What is the worst ever decision taken by Daniel Levy as the Spurs chairman ?

[Pirate55]

There is every possibility that Levy asked questions AVB did not have sufficient answers to.

I think this is entirely plausible.

 

[braineclipse]

I don't think Ade and Lamela were particular problems. Lamela was being eased in slowly and he didn't want Ade here. He wanted a squad with a certain personality type and Ade didn't fit it. We tried to sell him and Ade decided he didn't want to go. I wouldn't be surprised if there was something going on behind the scenes with regards to that Emirates Marketing Project game with Ade, but I think we should back the manager. Liverpool backed Rodgers over Andy Carroll despite him being a record signing and that selling him would see a considerable loss.

I just believe we were on the right track with AVB, and the traits we were exhibiting as a club and a team were what we needed to exhibit to get to where we want to be. I thought we were on the right track. I can never prove we would have gotten to where we want to go with AVB, but I was sure we were going to get there personally.

I get easing Lamela in slowly. How does that vibe with starting him away to City? That's the weirdest combination of easing someone in slowly and throwing them in at the deep end I can think of. Surely easing him in slowly would have meant playing him against a smaller team, perhaps at home before starting him away to one of the best home teams in Europe right now?

Sure. Back the manager. But why then the City cameo from Ade? What could be going on behind the scenes with regards to Emirates Marketing Project, I'm not getting what you're trying to suggest here...

There were signs of improvement, but there were also clear signs of the improvements we had already seen falling apart. All of a sudden our air tight defence kept shipping easy goals, all of a sudden our impressive pressing was useless. Combined with continued problems with creating chances I don't really see a clear upwards trend deserving of the extraordinary strong belief you have that he would eventually succeed. Especially when combined with him being in conflicts with a large number of our other backroom staff (see the Stobart article for some examples)

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/12/17/4484755/the-rows-fallouts-that-cost-villas-boas-his-job-as-tottenham

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I get easing Lamela in slowly. How does that vibe with starting him away to City? That's the weirdest combination of easing someone in slowly and throwing them in at the deep end I can think of. Surely easing him in slowly would have meant playing him against a smaller team, perhaps at home before starting him away to one of the best home teams in Europe right now?

Sure. Back the manager. But why then the City cameo from Ade? What could be going on behind the scenes with regards to Emirates Marketing Project, I'm not getting what you're trying to suggest here...

There were signs of improvement, but there were also clear signs of the improvements we had already seen falling apart. All of a sudden our air tight defence kept shipping easy goals, all of a sudden our impressive pressing was useless. Combined with continued problems with creating chances I don't really see a clear upwards trend deserving of the extraordinary strong belief you have that he would eventually succeed. Especially when combined with him being in conflicts with a large number of our other backroom staff (see the Stobart article for some examples)

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2013/12/17/4484755/the-rows-fallouts-that-cost-villas-boas-his-job-as-tottenham

I don't know why he decided to play Lamela in that game. I have no idea. But I think he trusts players regardless of the opposition, and in the same way he gave Lloris a go in the match against Arsenal last when when to that point Brad had been number 1, maybe he thought the surprise element against a big team would give us an advantage.

The City cameo from Ade I have absolutely no idea, but it's clear AVB didn't want him at the club. Probable pressure from the board to play someone that is costing them 100k a week? I have no idea.

I don't think showing good signs, followed by bad signs, means we were inevitably on the way down. I think it was understandable inconsistency with a raft of new young foreigners settling in. Not saying massive losses are acceptable, but I completely think we would have bounced back from Liverpool just like we did from West Ham and just like we did from City, and we would have been on a more upward looking curve following the initial 6 month settling in period.

 

[Sheffield Spur]

Sanctioning the purchase of Rasiak. And a shedload of others. Dean Richards. Ruel Fox. Rebrov. Paolo Tramezzani....... aaaaagggghhhh!!!!!!
Hiring Ramos.
Hiring Redknapp.
Hiring Santini.
Hiring Hoddle.
Using the D of F system.
Treating BMJ like dogzhyte.
Ditto AVB.
Not backing AVB with the players he wanted..... if true.
Not giving BMJ more funds for big transfers.
Allowing Sherwood to such a level of importance.
Allowing Pleat to such a level of importance.


and

taking eons over the new ground.

Hows that for starters?

 

[SUIYHA]

Sanctioning the purchase of Rasiak. And a shedload of others. Dean Richards. Ruel Fox. Rebrov. Paolo Tramezzani.......

Most of those were signed by Sugar

 

[BrainOfLevy]

You originally said words to the effect of 'we'd have got here without Levy, just by spending the cash', didn't you?

IMO this is untrue, and Sugar proves it.

Ok, we would have got there sooner with someone who has a base level of competence in football matters. I no longer believe Levy has that ability.

 

[Parklaner81]

Ok, we would have got there sooner with someone who has a base level of competence in football matters. I no longer believe Levy has that ability.

We also might've gone the way of Leeds, had we had a less financially prudent owner. We'll never know. My personal opinion is that it's unfair and too simplistic to blame Levy for all our ills.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

We also might've gone the way of Leeds, had we had a less financially prudent owner. We'll never know. My personal opinion is that it's unfair and too simplistic to blame Levy for all our ills.

Leeds are an extreme example of being rubbish with finances though, in the same way you are saying it's extreme to blame Levy for everything.

All I'm saying is I no longer think of Levy in the same way. I used to defend him for everything but not any more. For the money we have spent, I'm pretty sure we would gotten the same progress and perhaps could have gotten more in a similar time frame without Levy and with someone that made better decisions and planned better for the long term.

 

[Hully]

We won't ever know, but I think he would have been more likely to. Plus, we've written off this season.

Have we?

A new manager with a bit of quality will be able to get this lot playing football very quickly and turn around this season that had run aground until AVB.
The target is still top 4.
Exciting times.

I'd argue Levy has put right what he got wrong in appointing AVB in the first place.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Have we?

A new manager with a bit of quality will be able to get this lot playing football very quickly and turn around this season that had run aground until AVB.
The target is still top 4.
Exciting times.

I'd argue Levy has put right what he got wrong in appointing AVB in the first place.

If it happens, no-one will be happier and more willing to quickly admit they were wrong than me. My opinion and feeling is that it probably won't.

 

[Pirate55]

If it happens, no-one will be happier and more willing to quickly admit they were wrong than me. My opinion and feeling is that it probably won't.

And others had equally strong opinions and beliefs that we wouldn't get there with AVB. And in the meantime we would be condemned to turgid football.

I would be interested to hear your defence of AVB following the revelations in the Goal article by Greg Stobbard which was posted by BE in the Fair Play to Levy thread.

 

[Parklaner81]

Leeds are an extreme example of being rubbish with finances though, in the same way you are saying it's extreme to blame Levy for everything.

All I'm saying is I no longer think of Levy in the same way. I used to defend him for everything but not any more. For the money we have spent, I'm pretty sure we would gotten the same progress and perhaps could have gotten more in a similar time frame without Levy and with someone that made better decisions and planned better for the long term.

But who is there in football who you can point to as an example of this? Certainly it hasn't happened at clubs such as Everton, Saudi Sportswashing Machine or Aston Villa, who you might arguably class as being around 'our level'. Looking above us (at least on present criteria), City & Chelsea certainly aren't where they are as a result of good long-term decision making. There's United and Arsenal, but we (along with the rest of the football league) have learnt from experience how difficult it is to try & replicate their models of stability.....

I just think you're being too harsh. I'm not saying that isn't understandable - I bitterly disagreed with Levy over the Jol sacking. But looking at the bigger picture I still believe Levy is better than the vast majority of alternatives that we could've had.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

And others had equally strong opinions and beliefs that we wouldn't get there with AVB. And in the meantime we would be condemned to turgid football.

I would be interested to hear your defence of AVB following the revelations in the Goal article by Greg Stobbard which was posted by BE in the Fair Play to Levy thread.

Will head there now...

 

[BrainOfLevy]

But who is there in football who you can point to as an example of this? Certainly it hasn't happened at clubs such as Everton, Saudi Sportswashing Machine or Aston Villa, who you might arguably class as being around 'our level'. Looking above us (at least on present criteria), City & Chelsea certainly aren't where they are as a result of good long-term decision making. There's United and Arsenal, but we (along with the rest of the football league) have learnt from experience how difficult it is to try & replicate their models of stability.....

I just think you're being too harsh. I'm not saying that isn't understandable - I bitterly disagreed with Levy over the Jol sacking. But looking at the bigger picture I still believe Levy is better than the vast majority of alternatives that we could've had.

Chelsea and City are there because they can chuck money at the situation, I'm saying we are where we are because relative to our position in the pyramid, we have done the same.

I am being too harsh. But I always remember having conversations with fans of other clubs who would say 'where the hell did Spurs get that money from?'. I think in our first full season under Jol we were the 5th biggest spenders certainly. Then Berbatov came, then Bale, Bent, Kaboul, KPB. We were operating on a higher level to most other clubs.

What I will say is we have sustained it for longer than say Villa and Saudi Sportswashing Machine, who dallied spending money for a few years and then fell down pretty drastically, so for that Levy definitely deserves credit.

I must admit I'm just acting like a stroppy teenager who's just broken up with his girlfriend because AVB has gone, but it's definitely made me look at Levy in a different light. He has done some good things, but it proper annoys me how he claims to want to establish long term consistency but doesn't give anyone the chance to achieve it.

 

[braineclipse]

Chelsea and City are there because they can chuck money at the situation, I'm saying we are where we are because relative to our position in the pyramid, we have done the same.

I am being too harsh. But I always remember having conversations with fans of other clubs who would say 'where the hell did Spurs get that money from?'. I think in our first full season under Jol we were the 5th biggest spenders certainly. Then Berbatov came, then Bale, Bent, Kaboul, KPB. We were operating on a higher level to most other clubs.

What I will say is we have sustained it for longer than say Villa and Saudi Sportswashing Machine, who dallied spending money for a few years and then fell down pretty drastically, so for that Levy definitely deserves credit.

I must admit I'm just acting like a stroppy teenager who's just broken up with his girlfriend because AVB has gone, but it's definitely made me look at Levy in a different light. He has done some good things, but it proper annoys me how he claims to want to establish long term consistency but doesn't give anyone the chance to achieve it.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/apr/18/premier-league-club-accounts-debt

6th highest turnover seems about correct.

So we should "by right" be oscillating around that 6th spot. Perhaps as likely to finish 8th as 4th? Of course that wasn't where we were when Levy took over, but after some time to rebuild and get things right I think we've been performing better than par for the course.

You should have course argue that before City got money we "should have been" 5th and I think that would be a fair point, although I haven't checked the turnovers at that time. Would be interesting to see turnovers for the various clubs by season historically.

 

[Jordinho]

Were it not for City and Chelsea we'd be fighting it out with Liverpool for 3rd.

 

[parklane1]

Sacking AVB without a doubt.

 

[braineclipse]

Were it not for City and Chelsea we'd be fighting it out with Liverpool for 3rd.

With our stadium well underway or finished thanks to regular CL money. With Berba, Modric and Bale still here.

 

[billyiddo]

This this and this.

In fact, IMO if we had brought in a top striker in any of the last THREE jan windows, we would have deffo secured CL and would be talking a whole new ball game.

I think two windows running under Redknapp Levy offered him strikers? Suarez whilst at Ajax springs to mind and wasn't he out in Spain in the other one with a loaded wallet seemingly eager to spend?

I genuinely think it was the right call in 11/12 - the manager was possibly leaving at the end of the season, we already had a lead which should have been more than enough to see us through - money on a forward which had no long term plan for the club would have been seen as money down the drain. Sure a signing then could have seen us over the line BUT it shouldn't have needed to come to that. In that position a manager shouldn't need new signings to bail him out.



Can't see poll on phone - my vote goes to not sellung Berbatov sooner, meaning we spent the season with Frazier Campbell

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Re berbs: But there was only 20m on the table up until deadline day, when that sum increased by 10m, similar to the fellaini saga.

Had we sold for 20m a week or 2 before the window closed I for one would have been seriously ****ed, as would 99% of the fanbase. It's ok in hindsight, but at the time..

He should have had a replacement lined up just in case utd did stump up though but we didn't.