Daniel Levy/Joe Lewis

Dublin Spur

Excellent piece........


This is written by Norman Giller:-
Challenge to Levy - publish the Tottenham manifesto!

Here’s a challenge to Daniel Levy to publish the Tottenham manifesto in this week of political pronouncements by the main parties. Trouble is we’re all in a peed-off rather than party mood after that appalling performance against Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa.

On the economy, I’d like ENIC to tell us exactly what their plans are now they have won their courtroom battle to remove the one remaining barrier to the building of a new stadium. Are they staying around to see the £450m project through, or are the stories I hear true about Levy’s Godfather Joe Lewis still wanting to sell up as he gallops towards his 80s?

On health, could Levy assure us that Mauricio Pochettino has a long life to look forward to in the manager’s chair, or is he planning one of his emergency operations and yet another management transplant?

On immigration, are there plans to bring in yet more foreign players, or has the Harry Kane success story convinced him that homegrown talent is the way forward?

On pensions, are the club going to continue to pay huge weekly wages to players who hardly see any action away from the training pitch, or are they going to pension them off in a massive summer clear-out?

At this moment in time, few Spurs supporters would vote for ENIC to continue in power at Tottenham. There is something cold and clinical about the company, and there is not the old warmth emanating from a club that used to generate a family atmosphere.

Long gone are the days when I could wander into the club, get a welcoming cup of char from Bill Nicholson’s secretary Barbara Wallace and chat to the players like pals rather than great untouchables living in an ivory tower.

All is geared to big business and fleecing every possible penny out of the long-suffering and incredibly loyal fans. I hate the commercial creed of the club, with everything geared towards profit. The general staff are wonderful, and give 100 per cent to their work despite many of them earning peanuts. They deserve to be paid properly.

The way the club has gone along with the American-driven StubHub ticket-selling system is, for me, little short of treachery. It proves the club has lost its heart when it cannot put its supporters ahead of what in my opinion is just a camouflaged ticket-spivving scheme.

I had better own up to vested interest that lies at the root my Victor Meldrew moan about the club. They have refused to stock my Spurs-themed books, even though every penny of profit goes to the Tottenham Tribute Trust, which helps our old heroes who have hit difficult times. These were the players who ran themselves into the ground for the club before the gravy-train days. They are now paying the price for their efforts, with the ex-footballers’ nightmare of dementia and painful limbs. They are worthy of us putting our hands in our pockets.

You can help these old boys by buying my books at www.normangillerbooks.com or making donations direct to the Trust at https://www.justgiving.com/thettt Not a penny goes into my pocket.

Meantime, as we move towards an election ENIC continue to squeeze what they can out of the supporters.

It makes me cross.

SuprSi

Hmmm, while I agree with some sentiments I have plenty of issues with that article.

Economy - agree. With the final stadium redevelopment hurdle cleared, a bit of transparency would be good. Mind you, I'm somewhat out of the loop so that could already be there.
Health - completely disagree. Looking back over the last few managers, did Levy get rid of one that the vast majority of fans wanted to keep? Results and fans opnion have a big influence here and although it's Levy's responsibility to help with the results (in terms of providing adequate playing staff) it's the players and manager that have to deliver. Pochettino's reign at the club will be determined by how well or poorly the team does with the resources to hand, and if things go badly there is no reason to believe that Levy won't do what he has always done and what the fans have (by a large margin I'd imagine) wanted during prolonged bad spells - get rid of the manager
Immigration - completely disagree. This is the way forward for the national team but due to the cost and lack of availability of suitable English talent, and the wealth of foreign talent, this will never work. Of course, from an English point of view it would be great if every PL team was stocked with top class English players, but that's a pipe dream. In this respect, football is like any other business. Try to resource from the local pool, if that pool is insufficently talented or too expensive, go abroad. As a non-English fan of Spurs, I couldn't care less how many nationalites comprise the squad, or to what ratio, as long as they play well.
Pensions - somewhat agree, though this is more difficult as Ade (who he's obviously referring to) was signed on an expensive contract, played as if he deserved it for a while and then gave up. This happens at all clubs, it's just unfortunate when it happens with clubs that don't have the resources to cover it up.

The rest of the article is just 'back-in-the-day' rubbish, stuff that's the same in every club. If the author wants to get a smile and nod from the club secretary or chat to the players he should support a much lower league or non-league club. I can't imagine that things have been like he described for 30 years or more.

I sympathise with the author somewhat, and I'm far from ENIC's biggest fan having stated here many times my feelings about how they run the club, but that article seems to have been written by someone who just woke from a dream about football from an era long consigned to the history books.

Dublin Spur

yeah I think it more of an anti-modern football rant then anything else

I share the same view about the way the game has gone - I'm pretty much finished with it now.

yiddo59

http://swissramble.blogspot.ch/2015/04/tottenham-hotspur-bottom-line.html

It might seem strange to sound a note of caution after such superb financial results, but the challenge for Levy is how to drive the club forward to the next level without continually selling the club’s talent and fans will already be concerned that the irrepressible Harry Kane might be the next star to exit stage left in order to boost the bottom line.

Ormus

That is so untrue, it amazes me that this line still gets peddled. How can the press not notice that every club in the world except maybe 3 generally has to sell their best players if a bigger club decides it wants them?

I think the press do know this, but it doesn't suit their narrative. I guess it sells more papers to have the evil rich chairman forcing the club hero to leave against against his will, and then lining his pockets with gold. Zzzzz

mickman

Ormus wrote: »

That is so untrue, it amazes me that this line still gets peddled. How can the press not notice that every club in the world except maybe 3 generally has to sell their best players if a bigger club decides it wants them?

I think the press do know this, but it doesn't suit their narrative. I guess it sells more papers to have the evil rich chairman forcing the club hero to leave against against his will, and then lining his pockets with gold. Zzzzz

3 in the world? There would be 3 in England alone

mushykeogh

irishmover wrote: »

This just proves Spurs area business. How dare these guys make record revenue increases for our club. Damn leeches.

Chairman of business reveals he is only in business to make money shocker.

irishmover

mushykeogh wrote: »

Chairman of business reveals he is only in business to make money shocker.

Just an FYI I was taking the piss out of the levy bashers.

KingdomYid

In a football chant voice

"And its Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Fc, by far the greatest business the world has ever seen"

mushykeogh

irishmover wrote: »

Just an FYI I was taking the piss out of the levy bashers.

i know!

Dublin Spur

The fun and identity of going is what's changed for me, I feel little connection with the club and football now - I'm not even sure what a football club is these days beyond a way for those on the inside to to get rich(er)

We get isolated experiences of the good old days like the Goons home game, but the rest of the time it feels like going through the motions. The best bit is invariably meeting mates beforehand for a few pints and a collective moan about the club/team !

Ormus

mickman wrote: »

3 in the world? There would be 3 in England alone

I disagree.

United had to sell Ronaldo and Beckham when Madrid decided they wanted them.

If Barca or Real decide Aguero or Hazard is the best player in the world, they would have him, it might take them a season or two, but it would happen.

mickman

Ormus wrote: »

I disagree.

United had to sell Ronaldo and Beckham when Madrid decided they wanted them.

If Barca or Real decide Aguero or Hazard is the best player in the world, they would have him, it might take them a season or two, but it would happen.

i dont agree. chelsea / city havent lost any players in the last few years and im sure that madrid would have fancied hazard

Ormus

mickman wrote: »

i dont agree. chelsea / city havent lost any players in the last few years and im sure that madrid would have fancied hazard

Fair enough. But once Madrid make a player their top priority, they ALWAYS get their man. Unless he plays for Barca. Although they did get Figo, so who knows.

Anyway, even if we disagree on whether there are 2 or 5 clubs in the world who can choose not to sell their best players, you still agree that the papers are generally fabricating the narrative of greedy chairman forcing club hero to leave? It's pure fantasy.

Dublin Spur

@HotspurRelated: London Evening Standard report Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy had a salary rise of £500,000 last year. #THFC http://t.co/VAoyrceUaU

2nd Row Donkey

Dublin Spur wrote:

@HotspurRelated: London Evening Standard report Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy had a salary rise of £500,000 last year. #THFC

You just beat me too it.

Fair play to him. The club has progressed so much in the last couple of years, so it was only fair.

positivenote

profit margins are way up, he's doing his job. Pity he has no ambition when it comes to football....

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Dublin Spur

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

yep, that's where ENIC want us to be - anything higher requires a net spend and that's not something they are prepared to do

Europa League football, the odd cup final, 6th or 7th and selling our best players is what its gonna be for the foreseeable future

Kiith

We'll earn upwards of £100 million just in prize money this year (that's before TV rights), so i'm sure they are quite happy finishing 5th-7th and not spending much on players.

mickman

Kiith wrote: »

We'll earn upwards of £100 million just in prize money this year (that's before TV rights), so i'm sure they are quite happy finishing 5th-7th and not spending much on players.

100million in prize money ?

Kiith

Yeah, was just talking to a friend about it earlier. Apparently the money has nearly doubled this year. You get £99 million for coming dead last (although maybe it doesn't come into effect till next year). The champions will get £150 mill apparently, and this is before TV rights are taken into account.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/31386483

It is great news. This incredible sum of money means the club that finishes bottom of the Premier League in the 2016-17 season will pocket £99m.

Dublin Spur

we could be so much better if the owners had more (footballing) ambition

Ormus

Dublin Spur wrote: »

New Years resolution - No more ENIC commentary

What will be will be

:rolleyes:

Dublin Spur

4 months is good going

irishmover

Ormus wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Ignore is a great tool, except when someone quotes the person.

Hollister11

Hey spurs fans,

Do you think levy would sack pochettino for finishing 7th, even though he is bringing through young players, and building a squad.

Also, do you think your recruitment will be better now that poch knows who he wants to keep in the squad, who he doesn't, and that Paul mitchell is in.

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

Ormus

He's definitely getting another season at least.

NomadicGray

Don't see any reason why poch wouldn't get another season. Don't think he'll exactly get the players he wants for next season though.
Is baldini still involved?