in the Kane thread earlier, we needed the last managerial change to work in order to keep him around for the medium to long term, too late now - only chance is he isn't bought in the summer and new guy has a big impact next season

I agree largely.

Either way, what a monumentally terrible last couple of years, from the summer of 2019 to this.

 

[DubaiSpur]

He always said he'd stay if he thought the club were progressing. It's clear that we've looked like we have no plan to do that for 2 years now.

If Levy can sit Kane down and lay out a really good vision for the club now we have the stadium, and show a reasonable and realistic path to competing, not spending City money but saying don't worry, the stadium is a game changer and we are going to sign the players to make a push for trophies. If Levy can do that, I think there's a chance Kane stays and is happy about it. I don't think this is about 1 or 2 trophies. It's about feeling like the club is making progress.

My question is...does Levy have that pitch? That you are talking about the 1 or 2 trophies in a decade as if that is the level we just need to accept suggests that you don't think it's realistic.

Hahaha - remember his completely staged motivational speech to Ndombele for All or Nothing?

What it boiled down to is 'I was doing badly in my GCSEs, so I buckled down and did well'.

Doesn't strike me as particularly inspirational, does ol' Danny Boy. Or a good liar - and he'll have to be one to convince Kane that he's going to revert away from his penny-pinching ways after all the signalling he's already put out re: COVID impacts, financial damage, restraint, not a bad squad, etc.

If Kane can spur this club into following its damn motto and Daring, for once in twenty long years, then I'll be delighted. Promises of investment, of change, of ambition, of daring to dream.

Sadly I think Levy will just lecture him about how his classmates were mean to him when he was studying Land Economy at Oxford, and Kane will promptly sod off.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Even if we have a plan, unless there's an instant payoff then Kane's probably looking at his age thinking he hasn't got the time - as i posted in the Kane thread earlier, we needed the last managerial change to work in order to keep him around for the medium to long term, too late now - only chance is he isn't bought in the summer and new guy has a big impact next season

I don’t think it’s about instant pay off, as much as it’s about feeling like the club is doing everything it can to win, so that there isn’t a better place to go to guarantee trophies, unless you want to move to City. Which maybe he does.

2 years ago, we looked like we were progressing. CL final. Beat City on the way. New stadium done. No one can argue it feels like the club has done everything it can to create a winning environment, and whether it’s realistic or not under these owners, I think the fact is Kane felt we could win the biggest trophies here 2 years ago and that’s what he wanted, and now he doesn’t believe it is possible unless we get way too lucky.

A lot of really bad decisions / lack of really wanting to win the biggest prizes coming home to roost.

 

[billyiddo]

I don’t think it’s about instant pay off, as much as it’s about feeling like the club is doing everything it can to win, so that there isn’t a better place to go to guarantee trophies, unless you want to move to City. Which maybe he does.

2 years ago, we looked like we were progressing. CL final. Beat City on the way. New stadium done. No one can argue it feels like the club has done everything it can to create a winning environment, and whether it’s realistic or not under these owners, I think the fact is Kane felt we could win the biggest trophies here 2 years ago and that’s what he wanted, and now he doesn’t believe it is possible unless we get way too lucky.

A lot of really bad decisions / lack of really wanting to win the biggest prizes coming home to roost.

Instant payoff is only meant in the sense that he's already sat through on the field regression for 3 years now - is he going to be prepared to pin his hopes on us if we're looking at beyond next season before the rewards come in (potentially rewards at that)? I don't think so

 

[DubaiSpur]

Instant payoff is only meant in the sense that he's already sat through on the field regression for 3 years now - is he going to be prepared to pin his hopes on us if we're looking at beyond next season before the rewards come in (potentially rewards at that)? I don't think so

The other thing we could do is offer him a stonking wage in addition to promising investment on field to match his ambitions.

He's on, what, 200k a week? Bump that up to 400k - club legend, highest paid player in the Prem.

We have the wage space for it - our wages to revenue ratio is one of the lowest in the league.

And dump Ndombele or someone if needed.

That would be convincing him our ambitions match his own - that, plus new players to rebuild the side.

Will we do it? Heh. Incredibly unlikely. But we can.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The other thing we could do is offer him a stonking wage in addition to promising investment on field to match his ambitions.

He's on, what, 200k a week? Bump that up to 400k - club legend, highest paid player in the Prem.

We have the wage space for it - our wages to revenue ratio is one of the lowest in the league.

And dump Ndombele or someone if needed.

That would be convincing him our ambitions match his own - that, plus new players to rebuild the side.

Will we do it? Heh. Incredibly unlikely. But we can.

I can guarantee we would pay Kane more
The default would be Harry if someone wants you it’s £150m
He then goes but I’m not paid like a £150m player
Club then goes here is a new contract .... £300k a week plus bonuses

 

[DubaiSpur]

I can guarantee we would pay Kane more
The default would be Harry if someone wants you it’s £150m
He then goes but I’m not paid like a £150m player
Club then goes here is a new contract .... £300k a week plus bonuses

Right, well I can almost guarantee that the first bit is happening now - club telling Kane 'we won't sell you for less than 125m' and Kane saying 'you pay me the same as NDombele and only double what you pay goddamn Sissoko'.

Now we will see if the second bit happens - if he signs a new deal and becomes the highest-paid Prem player. We'll see.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Right, well I can almost guarantee that the first bit is happening now - club telling Kane 'we won't sell you for less than 125m' and Kane saying 'you pay me the same as NDombele and only double what you pay goddamn Sissoko'.

Now we will see if the second bit happens - if he signs a new deal and becomes the highest-paid Prem player. We'll see.

It’s a no brainer for the club
Surely even you with anti levy cap on can see that
Offer him £10m a season more
It reminds me of Gerard and Rooney when it happened with them

 

[Baleforce]

The other thing we could do is offer him a stonking wage in addition to promising investment on field to match his ambitions.

He's on, what, 200k a week? Bump that up to 400k - club legend, highest paid player in the Prem.

We have the wage space for it - our wages to revenue ratio is one of the lowest in the league.

And dump Ndombele or someone if needed.

That would be convincing him our ambitions match his own - that, plus new players to rebuild the side.

Will we do it? Heh. Incredibly unlikely. But we can.

cut into our "money Levy is stealing from the club" to revenue ratio?

 

[billyiddo]

The other thing we could do is offer him a stonking wage in addition to promising investment on field to match his ambitions.

I'd only sign that deal after next season and seeing whether the club invest how they say they do and whether the new manager gives me the impression he is the right man to push the team forward.

 

[Baleforce]

I'd be wary of structuring a mega deal for a player with a history of ankle problems.