Daniel Levy - Former Chairman

[thfcsteff]

I'm concerned that ousting Levy when they did was a bad move - not saying one way or the other that the mess we are in primarily lays at his door, but if he was as all controlling/micromanaging as we are led to believe then that leaves a lot of roles & positions to address.

Vinai has not been given an adequate amount of time imv for a proper hand over process - a few months to learn the structure of the club and then to assume the reigns is shoddy planning at the best of times let alone a time when you are in a precarious position on the football pitch and making changes there too.

We've created a situation where almost every level of the club from the top down is in a state of flux - which is no good for anyone.

I think this is absolutely right.
Shambolic really.
When one man has been allowed to dictate operations this long, there is a massive systemic issue. I think in this regard, it seems clear that Joe Lewis and Daniel were the ones who had the close relationship/was allowed to be that way. The moment things got dodgy for Joe Lewis and he was suddenly 'not involved' with 'the kids' coming in, well, the writing was on the wall for Levy.
But I think you're right.

 

[metalgear]

The funny thing is....if we had a manager that was getting results (heck, even if Frank had 8 more points)....the top to bottom analysis of EVERYTHING wouldn't be a discussion

Such thin lines that reflect on a whole organisation..

last transfer window was a disaster
- mgw and eze - due diligence issue
- spent invested too much in U23's talent ... now we play like a U23 squad

 

[SissokoWasGood (BoL)]

The hate was simply a money thing.

If he could say 'yes' to everything.... minimal noise. (Childish innit)

He couldn't, as he was under budget constraints (assumingly from the owners) and we spent what we earned.

Remove all that and he returned with a new owner with money to burn, then yes, it would be ridiculous not to have him running the business side and the football governance/corporate side as his track record, along with gawd knows how many years of experience, stands up against anyone.

I think it’s one thing to be under constraints, which I agree he was. It’s another to think about whether he has mentality to spend proactively / aggressively if he did have that money. On the score I’d say he’s still unproven. We just don’t know. But I think execs in all types of businesses are suited to certain situations. Eg you can be a PE guy or a VC guy or a public guy but they’re different things.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think this is absolutely right.
Shambolic really.
When one man has been allowed to dictate operations this long, there is a massive systemic issue. I think in this regard, it seems clear that Joe Lewis and Daniel were the ones who had the close relationship/was allowed to be that way. The moment things got dodgy for Joe Lewis and he was suddenly 'not involved' with 'the kids' coming in, well, the writing was on the wall for Levy.
But I think you're right.

I think its created a vacuum, for better of worse he had a handle on it. Regardless how we all debate I think he would have sacked Frank now if he felt he made a mistake and moved on, I think that at least would have created a new buzz because fans love a change and a new manager.

The issues now are arising from an ex colleague who works at the club that there are serious cause of concerns on the lack of leadership and strategy in that although ST holders have paid their seats this year and gaps in seats can be accepted, the commercial side on the concourse is suffering, there is also a MASSIVE concern there will be a massive drop in ST uptake next season and the trend now of Cat A general sales going unused is a HUGE issue. Spurs as the new club in this huge commercial monster only works if its full and making money

 

[Gutter Boy]

Blimey, only 5 months since this Nostradamus moment

Tottenham fans will only appreciate me when I am gone, says Daniel Levy

Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chair, said he will be given credit for his tenure when he leaves the club

www.theguardian.com

 

[Bishop]

Blimey, only 5 months since this Nostradamus moment

Tottenham fans will only appreciate me when I am gone, says Daniel Levy

Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chair, said he will be given credit for his tenure when he leaves the club

www.theguardian.com

I don't know how you can miss him when this is his handiwork.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I'm not saying he'd be the one spending the money.....but you'd be very comfortable (astute even) letting him run the stuff he was good at. If that's all business side...so be it. That side is equally as important as the football side, and it's just as important to get it right.

 

[Bishop]

I'm not saying he'd be the one spending the money.....but you'd be very comfortable (astute even) letting him run the stuff he was good at. If that's all business side...so be it. That side is equally as important as the football side, and it's just as important to get it right.

If we were taken over by a rich benefactor we don't particular need's Levy abilities. We have money as it is, our issue is how we spend it. Bringing Levy back doesn't solve that.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I'm not saying he'd be the one spending the money.....but you'd be very comfortable (astute even) letting him run the stuff he was good at. If that's all business side...so be it. That side is equally as important as the football side, and it's just as important to get it right.

Yeh you can't look at the spending increases without a money backer and say with a straight face that the commercial side was not important. How that money is spent is the issue for sure.

Enic won't be here in two years anyway, of that I am certain

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I'm concerned that ousting Levy when they did was a bad move - not saying one way or the other that the mess we are in primarily lays at his door, but if he was as all controlling/micromanaging as we are led to believe then that leaves a lot of roles & positions to address.

Vinai has not been given an adequate amount of time imv for a proper hand over process - a few months to learn the structure of the club and then to assume the reigns is shoddy planning at the best of times let alone a time when you are in a precarious position on the football pitch and making changes there too.

We've created a situation where almost every level of the club from the top down is in a state of flux - which is no good for anyone.

I think this is absolutely right.
Shambolic really.
When one man has been allowed to dictate operations this long, there is a massive systemic issue. I think in this regard, it seems clear that Joe Lewis and Daniel were the ones who had the close relationship/was allowed to be that way. The moment things got dodgy for Joe Lewis and he was suddenly 'not involved' with 'the kids' coming in, well, the writing was on the wall for Levy.
But I think you're right.

I think all of the observations are correct BUT i can't stop myself thinking (once again)...that it's another situation that has fallen into the 5X fast forward time machine. This whole 'new thing' has been going on for barely 6 months? It was a seismic shift for us, a full on sweep out.

I honestly don't know how anyone (that's anyone in a world saturated by opinions) gets anything done these days. The constant noise, scrutiny, it's suffocating

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I think all of the observations are correct BUT i can't stop myself thinking (once again)...that it's another situation that has fallen into the 5X fast forward time machine. This whole 'new thing' has been going on for barely 6 months? It was a seismic shift for us, a full on sweep out.

I honestly don't know how anyone (that's anyone in a world saturated by opinions) gets anything done these days. The constant noise, scrutiny, it's suffocating

They deserve the time to get their structure right and make changes, 25 years to 6 months is, as you say, seismic shift.

The issue for me is where they played up to the "him, him the devil over there" when creating this, everything is wrong because of Levy, well its put them there to be shot at. Talk about the football and money, the investment. Vinai doubling down on the breaking of the ceiling wage wise, they have to deliver now, no choice.

As someone said elsewhere, I suspect some moves outside the football suggest the clubs being moved for a sale still and people fell for the old slight of hand, but we shall see, be happy for them to prove me wrong.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

If we were taken over by a rich benefactor we don't particular need's Levy abilities. We have money as it is, our issue is how we spend it. Bringing Levy back doesn't solve that.

That's exactly what I said. Levy won't be the one spending it.

But there's a whole heap of other things required to run a club, successfully.

 

[parklane1]

I'm not saying he'd be the one spending the money.....but you'd be very comfortable (astute even) letting him run the stuff he was good at. If that's all business side...so be it. That side is equally as important as the football side, and it's just as important to get it right.

Indeed.

 

[thfcsteff]

I think its created a vacuum, for better of worse he had a handle on it. Regardless how we all debate I think he would have sacked Frank now if he felt he made a mistake and moved on, I think that at least would have created a new buzz because fans love a change and a new manager.

The issues now are arising from an ex colleague who works at the club that there are serious cause of concerns on the lack of leadership and strategy in that although ST holders have paid their seats this year and gaps in seats can be accepted, the commercial side on the concourse is suffering, there is also a MASSIVE concern there will be a massive drop in ST uptake next season and the trend now of Cat A general sales going unused is a HUGE issue. Spurs as the new club in this huge commercial monster only works if its full and making money

He always protected himself and heat on the board. You're absolutely right. He was decisive.

 

[thfcsteff]

I think all of the observations are correct BUT i can't stop myself thinking (once again)...that it's another situation that has fallen into the 5X fast forward time machine. This whole 'new thing' has been going on for barely 6 months? It was a seismic shift for us, a full on sweep out.

I honestly don't know how anyone (that's anyone in a world saturated by opinions) gets anything done these days. The constant noise, scrutiny, it's suffocating

Agreed, and unfortunately that is part of the remit. I am with you on the appalling nature of how the world works these days (I have my own specific methods of operation to avoid getting sucked in as much as possible) however the single biggest miscalculation any manager can make is the principle of time. I think Frank was sucked into the perfect storm of issues, incuding the entire board shifting around him and the boss who co-sponsored him going, a club suddenly realizing they've lived under a micro-managed semi-dictatorship for so long that no-one knows who the fudge takes charge of big issues, and him not having done his duest of diligences when coming in. It is easy to feel sorry for him, it really is. Equally, he is not going to change anything here, and in fact I feel it could get much worse if he is allowed to remain beyond Monday or Tuesday.

 

[Bishop]

That's exactly what I said. Levy won't be the one spending it.

But there's a whole heap of other things required to run a club, successfully.

Levy's expertise was at extracting every last penny in whichever operation he did. If we are taken over by some sort of sugar daddy or operation that has extreme financial means (and at £4B that is very likely) and where withal to spend it then those penny extracting strengths are not really necessary. Instead we would need a bold and strident leader who knows how to build a squad prudently. Essentially you're looking more at a Michael Edwards then you are Levy. Add that whomever is taking over would likely be someone who is already financially savvy, so Levy's strengths again are a little bit unneeded.

If we are instead bought by another penny pincher, then yes maybe Levy could live to fight another day.