Villa fans want our chairman.

[COYS]

What a poorly written article. Very agreeable, but not the most persuasive of writings.

Anyway, whilst Villa may be the definition of brick and quite laughable, we have also had very good management in recent years (most notably Redknapp) and this has done a lot to get good players in for good prices. However in the last few years we have also had some real brick in our squad which has been consistently covered up by a small number of brilliant, world class players. Every window we have bought at least one brick player, however at least one good player (apart from maybe this January). Is this all down to Levy? No, as it has also been down to the manager. However Levy is an excellent businessman and knows exactly what he's doing. He may have caused a bit of an uproar with the whole Olympic Stadium issue, but then again whilst it may have torn my heart out, it would have been a massive step forward for the club. Nobody's perfect and everything's gonna be controversial, but the point is Levy has steered the club in the right direction in the last 2 or 3 years.

Let's just hope Levy doesn't hand in the transfer request...

 

[parklane1]

It would be a surprise to me if fans of all but four or five clubs in the country wouldn't be thrilled to have a chairman like Levy.

Having said that, half of our fans don't seem to realise how lucky they are to have Levy as our chairman / owner.

This for me as well, he is the best chairman in the Prem and i would not swap him for any other.

 

[Raziel]

But its been a lot easier for us to improve than Arsenal. Whilst we have been flirting with relegation, and at best midtable mediocrity before Levy took over Arsenal have been winning titles and so the only way for them is going to be down. Not taking anything away from us of course, Levy has us consistently at the upper echelons of the league without putting our club at risk in any way....

Not completely sold on that .. the Scum have had the advantage of CL football and higher income (higher wage caps) to keep competing. Fact is, their ambition has seemed to slip from competing for honours to now, making top 4.

 

[Jurgen the German]

It would be a surprise to me if fans of all but four or five clubs in the country wouldn't be thrilled to have a chairman like Levy.

Having said that, half of our fans don't seem to realise how lucky they are to have Levy as our chairman / owner.

Maybe true, but there are a fair few Spurs fans who hype him a bit too much and don't like it when any criticism is levelled at him. I think he's amongst the best chairmen in the league, don't know about the best.

 

[harr1984]

Not completely sold on that .. the Scum have had the advantage of CL football and higher income (higher wage caps) to keep competing. Fact is, their ambition has seemed to slip from competing for honours to now, making top 4.

Exactly, that's the point though they keep making the CL. No team wins the league year after year. The only team who is ALWAYS there or there abouts for the last ten years or so to win the title is Man Utd. It is a lot harder to stay in that top 4 year after year after year like Arsenal have done, than to go from midtable to the 5th best team in the league like we have been consistently (yes we've got a couple of 4th places aswell but not consistently enough yet)....

 

[harr1984]

Maybe true, but there are a fair few Spurs fans who hype him a bit too much and don't like it when any criticism is levelled at him. I think he's amongst the best chairmen in the league, don't know about the best.

I don't think anyone hypes him too much really, most just celebrate where we were when we took over and how he has shrewdly invested and taken us to a level we've not seen for a longggggg time without competing beyond our means. I don't see anyone that doesn't criticise his fondness of last minute deals etc but most appreciate despite his obvious flaws overall he's done a great job. I honestly can't think of any chairman I'd rather have? I wouldn't want Roman A or any of those other tycoon muppets....

 

[parklane1]

Maybe true, but there are a fair few Spurs fans who hype him a bit too much and don't like it when any criticism is levelled at him. I think he's amongst the best chairmen in the league, don't know about the best.

i am not sure that a few fans overhype him at all, our progress since he has been chairman is there for all to see. Has he made mistakes ( probably as everyone does) but i do not know any other chairman in the Prem who have done better in that time.

 

[Jurgen the German]

i am not sure that a few fans overhype him at all, our progress since he has been chairman is there for all to see. Has he made mistakes ( probably as everyone does) but i do not know any other chairman in the Prem who have done better in that time.

Yes, but we've also had the benefit of better players and managers in the last 10 years compared to the early-mid 90s. And Levy is the man who picks the managers so of course. I always say it's a collective effort. I praise him for some of the deals he's done, but there's no way we would have got where we are now without the players like Bale, Berbatov, Keane, Defoe, Carrick, Lennon, Modric, VDV etc.

 

[Rorschach]

The CL is a cash cow and as many have said participation in it is self perpetuating. Arsenal have fallen to the bottom of the CL ladder (of four) but the revenue the CL directly or indirectly generates is easily enough to keep them there or there abouts every season. I guess the CL is worth about 30-40mil in direct revenue but every year you are in adds to your global brand. That's more money from the plastics and the sponsors and GHod knows what.

One myth about Arsenal is that they don't spend much. Bollox. They do spend massive amounts on wages and indeed transfer fees but they have sold the family silverware to offset the spend. Yes they are not what they were but they are still arguably the 4th best team in the league and the CL revenue keeps them there.

The fact that we have got 4th twice really is a testament to the way our club is run. Levy is perfect for us and his methods are not to everyones liking but they have us at the sharp end for a change.

 

[parklane1]

Yes, but we've also had the benefit of better players and managers in the last 10 years compared to the early-mid 90s. And Levy is the man who picks the managers so of course. I always say it's a collective effort. I praise him for some of the deals he's done, but there's no way we would have got where we are now without the players like Bale, Berbatov, Keane, Defoe, Carrick, Lennon, Modric, VDV etc.

i do not understand your point?, of course the players played a big part in our progress, but who was the chairman that enabled us to bring players like those in.

 

[DHSF]

He is a super chairman however even the best have flaws.

Actually that can be leveled against anyone in the entire world.

 

[thfcsteff]

Yes, but we've also had the benefit of better players and managers in the last 10 years compared to the early-mid 90s. And Levy is the man who picks the managers so of course. I always say it's a collective effort. I praise him for some of the deals he's done, but there's no way we would have got where we are now without the players like Bale, Berbatov, Keane, Defoe, Carrick, Lennon, Modric, VDV etc.

Levy was directly responsible for concluding the Bale, Modric and VdV deals. Directly. He was also directly responsible in making sure both Bale and Sandro stayed at the club as opposed to being loaned out/sold-off. Obviously he put up the cash for Berba, Carrick, Keane (twice!), Defoe (twice) and Azza (bargain!), but those first three players were deals he closed himself. As for the better players/managers, again, ask yourself who's responsible?
I think his only weakness is his transfer window dealing, where he certainly gets stuck in 'the game'm a bit too much for my liking at times, and it's cost us a couple of excellent players in his time. But I'll take a weakness for the many many strengths he has, and hope the weakness has been modified!!!

 

[thfcsteff]

Yes, but we've also had the benefit of better players and managers in the last 10 years compared to the early-mid 90s. And Levy is the man who picks the managers so of course. I always say it's a collective effort. I praise him for some of the deals he's done, but there's no way we would have got where we are now without the players like Bale, Berbatov, Keane, Defoe, Carrick, Lennon, Modric, VDV etc.

Levy was directly responsible for concluding the Bale, Modric and VdV deals. Directly. He was also directly responsible in making sure both Bale and Sandro stayed at the club as opposed to being loaned out/sold-off. Obviously he put up the cash for Berba, Carrick, Keane (twice!), Defoe (twice) and Azza (bargain!), but those first three players were deals he closed himself. As for the better players/managers, again, ask yourself who's responsible?
I think his only weakness is his transfer window dealing, where he certainly gets stuck in 'the game'm a bit too much for my liking at times, and it's cost us a couple of excellent players in his time. But I'll take a weakness for the many many strengths he has, and hope the weakness has been modified!!!

 

[JerusalemMan]

If Levy hadn't had to contend with the wild-card of Chelsea and Emirates Marketing Project's financial windfalls/doping courtesy of the oil money then his stewardship would have seen even greater reward.

 

[Superhudd]

Another sign that the EPL is ready to implode. Many fans are seeing and thinking whats the fudging point. Villa fans remind me of us just before we finished in the top 4 and won the Carling cup

And just in time Villa look like they could be on the verge of the League cup final, funnily against the team that killed football. Tottenham fans were duped into thinking football isn't so bad after it beat Chelsea in the final, no doubt the powers that be will be hoping the same happens to Villa fans.

Damn I am a tad cynical about the authenticity of modern day football.

 

[parklane1]

If Levy hadn't had to contend with the wild-card of Chelsea and Emirates Marketing Project's financial windfalls/doping courtesy of the oil money then his stewardship would have seen even greater reward.

A very good point.

 

[SUIYHA]

When ENIC took over we were firmly a mid-table club, hadn't finished in the top 6 for almost a decade and hadn't even finished higher than 10th in the last few years. Campbell aside, there was a major lack of quality in the squad, and with no European football and very little money available compared to a lot of our rivals, this was hardly a good position to be in. In that time, he has had to deal with:

Our captain and only world class player walking out on a free
His Sporting Director appointed to spearhead our revolution being pinched by Chelsea after only one season
A dodgy lasagne screwing us out of Champions League football, causing our star midfielder to want to leave
Our star striker demanding he wanted to leave out of the blue in the final week or so of the transfer window, causing a bad atmosphere in the dressing room and contributing to Jol's sacking
Liverpool and Man Utd tapping up our two star players in the summer of 2008, making them both leave
His highly rated continental managerial appointment not be able to learn English properly and therefore everything imploding
Chelsea outrageously tapping up our best player all summer
Chelsea winning the Champions League to screw us out of our place in the competition and causing our best player to leave
The premature retirement of our captain and star defender through injury
The emergence of the oil rich clubs City and Chelsea, not only making it harder to finish in the top positions of the league but also blowing us out of the water with regards to transfer targets, and inflating player prices and wages for players who aren't even involved with those clubs that are seeking something closer to "market rate" in the negotiations.
The likes of Portsmouth, Villa, West Ham, Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Leeds also throwing huge sums of money around at various points in his time as chairman

To have to deal with all of that, yet to still take a brick, mid-table club playing diabolical, boring football, to qualify for Europe 6 seasons out of 7, including playing in the Champions League, whilst playing some breathtaking football featuring world class players, putting the club back on the map as a well known footballing brand, all without spending any money that we hadn't generated ourselves, is nothing short of remarkable.

There are lots of things in his decade in charge that a lot of us haven't been happy with, be it the handling of the Jol or Redknapp sackings, or the way he drives such a hard bargain in transfer dealings that we always leave everything to the last minute, but I don't see a single chairman in the Premier League who could have overseen such a consistent upturn in fortunes in the time that Levy has been in charge at Spurs.

 

[P.D.]

Income for all but a handful of clubs is still very much reliant on UK based fans. Even a club like Spurs still makes comparatively little out of foreign fans.

As to TV rights, they aren't dependent on a club's fan base at all. In theory, Wigan could earn more from the various Premier League TV deals than Man Utd.

True but there is still pickings to be had abroad.

I mean how much do you think we were paid to appear in that SA tournament. Likewise some of the mini tournaments and friendlies in Asia are worth millions in appearance fees.

Not the best example but I remember reading Real only had to turn up in Korea or wherever play one friendly and it paid for Beckhams entire wages for the season.

 

[markysimmo]

When ENIC took over we were firmly a mid-table club, hadn't finished in the top 6 for almost a decade and hadn't even finished higher than 10th in the last few years. Campbell aside, there was a major lack of quality in the squad, and with no European football and very little money available compared to a lot of our rivals, this was hardly a good position to be in. In that time, he has had to deal with:

Our captain and only world class player walking out on a free
His Sporting Director appointed to spearhead our revolution being pinched by Chelsea after only one season
A dodgy lasagne screwing us out of Champions League football, causing our star midfielder to want to leave
Our star striker demanding he wanted to leave out of the blue in the final week or so of the transfer window, causing a bad atmosphere in the dressing room and contributing to Jol's sacking
Liverpool and Man Utd tapping up our two star players in the summer of 2008, making them both leave
His highly rated continental managerial appointment not be able to learn English properly and therefore everything imploding
Chelsea outrageously tapping up our best player all summer
Chelsea winning the Champions League to screw us out of our place in the competition and causing our best player to leave
The premature retirement of our captain and star defender through injury
The emergence of the oil rich clubs City and Chelsea, not only making it harder to finish in the top positions of the league but also blowing us out of the water with regards to transfer targets, and inflating player prices and wages for players who aren't even involved with those clubs that are seeking something closer to "market rate" in the negotiations.
The likes of Portsmouth, Villa, West Ham, Saudi Sportswashing Machine and Leeds also throwing huge sums of money around at various points in his time as chairman

To have to deal with all of that, yet to still take a brick, mid-table club playing diabolical, boring football, to qualify for Europe 6 seasons out of 7, including playing in the Champions League, whilst playing some breathtaking football featuring world class players, putting the club back on the map as a well known footballing brand, all without spending any money that we hadn't generated ourselves, is nothing short of remarkable.

There are lots of things in his decade in charge that a lot of us haven't been happy with, be it the handling of the Jol or Redknapp sackings, or the way he drives such a hard bargain in transfer dealings that we always leave everything to the last minute, but I don't see a single chairman in the Premier League who could have overseen such a consistent upturn in fortunes in the time that Levy has been in charge at Spurs.

Shows how far weve come and yet people still moan all the time !!!

In Levy we trust

 

[Raziel]

Income for all but a handful of clubs is still very much reliant on UK based fans. Even a club like Spurs still makes comparatively little out of foreign fans.

As to TV rights, they aren't dependent on a club's fan base at all. In theory, Wigan could earn more from the various Premier League TV deals than Man Utd.

Actually no, IIRC there are a couple of clubs where tv rights is close to 50% of total income (and the major growth of that tv rights is from outside UK), Merchandise also significantly contributes (especially outside), although have no figures on what the Spurs split is there.

Wigan could, but won't because more Manu games will get televised (as will more Spurs games than anyone outside "Sky 4")