Daniel Levy - Former Chairman

[JerusalemMan]

Over the past 20 years, I have met, professionally and personally, a number of people who have worked in senior roles at the club, during which time I've been told various bits of of info, gossip and chat. It's not usually your classic ITK and I wouldn't post anything specific if it was; it's generally just the kind of thing you'd hear from anyone talking about their workplace/boss. The difference being that in this case, the workplace is Spurs and the boss is DL. So obviously it's fascinating if you're a supporter.

The consistent theme I have heard is one echoed not only in public by Mourinho/Conte but also by others involved in both the playing and non-playing side of football at the highest level. There is a perception, which is arguably too common not to be given some credence, that Spurs under DL is/was not set up to succeed in the same way some of the other 'big clubs' are. To quote someone who's not an employee but has a very well informed view of top-level football, it looks like a super club but it doesn't act like one. There isn't a "culture of excellence" from top to bottom: it's skin deep. When Jose and Conte said it I thought it was sour grapes, and I was never sure exactly what they meant. But maybe they had a point.

It appears to me that's exactly the kind of insight the US consultants would have uncovered in their private interviews with club employees (and it's been hinted at in the public statement). Basically, DL, for all his strengths and achievements, has built a football club that's ideally placed to become a super power in the game, but he has no experience of actually running one. It's the single aspect of his job he couldn't master; he simply doesn't know what it takes to make that final step. He tried to address it by hiring Scott Munn and that didn't work; ultimately his bosses decided that the limitations and blind spots lie with him.

This may be about a sale, it may be about the Lewis family's frustrations with not winning, it may be a combination of the two. I think it's just the recognition that after 25 years taking the club almost to the summit, DL hasn't got what it takes to actually reach it.

That's insightful comment, thank you

 

[parklane1]

One thing this reminds everyone is that there is no single truth when it comes to Daniel Levy, and really, I think it becomes a case of how people want to remember him.

I choose to remember the man who has elevated our global popularity to epic proportions and delivered a world class platform and infra-structure with regards to the stadium. Of course he made mistakes, and I have certainly been critical at times, but equally, what he achieved with the stadium and elevating our club worldwide is actually insane!!!!

I hope he is afforded every bit of respect he deserves...one thing's for sure. Had we enjoyed the rub of the green on just a couple more occasions, we'd have won a lot more in his tenure.

I tip my hat to you sir, that post is probably the best balanced one i have read on here reguarding Levy. .

 

[harr1984]

One thing this reminds everyone is that there is no single truth when it comes to Daniel Levy, and really, I think it becomes a case of how people want to remember him.

I choose to remember the man who has elevated our global popularity to epic proportions and delivered a world class platform and infra-structure with regards to the stadium. Of course he made mistakes, and I have certainly been critical at times, but equally, what he achieved with the stadium and elevating our club worldwide is actually insane!!!!

I hope he is afforded every bit of respect he deserves...one thing's for sure. Had we enjoyed the rub of the green on just a couple more occasions, we'd have won a lot more in his tenure.

Good post Steff. Whatever the reasons for his departure, I can't help but think the timing might have been good for him personally. The abuse he has been getting has seemingly become worse, and he is a 60 plus year old man - it's not something he needs or certainly deserves.

Now he can watch proudly from the sidelines as hopefully we make further strides forward and he will be forever recognised as the guy whose hardwork laid the foundations. Or, nothing changes/we get worse and Levy can stick his middle finger up to everyone who thought he was the problem.....

 

[Bullet]

I listened to a podcast earlier, with a guy who says he knows people at (and the infrastructure of) top teams like City and Cheatski.
He mentions how they have the best people in all positions e.g. CFO CMO CEO COO Sporting Director DoF Tech Director Data Scouting blah blah and that Spurs have SOME of those positions filled but some of them NOT filled. Likewise we might have 1 or 2 people where we should have 3 or 4 people e.g. finding/creating good sales of players we don't need, it has to be worth a few "normal salaries" to offload these multi-million-pound assets better.
So hopefully Vin V and Viv L and Nick B will be fleshing out these roles in coming months and trying to steal top talent from around the Premier League e.g. taking the CMO from Arseanal.