Daniel Levy - Chairman

[Raziel]

Levy and ENIC have made good and bad decisions to get us to this stage and people have made already lots of good points and i can see both sides.

However, from a football perspective we are now in a dreadful position with an ageing underperforming squad, no manager, possible European Super League sanctions to come and a huge covid and stadium related debt.

Poor long term football performance will undoubtedly damage the balance sheet and the one thing about this situation that brings a smile to my face is hoping that Levy can't sleep due to worrying about the immense problems the club, or should i say COMPANY, now faces..

Or maybe he just doesnt give a toss....

COYS.

- Aging squad? -> Lloris, Reguilon, PEH, Dier, Winks, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Bergwijn, Lucas, Lamela, Son, Kane could all play a minimum of another 3-4 years at this level. Add Skipp, Sessegnon, Rodon, Tanganga, that's over 16 players with only Lloris needed planning for (refresh is another story)
- Debt - Covid related = at worst - same as everyone else, Stadium debt = low interest, long term debt actually puts us in a better position than anyone else bar Scum & City (Pool, Chelsea, United, Everton all need to start their stadium updates)
- ESL sanctions -> never happen, if it was Spurs only = sure, but Pool, United, Real, Barca are FA/UEFA/Sponsor darlings, secondly if FA/UEFA tried to, the clubs would go to court and the ruling would most likely be it's illegal for either FA/UEFA to actively try to block formation of a new competition and that would pave the way for future attempts (vs. leave it ambiguous)
- Balance sheet, Spurs has had the highest % increase in revenue vs. any other club in PL for last decade, add in the short running time of stadium at capacity generated highest matchday revenue in the league, we have no long term money worries, this is just short term mitigations.
- Manager, we fired one, we will hire one, that's how this works ..

Levy/ENICs only real recent misstep was Jose, it was a gamble, it didn't work, they have to eat that.

 

[Finney Is Back]

ENIC does not want to sell, never have, here's why

- Stadium was too expensive, they could have built it for half the price with no substantial difference to sale price
- They could have sold at peak times, stadium approval, first CL qualification, after CL finals, list goes on, too many times it would have been at most attractive that we didn't opt to sell
- It's just been too long, 20 years ..

Your second part is where the interesting options are

- either a joint investment from a current NFL franchise
- ENIC opt into a NFL franchise and own both

The stadium was built with NFL in mind, everything from the pitch to changing rooms, to me one of the above is just timing.

For what it is worth, a joint PL/NFL club would instantly create stupid amounts of revenue.

I would be very worried about buying into American Football.... I think mass class actions over there regarding concussions are likely to commence in the next few years. Additionally the proper version of football is becoming a bigger and bigger game over there, more and more schools are playing it (due to it being hugely less dangerous than American football). I'm sure I read somewhere that the youngsters in the US are now becoming much more interested in 'soccer' than gridiron. It is no surprise to see owners of NFL franchises buying into English football clubs, I think they appreciate this is the global game and are therefore looking to hedge their bets with ownership of the most watched global sporting league.

 

[NLS]

I admire your optimism but disagree...

 

[Raziel]

I would be very worried about buying into American Football.... I think mass class actions over there regarding concussions are likely to commence in the next few years. Additionally the proper version of football is becoming a bigger and bigger game over there, more and more schools are playing it (due to it being hugely less dangerous than American football). I'm sure I read somewhere that the youngsters in the US are now becoming much more interested in 'soccer' than gridiron. It is no surprise to see owners of NFL franchises buying into English football clubs, I think they appreciate this is the global game and are therefore looking to hedge their bets with ownership of the most watched global sporting league.

"Soccer" has been more popular at school level in the US for a long time vs. the other big three. Money is still the issue, as a school athlete in the US when you get to the choose you career sport, the traditional American sports still pay way better, follow the money.

The reason American sports owners are buying into PL is the upside, NFL is a cash cow but it's global appeal still remains limited, keep the cash cow, buy into to the growth option and have the best of both worlds.

 

[Raziel]

I admire your optimism but disagree...

We have been here before mate .. just another item in the long list of "we blew it/we will never recover/we will never get another shot"

- Heard it when we sold Carrick, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, etc.
- Heard it when we fired Jol, Harry, AVB, Poch
- Heard when we missed out on Europa, CL (multiple times), etc.

It's the nature of supporters, despite the reactions we are a very well run business and that's (like it or hate it) what keeps us relevant

 

[Danishfurniturelover]

We have been here before mate .. just another item in the long list of "we blew it/we will never recover/we will never get another shot"

- Heard it when we sold Carrick, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, etc.
- Heard it when we fired Jol, Harry, AVB, Poch
- Heard when we missed out on Europa, CL (multiple times), etc.

It's the nature of supporters, despite the reactions we are a very well run business and that's (like it or hate it) what keeps us relevant

I tend to agree with the gist of this.

But strongly believe Levy needs to keep away from transfers and appoint a director of football.

He also needs to remove his office from the training ground.

 

[Finney Is Back]

We have been here before mate .. just another item in the long list of "we blew it/we will never recover/we will never get another shot"

- Heard it when we sold Carrick, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, etc.
- Heard it when we fired Jol, Harry, AVB, Poch
- Heard when we missed out on Europa, CL (multiple times), etc.

It's the nature of supporters, despite the reactions we are a very well run business and that's (like it or hate it) what keeps us relevant

You heard that we'd blown it when we fired AVB?.... Who from?... AVB himself?!? (can't think of any other sane person who would think we could be anything other than MUCH better off in firing him).

 

[Baleforce]

You heard that we'd blown it when we fired AVB?.... Who from?... AVB himself?!? (can't think of anyone else who would think we could be anything other than MUCH better off in firing him).

wotcha

 

[Finney Is Back]

wotcha

Ah yes.... Apologies Baleforce... I have now fixed my previous post.

 

[Baleforce]

Ah yes.... Apologies Baleforce... I have now fixed my previous post.

 

[parklane1]

We have been here before mate .. just another item in the long list of "we blew it/we will never recover/we will never get another shot"

- Heard it when we sold Carrick, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, etc.
- Heard it when we fired Jol, Harry, AVB, Poch
- Heard when we missed out on Europa, CL (multiple times), etc.

It's the nature of supporters, despite the reactions we are a very well run business and that's (like it or hate it) what keeps us relevant

Would agree with all of that, i would also add that Covid has really hit everyone hard but if it had not happened our club would have pushed on a lot from the extra income we would have made this last season. And in a MUCH better position to to replace the deadwood we have in our squad this summer.

 

[thfcsteff]

Not sure how you say evidence suggests Levy is interfering with say the manager and scouting teams work, but then don't actually have any evidence of it.

The stories have been told many times mate. We need a DoF to close deals and shift players. We sign players like Sess and Clarke as they are viewed to be young English talent/investments as much as anything. That edict comes from above.

 

[SpurMeUp]

The stories have been told many times mate. We need a DoF to close deals and shift players. We sign players like Sess and Clarke as they are viewed to be young English talent/investments as much as anything. That edict comes from above.

So signing Sessengon and Clarke is evidence that Levy doesn't allow the footballing men to do their jobs? And we shouldn't be singing bright English talents?

 

[glorygloryeze]

So signing Sessengon and Clarke is evidence that Levy doesn't allow the footballing men to do their jobs? And we shouldn't be singing bright English talents?

I think what @thfcsteff is trying to say is that we (i.e. Levy/ENIC) are very quick off the mark with signing investment/for the future players who can bring us profit if they do well and/or arte low risk punts if they dob't but are less 'savvy' when it comes to recruiting players to push us onwards and upwards for the here and now.

As an example: Clarke was not a signing Pochettino wanted, yet he was the very first signing the club made after the period of zero signings over 18 months (including the infamous summer 2018 no-transfer window which we are still paying for imo).

 

[DeanoAustin]

We have been here before mate .. just another item in the long list of "we blew it/we will never recover/we will never get another shot"

- Heard it when we sold Carrick, Modric, Bale, Berbatov, etc.
- Heard it when we fired Jol, Harry, AVB, Poch
- Heard when we missed out on Europa, CL (multiple times), etc.

It's the nature of supporters, despite the reactions we are a very well run business and that's (like it or hate it) what keeps us relevant

Couple of top posts from you there. Fair play.

I hear from people all the time that "We are 5 years away from...". Not just spurs fans, it's every club. You're never as far away as you think. 2-3 really good players, a suitable manager and we're right back in the mix for top 4 or better.

 

[DubSpur]

I think what @thfcsteff is trying to say is that we (i.e. Levy/ENIC) are very quick off the mark with signing investment/for the future players who can bring us profit if they do well and/or arte low risk punts if they dob't but are less 'savvy' when it comes to recruiting players to push us onwards and upwards for the here and now.

As an example: Clarke was not a signing Pochettino wanted, yet he was the very first signing the club made after the period of zero signings over 18 months (including the infamous summer 2018 no-transfer window which we are still paying for imo).

We'll still be paying for that infamous summer in 10 years time according to some, plus blaming Levy despite plenty of ex-Spurs players have stated that Poch was offered plenty of players but turned them down. But that doesn't fit the narrative...

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I think what @thfcsteff is trying to say is that we (i.e. Levy/ENIC) are very quick off the mark with signing investment/for the future players who can bring us profit if they do well and/or arte low risk punts if they dob't but are less 'savvy' when it comes to recruiting players to push us onwards and upwards for the here and now.

As an example: Clarke was not a signing Pochettino wanted, yet he was the very first signing the club made after the period of zero signings over 18 months (including the infamous summer 2018 no-transfer window which we are still paying for imo).

What was Lo Celso and Ndombele?
Very expensive players brought at a premium price
I think people still want to judge on the spend before the ground not after too much

 

[thfcsteff]

I think what @thfcsteff is trying to say is that we (i.e. Levy/ENIC) are very quick off the mark with signing investment/for the future players who can bring us profit if they do well and/or arte low risk punts if they dob't but are less 'savvy' when it comes to recruiting players to push us onwards and upwards for the here and now.

As an example: Clarke was not a signing Pochettino wanted, yet he was the very first signing the club made after the period of zero signings over 18 months (including the infamous summer 2018 no-transfer window which we are still paying for imo).

Thanks mate.
I lose the will to explain sometimes...

 

[glorygloryeze]

We'll still be paying for that infamous summer in 10 years time according to some, plus blaming Levy despite plenty of ex-Spurs players have stated that Poch was offered plenty of players but turned them down. But that doesn't fit the narrative...

One summer doesn't explain a body of work covering 10-15 years (and that goes both ways btw)

 

[thfcsteff]

We'll still be paying for that infamous summer in 10 years time according to some, plus blaming Levy despite plenty of ex-Spurs players have stated that Poch was offered plenty of players but turned them down. But that doesn't fit the narrative...

Narrative/non-narrative, as is. No-one has ever said Poch didn't turn players down, but WHO did he turn down? Was it another Njie? Another Nkoudou? The comment lacks any context.

What is crystal clear to me, is that the work he did was so utterly beyond the realm of reality that it will never be fully appreciated.

Levy did amazing work delivering the stadium.
He is not a "player" man.
He needs a DoF and his attempts to work as one in the committee set up have simply not
worked very well.