What will Daniel Levy's End of Season Open Letter say??

[BrainOfLevy]

Hello,

Here are the league positions we finished in the 10 years before I took over, going backwards from 2001 to 1991:

12th
10th
11th
14th
10th
8th
7th
15th
8th
15th
11th

And the 10 years since:

9th
10th
14th
9th
5th
5th
11th
8th
4th
5th
4th
5th

Apart from the period of 1957 - 1963 (our golden era) and 1984 - 1989 (our other golden era), the last few years in the league are just about as successful a period as the club has had in 100 years. Looking back at the past and pining for glory days that didn't exist is kinda silly. We're doing ok.


Regards,
Dan

I guess from that you're saying that because we had someone even more clueless than Levy running the club before he did, he's pretty much immune from criticism?

Levy is great with the finances, I will give him that. He's leveraged our brand to the point where we can spend good money bringing in good players, and deserve to probably b 5th each season, and we get it. That's good, and much better than what we got during the Sugar years.

And if Levy said that his objective for the club was to have as punch at par, then he will have done a terrific job. But my problem is he acts in a way that suggests he thinks we should be challenging for the title, and is utterly clueless about how to make the club take that next step. I'm not saying it would be easy, or even that we deserve it. It would take a bit of luck, a lot of good planning, a lot of correct signings and good coaching bringing the best out of them. So if Levy said at the end of the each season, 'listen guys, we probably have the 6th best budget and we are finishing 5th most times. Top 4 are on a different level to us and we can't realistically expect to get there unless they have an awful season themselves. Let's be content that we are on a stable footing and well equipped to qualify for Europe every season, which was a pipe dream before I took over'. If he said that, fine. I'd get it. Some people would be annoyed at his lack of ambition, but I would understand and I think most rational people would too.

But the way he acts, by sacking managers after giving them 100M worth of players and selling the best player, and replacing him with a man that has admitted he wouldn't have brought in half the players we signed and can't count on some of them, despite sitting on the transfer commitee that is supposed to ensure stability, it's ****ing mental. He tries to shoot above his station too much, and he ends up doing more harm than good every time. It first happened with the Ramos experiment, and it's happening again now. We had a monumental opportunity to really establish a base for ourselves to progress this season, and we monumentally screwed it up. I cannot believe how badly the club played it.

I don't think we will ever get to where Levy wants to get us with Levy in charge. He simply doesn't know how to get us there. His expertise was getting us punching at our weight, and wringing out every bit of potential that allowed us to get to that position. He isn't a guy that's going to help us overachieve. Maybe there is not a chairman that could. But it doesn't have to be a sugar daddy. FSG have shown a relatively small amount of patience with Rodgers after a 7th placed finish and they got rewarded for it. They've shown that you can overachieve with a system and some stability, and keeping your best players.

I don't mind Levy if the goal is to finish 5th every year. If we want that sort of stability, I think he'll deliver it more often than not. But the way he acts like 5th isn't good enough and makes maniacal decisions in the hope of improving upon our level makes us a ****ing laughing stock to the football world. It's an embarrassment, the other clubs probably laugh at how much he has ideas above his station and always falls short.

 

[Robbo]

something about wanting to keep Jan and Hugo but it became clear they were not committed to the future of the club. Therefore, we reluctantly agreed to sell them but made a fat profit.... after all, that is what it is all about

Aaaaaand we have a winner.

Only this letter will be delayed until September 1st, and also contain a few sentences about how we tried hard to get top quality replacements, ran out of time and resigned Paul Robinson and Gary Doherty instead.

 

[bennysleftfoot]

Aaaaaand we have a winner.

Only this letter will be delayed until September 1st,

To coincide with our new home kit release?

 

[indianspur]

whatever he writes will never contain the words "im sorry"

 

[chancer]

I guess from that you're saying that because we had someone even more clueless than Levy running the club before he did, he's pretty much immune from criticism?

Levy is great with the finances, I will give him that. He's leveraged our brand to the point where we can spend good money bringing in good players, and deserve to probably b 5th each season, and we get it. That's good, and much better than what we got during the Sugar years.

And if Levy said that his objective for the club was to have as punch at par, then he will have done a terrific job. But my problem is he acts in a way that suggests he thinks we should be challenging for the title, and is utterly clueless about how to make the club take that next step. I'm not saying it would be easy, or even that we deserve it. It would take a bit of luck, a lot of good planning, a lot of correct signings and good coaching bringing the best out of them. So if Levy said at the end of the each season, 'listen guys, we probably have the 6th best budget and we are finishing 5th most times. Top 4 are on a different level to us and we can't realistically expect to get there unless they have an awful season themselves. Let's be content that we are on a stable footing and well equipped to qualify for Europe every season, which was a pipe dream before I took over'. If he said that, fine. I'd get it. Some people would be annoyed at his lack of ambition, but I would understand and I think most rational people would too.

But the way he acts, by sacking managers after giving them 100M worth of players and selling the best player, and replacing him with a man that has admitted he wouldn't have brought in half the players we signed and can't count on some of them, despite sitting on the transfer commitee that is supposed to ensure stability, it's ****ing mental. He tries to shoot above his station too much, and he ends up doing more harm than good every time. It first happened with the Ramos experiment, and it's happening again now. We had a monumental opportunity to really establish a base for ourselves to progress this season, and we monumentally screwed it up. I cannot believe how badly the club played it.

I don't think we will ever get to where Levy wants to get us with Levy in charge. He simply doesn't know how to get us there. His expertise was getting us punching at our weight, and wringing out every bit of potential that allowed us to get to that position. He isn't a guy that's going to help us overachieve. Maybe there is not a chairman that could. But it doesn't have to be a sugar daddy. FSG have shown a relatively small amount of patience with Rodgers after a 7th placed finish and they got rewarded for it. They've shown that you can overachieve with a system and some stability, and keeping your best players.

I don't mind Levy if the goal is to finish 5th every year. If we want that sort of stability, I think he'll deliver it more often than not. But the way he acts like 5th isn't good enough and makes maniacal decisions in the hope of improving upon our level makes us a ****ing laughing stock to the football world. It's an embarrassment, the other clubs probably laugh at how much he has ideas above his station and always falls short.

I agree about the fukk-ups...the season after our CL run was hideously mishandled, and in hindsight the AVB appointment was the wrong one. But everyone makes mistakes. I note on TopSpurs that during our Golden Era our league positions went like this:

1962/1963 Runners-Up
1961/1962 3rd
1960/1961 Champions
1959/1960 3rd
1958/1959 18th
1957/1958 3rd
1956/1957 Runners-Up
http://www.topspurs.com/thfc-league-history.htm

Look at 1958/1959! I really must read up on that season to find out what happened there, because in the middle of our most glorious era we almost got relegated! Really weird, but anyway it shows you do sometimes have bad seasons and make mistakes. It needn't be terminal. (I see that in that season we drew 4-4 at home against Portsmouth, who got relegated in last place that season. Who says Comedy Tottenham is a new phenom? We also lost 7-2 to the Gooners on aggregate).

If we are talking about a mantra of "stability" then it is illogical to conclude that a leadership that raises our average league position by about 5 places consistently over several years can't improve it further. Instead, logic says that this is precisely the kind of incremental progress/stability you need to break into the Top 3. 1958/9 shows that progress isn't always in a straight line.

 

[camspur]

I agree about the fukk-ups...the season after our CL run was hideously mishandled, and in hindsight the AVB appointment was the wrong one. But everyone makes mistakes. I note on TopSpurs that during our Golden Era our league positions went like this:

1962/1963 Runners-Up
1961/1962 3rd
1960/1961 Champions
1959/1960 3rd
1958/1959 18th
1957/1958 3rd
1956/1957 Runners-Up
http://www.topspurs.com/thfc-league-history.htm

Look at 1958/1959! I really must read up on that season to find out what happened there, because in the middle of our most glorious era we almost got relegated! Really weird, but anyway it shows you do sometimes have bad seasons and make mistakes. It needn't be terminal. (I see that in that season we drew 4-4 at home against Portsmouth, who got relegated in last place that season. Who says Comedy Tottenham is a new phenom? We also lost 7-2 to the Gooners on aggregate).

If we are talking about a mantra of "stability" then it is illogical to conclude that a leadership that raises our average league position by about 5 places consistently over several years can't improve it further. Instead, logic says that this is precisely the kind of incremental progress/stability you need to break into the Top 3. 1958/9 shows that progress isn't always in a straight line.

Yep, we're currently being eclipsed by a side who in the last 8 seasons have finished (going backwards in time) 7th , 8th , 6th , 7th, 2nd, 4th, 3rd, 3rd.

 

[paxtonwolf]

Thanks for renewing, you fans are the best in the country. Thanks you for all your support. See you all in August

 

[mudshark]

...oh, and by the way, the renewal deadline's Monday.

 

[AdamB]

Don't know what I was thinking this season, my bad. Here have Louis Van Gaal to make up for it

Would be ideal

 

[Superhudd]

It takes a man to own up to there failures. He will be ignoring all the fcuk ups and gushing about his sainsburys and college with the new stadium maybe in the next 10 years, whilst lauding the next in line to his airport style conveyor belt manager, also bigging up the DOF role and what Ballsupdini has accomplished.

 

[Libero]

A sentiment of it being a trying year for all concerned, hoping to do better next season.......have a safe and peaceful summer and look forward to seeing you at the Lane in August would be my bet.

 

[Gutter Boy]

I agree about the fukk-ups...the season after our CL run was hideously mishandled, and in hindsight the AVB appointment was the wrong one. But everyone makes mistakes. I note on TopSpurs that during our Golden Era our league positions went like this:

1962/1963 Runners-Up
1961/1962 3rd
1960/1961 Champions
1959/1960 3rd
1958/1959 18th
1957/1958 3rd
1956/1957 Runners-Up
http://www.topspurs.com/thfc-league-history.htm

Look at 1958/1959! I really must read up on that season to find out what happened there, because in the middle of our most glorious era we almost got relegated! Really weird, but anyway it shows you do sometimes have bad seasons and make mistakes. It needn't be terminal. (I see that in that season we drew 4-4 at home against Portsmouth, who got relegated in last place that season. Who says Comedy Tottenham is a new phenom? We also lost 7-2 to the Gooners on aggregate).

If we are talking about a mantra of "stability" then it is illogical to conclude that a leadership that raises our average league position by about 5 places consistently over several years can't improve it further. Instead, logic says that this is precisely the kind of incremental progress/stability you need to break into the Top 3. 1958/9 shows that progress isn't always in a straight line.

It was Bill Nich's first season - he had to overhaul the squad and introduce a new system.

Interestingly our next most successful manager Keith Burkinshaw got relegated during his first season in 76/77.

But both managers had a philosophy and the board backed their projects.

#delayedgratification

 

[Superhudd]

Hello,

Here are the league positions average ticket prices we finished in the 10 years before I took over, going backwards from 2001 to 1991:

12th £15
10th £15
11th £15
14th £15
10th £15
8th £15
7th £15
15th £15
8th £15
15th £15
11th £15

And the 10 years since:

9th £15
10th £20
14th £28
9th £32
5th £44
5th £48
11th £52
8th £55
4th £58
5th £62
4th £66
5th £67

Apart from the period of 1957 - 1963 (our golden era) and 1984 - 1989 (our other golden era), the last few years in the league are just about as successful a period as the club has had in 100 years. Looking back at the past and pining for glory days that didn't exist is kinda silly. We're doing ok as long as the fans keep paying the money to keep us in such a position.


Regards,
Dan

Just sayin

 

[spasm]

this was in "three and in". originally plucked from red cafe, i gather... i agree wholeheartedly. levy has made mistakes BUT i would not swap him for anyone...

In my opinion the majority of people who follow football don’t seem to recognize the extent to which a club is limited by it’s financial strength. The fact this thread exist kind of demonstrates that.

Spurs will have the 7th highest wage bill and will finish in the top 7. They will be way behind the other 6 teams in the top 7 in terms of wages and turnover. Yet apparently they are apparently becoming a bit of a joke. They are actually doing perfectly well, in fact possible a bit better than they should be given their size.

The idea that Redknapp had taken them as far as he could seems flawed to me as it suggests another manager could have taken them even further, which when you look at how things are in football these days, that is hugely unlikely.

When you look at the size of their wage bill it would incredibly hard to attract better players. They’ve tried on several occasions to higher “tactical coaches” to bridge the gap, but anyone who still believes in them is deluded if you ask me.

The truth is under Redknapp they over achieved and he was rightly lauded in the media, though this didn’t sit well with lots of football fans as he isn’t popular. Now they are still doing well all things considered. There net transfer spend over the last 5 years is very low and their spending on wages is much lower than the teams above them.

They just don’t have the scale to threaten at the top of the league. You need to be a massive club that can generate a huge income or be owned by wealthy benefactors.

Ultimately Spurs seem to consistently finish top of the also rans, which actually shows how well run they are. Yet due to their relatively large fan base and tradition they manage to somehow keep themselves seemingly relevant in discussions about who is going to win things each season and fight for the top 4.

This makes them look like perennial losers, when if anything, for close to a decade now they have been one of the most effectively run clubs in the world. The truth is Spurs board should be congratulated, but they don’t actually want that.

They’ve got a nice little business model going and it’s very well served by everyone talking about them as failed big club, rather than the truth, which is a very successful mid sized club. Levy and ENIC bought the club for about £30 million and have since gone about turning it into a £300-£400 million club, by keeping their fans believing they are close.

They’ve built a brilliant training facility, have plans for a great stadium which Levy seems to be using every trick in the book to make others pay for and they have consistent European football and flirt with the big boys. But even though between them they are very wealthy, there is no chance Levy and Lewis would do what is needed to give Spurs a real chance of success.

Levy is by far the most intelligent man in football. He’s got a 1st class honours degree from Cambridge for one thing and I doubt anyone else could boast that.

The near perfect correlation between overall spending and success wont have been missed by him. He knows what it really takes to be successful and therefore can’t have any serious expectations. But as long as he keeps people thinking he has and keeps doing the great job he is (and consistent top 6 finished is a great job) and all the while people considering it a failure, then his investment will grow.

Before he took over Spurs were well behind the likes of Leeds, Villa and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. Now a sponsor would probably pay nearly twice as much to have their names on a Spurs shirt that any of those clubs, or the naming rights for their stadium will go for so much more. Top players actually consider and sometimes sign for Spurs.

Ramos was the most sort after manager in Europe and he went there! LVG probably will go there. Everyone always believes that Spurs are on the brink. They’ve made a brand from it. You look at the growth markets of football around the world and Spurs will have a presence yet no other “also ran” will.

The key to this is that they have convinced everyone they have the potential to go to the next level, when in reality they are doing superbly well to be where they are.

 

[SteveAWOL]

...
Apart from the period of 1957 - 1963 (our golden era) and 1984 - 1989 (our other golden era), the last few years in the league are just about as successful a period as the club has had in 100 years. Looking back at the past and pining for glory days that didn't exist is kinda silly. We're doing ok.

Regards,
Dan

This.

As disappointing as this season has been we are still on course to continue one of the most consistent runs of high league finishes that Tottenham has ever attained, surpassed only by Rowe in the 1950s, Nicholson in the 1960s and Burkinshaw / Pleat in the 1980s.

Finishing in the Top 4 seems to be the Holy Grail nowadays because of the Champions League but prior to 2010 Spurs had finished 4th or better on just 18 occasions in 100 years, so whilst Levy has made some questionable decisions we are still punching above our weight to even become Top 5 regulars. Hopefully the revenue from the new stadium, when it's finally built, will allow us to compete financially with the CL regulars and combined with the benefits of the new training ground we'll see some new additions to the trophy cabinet in the not too distant future.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

this was in "three and in". originally plucked from red cafe, i gather... i agree wholeheartedly. levy has made mistakes BUT i would not swap him for anyone...

In my opinion the majority of people who follow football don’t seem to recognize the extent to which a club is limited by it’s financial strength. The fact this thread exist kind of demonstrates that.

Spurs will have the 7th highest wage bill and will finish in the top 7. They will be way behind the other 6 teams in the top 7 in terms of wages and turnover. Yet apparently they are apparently becoming a bit of a joke. They are actually doing perfectly well, in fact possible a bit better than they should be given their size.

The idea that Redknapp had taken them as far as he could seems flawed to me as it suggests another manager could have taken them even further, which when you look at how things are in football these days, that is hugely unlikely.

When you look at the size of their wage bill it would incredibly hard to attract better players. They’ve tried on several occasions to higher “tactical coaches” to bridge the gap, but anyone who still believes in them is deluded if you ask me.

The truth is under Redknapp they over achieved and he was rightly lauded in the media, though this didn’t sit well with lots of football fans as he isn’t popular. Now they are still doing well all things considered. There net transfer spend over the last 5 years is very low and their spending on wages is much lower than the teams above them.

They just don’t have the scale to threaten at the top of the league. You need to be a massive club that can generate a huge income or be owned by wealthy benefactors.

Ultimately Spurs seem to consistently finish top of the also rans, which actually shows how well run they are. Yet due to their relatively large fan base and tradition they manage to somehow keep themselves seemingly relevant in discussions about who is going to win things each season and fight for the top 4.

This makes them look like perennial losers, when if anything, for close to a decade now they have been one of the most effectively run clubs in the world. The truth is Spurs board should be congratulated, but they don’t actually want that.

They’ve got a nice little business model going and it’s very well served by everyone talking about them as failed big club, rather than the truth, which is a very successful mid sized club. Levy and ENIC bought the club for about £30 million and have since gone about turning it into a £300-£400 million club, by keeping their fans believing they are close.

They’ve built a brilliant training facility, have plans for a great stadium which Levy seems to be using every trick in the book to make others pay for and they have consistent European football and flirt with the big boys. But even though between them they are very wealthy, there is no chance Levy and Lewis would do what is needed to give Spurs a real chance of success.

Levy is by far the most intelligent man in football. He’s got a 1st class honours degree from Cambridge for one thing and I doubt anyone else could boast that.

The near perfect correlation between overall spending and success wont have been missed by him. He knows what it really takes to be successful and therefore can’t have any serious expectations. But as long as he keeps people thinking he has and keeps doing the great job he is (and consistent top 6 finished is a great job) and all the while people considering it a failure, then his investment will grow.

Before he took over Spurs were well behind the likes of Leeds, Villa and Saudi Sportswashing Machine. Now a sponsor would probably pay nearly twice as much to have their names on a Spurs shirt that any of those clubs, or the naming rights for their stadium will go for so much more. Top players actually consider and sometimes sign for Spurs.

Ramos was the most sort after manager in Europe and he went there! LVG probably will go there. Everyone always believes that Spurs are on the brink. They’ve made a brand from it. You look at the growth markets of football around the world and Spurs will have a presence yet no other “also ran” will.

The key to this is that they have convinced everyone they have the potential to go to the next level, when in reality they are doing superbly well to be where they are.

That's a really interesting point...I wonder if actually the reason Levy sacks managers for 'underachievement' is actually just because he wants to perpetuate the idea that we are a big club chasing the big expectations, and in reality he is quite happy where he is, which is why he doesn't allow plans to be put in place to establish things long term because he knows it will never be sustained.

 

[indianspur]

That's a really interesting point...I wonder if actually the reason Levy sacks managers for 'underachievement' is actually just because he wants to perpetuate the idea that we are a big club chasing the big expectations, and in reality he is quite happy where he is, which is why he doesn't allow plans to be put in place to establish things long term because he knows it will never be sustained.

 

[Superhudd]

He sacks managers because he wants it to fall at there door and not his. He needs as many doors infront of him.. why we have a DOF.

Thankfully people are seeing through this and realising it's the person that makes the decisions that is the problem. IMO Bruce Buck is every bit as good as Levy on the finance side

 

[mudshark]

Apart from the period of 1957 - 1963 (our golden era) and 1984 - 1989 (our other golden era), the last few years in the league are just about as successful a period as the club has had in 100 years. Looking back at the past and pining for glory days that didn't exist is kinda silly. We're doing ok.

According to the stats posted above, our median finish for any given decade since 1909 has never been higher than 5th, which is what it currently is in the 2010s, so you make a very valid point.

 

[90291Spur]

A sentiment of it being a trying year for all concerned, hoping to do better next season.......have a safe and peaceful summer and look forward to seeing your money at the Lane and merchandising outlets in August would be my bet.

Fixed it for you.