Fabio Paratici - Consultant

[DeanoAustin]

It's the lower risk long term option to support higher risk higher spending further down the line. So you can spend more with a safety net.
Plus the first class stadium and training facilities do have daily footballing benefits, whether that's attraction of players or comfort and resourced working environment.

The thing I don't get is the negativity about this direction or process. This is ENICs final act, the slow process of getting to this point is now behind us. Very few owners will take this path, they wouldn't have the stomach for it. Many would like to be in our position.

When ENIC leave the tangible assets will remain....feeding the club, the team, the new owners. That at bare minimum will mean we are a contender (unless some real rank bad management/decisions are made), above what we were and above all of our peers.

They have squeezed us up to the point that only a sugar daddy will see us better. (And even that's not guaranteed in the battle of dingdong swinging sugar daddies)

This is a fantastic post. And this is what gets me with the "ENIC Out" phalanx. They don't know who they want as far as I can see. They just want ENIC out. That's not a plan. The only way for us to kick on is if we get oil money or an Abramovich.

No other biggish club has really been improved sustainably the way that we have over the last 20 years. Look at Everton, Villa, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Leeds...all teams who were around our level or ahead of us when Levy came in. They've all had bad periods that included relegation except Everton who are on their knees and haven't won a trophy since 1995. The irony being that they're as close to relegation now as ever before since they've gotten a sugar daddy of sorts.

Levy and ENIC have taken us as far as they really can sustainably in my view. They've done a brilliant job. But the list of people who can take us further is very small. In the absence of someone with bottomless pockets coming out of the woodwork, I'd rather stick with ENIC and hope they luck out on a managerial appointment that may temporarily elevate us to trophies for a period of time.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

This is a fantastic post. And this is what gets me with the "ENIC Out" phalanx. They don't know who they want as far as I can see. They just want ENIC out. That's not a plan. The only way for us to kick on is if we get oil money or an Abramovich.

No other biggish club has really been improved sustainably the way that we have over the last 20 years. Look at Everton, Villa, Saudi Sportswashing Machine, Leeds...all teams who were around our level or ahead of us when Levy came in. They've all had bad periods that included relegation except Everton who are on their knees and haven't won a trophy since 1995. The irony being that they're as close to relegation now as ever before since they've gotten a sugar daddy of sorts.

Levy and ENIC have taken us as far as they really can sustainably in my view. They've done a brilliant job. But the list of people who can take us further is very small. In the absence of someone with bottomless pockets coming out of the woodwork, I'd rather stick with ENIC and hope they luck out on a managerial appointment that may temporarily elevate us to trophies for a period of time.

That's pretty much where I am at.

There are sugar daddies that will pass MY fit and proper person test and there are many that won't.(but will pass the PLs)

It really is difficult to win something in this competitive, the most competitive of Premier Leagues. BUT Liverpool have done it and Arsenal might just. I believe we can operate at their levels, and as you say, with smart decisions and a bit of luck with a clever manager it is possible. I'd enjoy that journey far more.

No different to Poch times, just with getting over the line. Wishful thinking? We came oh so close then, so not really. We can, and are, operating even differently to that period. I can see that as an opportunity, and probably saves me from being neurotic.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Aka Covid bail outs which could not be used on players when the bright sparks at Enicout out HQ cried about using furlough, which ironically would have meant more freedom of cash on players. Funny old life

You really think the furlough scheme would’ve made a significant difference to our outgoings?

 

[Lilbaz]

You really think the furlough scheme would’ve made a significant difference to our outgoings?

Might have let our foreign workers go home to be with their families.

 

[Grays_1890]

You really think the furlough scheme would’ve made a significant difference to our outgoings?

Yep I know for a fact it did

 

[metalgear]

seriously will you guys stop suppporting spurs if a less than respectable investor comes into the club?
i'd continue to support spurs - good or bad owners - cheering or moaning respectively. i',m not here to make a moral stand just enjoy football as an alternate reality

 

[kb 1984]

seriously will you guys stop suppporting spurs if a less than respectable investor comes into the club?
i'd continue to support spurs - good or bad owners - cheering or moaning respectively. i',m not here to make a moral stand just enjoy football as an alternate reality

If it was qatar or people of that ilk wanting to buy I'd walk away. For same reason I didn't watch the world cup

 

[thfcsteff]

That's pretty much where I am at.

There are sugar daddies that will pass MY fit and proper person test and there are many that won't.(but will pass the PLs)

It really is difficult to win something in this competitive, the most competitive of Premier Leagues. BUT Liverpool have done it and Arsenal might just. I believe we can operate at their levels, and as you say, with smart decisions and a bit of luck with a clever manager it is possible. I'd enjoy that journey far more.

No different to Poch times, just with getting over the line. Wishful thinking? We came oh so close then, so not really. We can, and are, operating even differently to that period. I can see that as an opportunity, and probably saves me from being neurotic.

First of all, right there with you my friend. There are a lot of devils out there worse than ours (by human definition).

As for the bold-faced line? Look, I know you know I know we know, but I never miss an opportunity to point out that this is exactly why the whole situation broke my Spurs heart! And I know you know hahahahaha...

 

[metalgear]

If it was qatar or people of that ilk wanting to buy I'd walk away. For same reason I didn't watch the world cup

i think it will be fun to see some big money come in, win something then screw up big time, like owners gettting convicted and all the fans worldwide go into meltdown, as we did again and again through the decades. its a spurs curse i tell ya.

 

[braineclipse]

It's the safest play to make, so @metalgear is 100% right - investing in players to win things is risky, investing in tangible assets like the stadium/training ground is the safe and sound long-term play. Especially since none of it was ENIC's money, but club money that had to go somewhere.

It's also something that would be more appealing to someone without a football background who studied Land Economy, which is what Levy is and what he excels in. Note - just because it's the safe and uninspiring thing doesn't mean it's wrong, but it is definitely the lower-risk option.

He's been here over 20 years.

If we kept taking the risky route over that time, without the "safety net" of improved infrastructure and income we may have gotten one or two more of those trophies. May not have.

If you keep taking the risky option without a safety net at some point the low outcome negative effect will come. Perhaps we would have avoided it, perhaps not.

Other than continuing cash injections getting consistently improved cash flow is the only path to sustained success imo. Can do both, I can understand people wanting ENIC to inject more money at various points.

But the overall strategy, given a lack of cash injections, is fine imo. The only sensible option.

 

[braineclipse]

seriously will you guys stop suppporting spurs if a less than respectable investor comes into the club?
i'd continue to support spurs - good or bad owners - cheering or moaning respectively. i',m not here to make a moral stand just enjoy football as an alternate reality

I probably wouldn't stop supporting Spurs. Unless it was really outrageous.

But I do think my joy and love for the game and the club would diminish somewhat at least.

 

[AdamB]

seriously will you guys stop suppporting spurs if a less than respectable investor comes into the club?
i'd continue to support spurs - good or bad owners - cheering or moaning respectively. i',m not here to make a moral stand just enjoy football as an alternate reality

Agreed. I dont think many people would stop supporting Spurs

Its like people saying that if xyz government gets elected then they'll emigrate. Rarely happens in volume

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

I’d still support Spurs, definitely, but with any success there would always be the nagging knowledge that we didn’t really earn it. Pretty much how “legacy” City and Chelsea fans feel. No doubt the Johnny come lately glory hunter fans of those clubs don’t give a f**k though.

 

[metalgear]

I’d still support Spurs, definitely, but with any success there would always be the nagging knowledge that we didn’t really earn it. Pretty much how “legacy” City and Chelsea fans feel. No doubt the Johnny come lately glory hunter fans of those clubs don’t give a f**k though.

Then you guys can be the new xxx-out phalanx haha. All a matter of timing, nothing really changes.

 

[AdamB]

Need some creative thikning with the formation but assuming Porro completes, a team from the last 3 windows (excluding players like Romero or Sarr where they've come back from or completed loan deals):

-----------------------------Forster--------------------------------------

------Porro----------Spence-----------Lenglet--------Udogie-----

--------------------Bentancur---------Bisouma--------------------------------

--------Perisic-----------------Kulu------------------Danjuma---------------

--------------------------------Richie-------------------------------------------


What this shows is
1. significant rebuilding of the squad
2. pretty decent contribution from Paratici (with incomings at least)
3. Need to invest more at CB in the summer!!

 

[Yiddo]

In all honesty i really wouldn’t care who was running it aslong as we played entertaining football and it was enjoying to watch.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Yep I know for a fact it did

How much?

 

[Finney Is Back]

I’d still support Spurs, definitely, but with any success there would always be the nagging knowledge that we didn’t really earn it. Pretty much how “legacy” City and Chelsea fans feel. No doubt the Johnny come lately glory hunter fans of those clubs don’t give a f**k though.

If we stay the right side of the FFP line then we would absolutely have earned it…. Being a whopping £400m beneath the FFP line is probably the main reason why we didn’t pick up a few pots over the last 8 years or so.

 

[Grays_1890]

How much?

Well the club were losing a million quid a day of their own money that they were free to do with what they want normally and the money they borrowed to cover the losses came with strict rules. Spurs, Fulham, Palace, West Ham, Palace and latterly Brentford were clubs in my remit when on the PL project for match day planning so I know how much from weekly meetings at the club with them and the PL coordinator how much they were all hurting

 

[Raziel]