The owners - where do you sit?

[Raziel]

Absolutely I was just being snarcy haha

He gave the interview years back when he said a time will come when clubs need to be more savvy commercially and he has been proven right. Someone on here said to me last year "you give him too much credit, anyone with time could do it" well they haven't or haven't had the foresight to do it. Saudi Sportswashing Machine have admitted this week that their limited audience reach means they have more or less maximised their commercial reach.

With FFP now clearly being implemented and us thriving with income (will be increased if we manage CL). The gaps ever shrinking and the seems he was right about the long game which @Raziel rightly says includes the future

The real test now is will it be translated to the pitch, I said to @Finney Is Back a while back I give it 5 years in the stadium, take Covid out that gives him 2 years of full season left, if we can't win something in that timeframe I will concede we likely never will (not that Levy cares)

That's the piece that I have an issue with from our fanbase ..

Levy fudging cares if we win something, even if it's self validation, ego, the sheer amount of his life he has put into Spurs. This isn't the Glaziers that did a leveraged buyout, done fudge all to improve club, just sit in the US and collect a dividend check, this is a guy at every game, a guy that poured over every last detail on Stadium build, a guy who according to Dragusin agent was supporting closing a deal at 3am

Has he done enough to make it happen? (different conversation), but he cares ..

 

[Grays_1890]

That's the piece that I have an issue with from our fanbase ..

Levy fudging cares if we win something, even if it's self validation, ego, the sheer amount of his life he has put into Spurs. This isn't the Glaziers that did a leveraged buyout, done fudge all to improve club, just sit in the US and collect a dividend check, this is a guy at every game, a guy that poured over every last detail on Stadium build, a guy who according to Dragusin agent was supporting closing a deal at 3am

Has he done enough to make it happen? (different conversation), but he cares ..

It was more that he does not care about my view on a forum (he shouldn't) not that he doesn't care at all.

Anyone that thinks he doesn't care about Spurs is not living in the real world. Dedicated 20+ years of effort, 20 hour days and countless blips to build this club. Not another chairman like it in that respect for me, others will cite money but I don't believe Roman chucking money in meant he cared....

 

[parklane1]

Best chairman in the game for me, over the years we have always been reguarded as a big club ( despite us not winning much). Now we are really showing what a GREAT job he has done and the future looks very bright. He/ we have not done a Chelski, a City and now a Saudi Sportswashing Machine and taken the riches of a despot country. and it is something we should be proud of.

 

[Surfless]

It was more that he does not care about my view on a forum (he shouldn't) not that he doesn't care at all.

Anyone that thinks he doesn't care about Spurs is not living in the real world. Dedicated 20+ years of effort, 20 hour days and countless blips to build this club. Not another chairman like it in that respect for me, others will cite money but I don't believe Roman chucking money in meant he cared....

Roman cared about being alive, and made himself Putin proof by buying fame in the form of a football club. The moment the UK popped up and told him he was no longer welcome he was gone faster than that. He was also rarely involved in negotiations for players (I think Shevchenko was his doing???) and was very hands off with the club. He was there a lot but it was part of the plan to ensure he couldn't be bumped off.

Levy is a Spurs fan from birth, he's a hard nosed bastard and Tottenham on any level are hard to deal with (I supply them through work and they constantly want a deal or discount) but whatever limitations people level at him and his management team, they all care.

 

[Finney Is Back]

The burnley game seemed quite full (all levels open) for a Friday night cup game .. assuming we are pricing it right ..

61,000 tickets sold

 

[Bishop]

Roman cared about being alive, and made himself Putin proof by buying fame in the form of a football club. The moment the UK popped up and told him he was no longer welcome he was gone faster than that. He was also rarely involved in negotiations for players (I think Shevchenko was his doing???) and was very hands off with the club. He was there a lot but it was part of the plan to ensure he couldn't be bumped off.

Levy is a Spurs fan from birth, he's a hard nosed bastard and Tottenham on any level are hard to deal with (I supply them through work and they constantly want a deal or discount) but whatever limitations people level at him and his management team, they all care.

Roman 100% cared. The UK made him persona non grata. First they removed his Russian visa which meant he could no longer visit the country which he got around by taking up Isreali citizenship. Then they made him sell the club, the sale was wasn't by choice.

Regarding involvement, you're not quite right there. He was very involved, but he just installed football people to do the day to day runnings. Marina for example reported directly to him. He would get involved in negotiations occasionally but he had no real need as Cheslea have always a DoF of sorts for those tasks and he was the one that would authorise their massive purchases they made every season. So its a little disingenuous to say he didn't care just because he felt the club would be run better by getting top professionals to run the club day to day. He was often at their training ground and many of their long term players had a direct line to his ear (for good or the bad).

 

[Lilbaz]

Roman 100% cared. The UK made him persona non grata. First they removed his Russian visa which meant he could no longer visit the country which he got around by taking up Isreali citizenship. Then they made him sell the club, the sale was wasn't by choice.

Regarding involvement, you're not quite right there. He was very involved, but he just installed football people to do the day to day runnings. Marina for example reported directly to him. He would get involved in negotiations occasionally but he had no real need as Cheslea have always a DoF of sorts for those tasks and he was the one that would authorise their massive purchases they made every season. So its a little disingenuous to say he didn't care just because he felt the club would be run better by getting top professionals to run the club day to day. He was often at their training ground and many of their long term players had a direct line to his ear (for good or the bad).

He also doctored their accounts. Which they will be getting charged with shortly. Already got a fine from uefa, seems the prem these days is a bit tougher.

 

[Grays_1890]

He also doctored their accounts. Which they will be getting charged with shortly. Already got a fine from uefa, seems the prem these days is a bit tougher.

Yep, the bloke was a crook, for me if people say "oh yeh but he cared about Chelsea because they won things" or the like, that just makes me think that people are just easily manipulated rather than it being the truth

 

[Bishop]

Yep, the bloke was a crook, for me if people say "oh yeh but he cared about Chelsea because they won things" or the like, that just makes me think that people are just easily manipulated rather than it being the truth

Being a crook and caring are not mutual exclusive. You can be both, as evidenced by Roman.

 

[Grays_1890]

Being a crook and caring are not mutual exclusive. You can be both, as evidenced by Roman.

Its not evidenced though is it? He was a success in football terms as much a consequence of his money and likely, ego wanted to be associated with success.

Research non league and league millionaire crooks like him exact same MO, there is a reason behind it (in Romans case the political power putting money into London brings) and he gets seen to be a winner and builds his profile.

I would argue that palling up to players and allowing them access, because he wanted to be associated with them is a sign that a massive part of it is ego.

Not sure beyond success how you would even quantify him caring, in fact there is alot more evidence to the contrary IMO

 

[Bishop]

Its not evidenced though is it? He was a success in football terms as much a consequence of his money and likely, ego wanted to be associated with success.

Research non league and league millionaire crooks like him exact same MO, there is a reason behind it (in Romans case the political power putting money into London brings) and he gets seen to be a winner and builds his profile.

I would argue that palling up to players and allowing them access, because he wanted to be associated with them is a sign that a massive part of it is ego.

Not sure beyond success how you would even quantify him caring, in fact there is alot more evidence to the contrary IMO

He wasn't an absent owner, he didn't just write a cheque and say spend it. He was involved, he had Marina reporting to him daily, the same with Ermanelo. There are loads of reports of him being involved in signings asking about their profiles etc. Mourinho famously told him not question him when he was trying to sign Drogba. His questions weren't about the cost, they were about where he had played and how many goals he had scored previously. These are not the actions of a man who doesn't care.

We might not like, but we don't need to change reality of his actions and behaviour.

 

[Grays_1890]

He wasn't an absent owner, he didn't just write a cheque and say spend it. He was involved, he had Marina reporting to him daily, the same with Ermanelo. There are loads of reports of him being involved in signings asking about their profiles etc. Mourinho famously told him not question him when he was trying to sign Drogba. His questions weren't about the cost, they were about where he had played and how many goals he had scored previously. These are not the actions of a man who doesn't care.

We might not like, but we don't need to change reality of his actions and behaviour.

I don't think anyone is doing that, I think there is as much evidence to suggest he was protecting his investment and wanted to see success because it was in tune with his personality than actually caring about Chelsea FC. Ruthless or caring? Fine lines. As @Lilbaz says there issues he caused are likely to come back to roost further down the line, is that caring? Not so sure

Could easily be levelled that you are swallowing the success as an all curing remedy for what the man really was, which probably proves more why he done what he done because there are many out there that equally swallow it and more.

"oh he might have been a murderous cnut, but he was a successful one"

PR done

 

[Lilbaz]

I'm sure he did care about chelsea. I'm sure he cares about his art collection too.

 

[Grays_1890]

I'm sure he did care about chelsea. I'm sure he cares about his art collection too.

Exactly or as much the oil companies he owned. At the end of the day Roman did things for Roman, if others benefitted because of it with money or success that was an offshoot of him doing things for him not because he cared in the traditional sense I was bought up on.

Care about his investment, care about his image maybe. Care like you and I care about Spurs or someone cares for something they love? Absolutely not

 

[Lilbaz]

Exactly or as much the oil companies he owned. At the end of the day Roman did things for Roman, if others benefitted because of it with money or success that was an offshoot of him doing things for him not because he cared in the traditional sense I was bought up on.

Care about his investment, care about his image maybe. Care like you and I care about Spurs or someone cares for something they love? Absolutely not

Dunno about that. He is still a human being. Unless he is a psychopath he is capable of love. I know it's the done thing now to dehumanise people and think they are monsters. Especially if they have done some horrible things. But it is a lot more complicated than that. I know people who have killed people. They still love their family. John Massey drinks in my local, britains longest ever serving prisoner. Part of the reason he spent so long inside was because he escaped in order to sit by his mums death bed.

 

[Grays_1890]

Dunno about that. He is still a human being. Unless he is a psychopath he is capable of love. I know it's the done thing now to dehumanise people and think they are monsters. Especially if they have done some horrible things. But it is a lot more complicated than that. I know people who have killed people. They still love their family. John Massey drinks in my local, britains longest ever serving prisoner. Part of the reason he spent so long inside was because he escaped in order to sit by his mums death bed.

Of course, Im not saying he is not capable of love, I am questioning the motivations to buy Chelsea FC and if the progress there was because he truly cared about Chelsea OR was there other primary motivations. Having read alot about his drivers in life and his business dealings I would say the deal to buy into English football (we were looked at lets not forget) was motivated by other factors other than a real level of care or love for Chelsea FC. There is other evidence out there that endorses that view.

Im not saying he can't love or care, but I have pieced together a view on him via readings and interviews that makes me hugely suspect of his business in this country

 

[Lilbaz]

Of course, Im not saying he is not capable of love, I am questioning the motivations to buy Chelsea FC and if the progress there was because he truly cared about Chelsea OR was there other primary motivations. Having read alot about his drivers in life and his business dealings I would say the deal to buy into English football (we were looked at lets not forget) was motivated by other factors other than a real level of care or love for Chelsea FC. There is other evidence out there that endorses that view.

Im not saying he can't love or care, but I have pieced together a view on him via readings and interviews that makes me hugely suspect of his business in this country

Ofcourse. Putin told the oligarchs to go out and buy football clubs. He wanted influence in football in order to get the world cup. Why gasprom started sponsoring teams aswell. Like they needed to advertise. Does that mean he didn't love chelsea? Dunno.

Pretty meaningless anyway.

 

[Grays_1890]

Ofcourse. Putin told the oligarchs to go out and buy football clubs. He wanted influence in football in order to get the world cup. Does that mean he didn't love chelsea? Dunno.

Pretty meaningless anyway.

Meaningless agree, just some views to kill the days between games.

 

[DubSpur]

He wasn't an absent owner, he didn't just write a cheque and say spend it. He was involved, he had Marina reporting to him daily, the same with Ermanelo. There are loads of reports of him being involved in signings asking about their profiles etc. Mourinho famously told him not question him when he was trying to sign Drogba. His questions weren't about the cost, they were about where he had played and how many goals he had scored previously. These are not the actions of a man who doesn't care.

We might not like, but we don't need to change reality of his actions and behaviour.

If he really cared about them he would have looked to secure their long term future and to be sustainable without him. He saddled them with massive loans that are only gone due to circumstances beyond his control. From the outside it looks like he only cared about them as an asset and not as fan cares about a club.

 

[Bishop]

I'm sure he did care about chelsea. I'm sure he cares about his art collection too.

Exactly.

He may have no morals but he cared about his project.