slcx

[Miguel Delaney @MiguelDelaney]

Spurs got 86 points in 2016-17 - very high for a non-champion

A Chelsea propelled by these payments beat them

That changed history could have transformed Spurs’ present - which is all too relevant now

https://t.co/xXIdXwjZlq

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

“Tottenham Hotspur have bigger problems than their Senior Concessions policy right now, but Club CEO Vinai Venkatesham’s open letter before the West Ham game means we need to respond.” Important editorial which will strike a chord with fans at other clubs
https://t.co/cVifJ6AEYj

[slcx @_SaulCox]

@ben_bowman_ But also, but also, but also

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Levy Out. The chant sung by many Spurs fans over the past few years has finally become reality. Daniel Levy steps down as executive chairman. He did some good things during his 24 years running Spurs. He built the best stadium in the country, well-designed, good for fans (although transport still an issue) and already an RIBA National Award winner, and a training ground that is in the top three in the Premier League. Levy scores highly on infrastructure. But gets marked down in three major areas...

Firstly, clubs are about flesh and blood, more than bricks and mortar. There was too much of a disconnect with too many fans, so the protests began. Levy failed to engage enough, and when he did it was at the Cambridge Union and a couple of other occasions. But rare. The criticism he took, the protests, and chants, can’t have been pleasant for him, especially as he is a Spurs fan, and especially for his family, but he needed to engage with fans, listen to them more, consider whether they had a point over elements of his leadership. It’s their club, their passion. The appointment in April of the more personable, engaging Vinai Venkatesham as CEO felt an acknowledgement by the board of a desire to improve the relationship with fans.

Secondly, clubs are also about players, and Spurs investment in the squad wasn’t sufficient or effective enough. Was the Gareth Bale money used well enough in 2013? No. Six years later, Spurs really needed to strengthen properly under Mauricio Pochettino after he brilliantly guided them to the Champions League final. Some money was spent – Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon - but hardly transformative.

Dismissing Pochettino was devastating. Something special was building and that ebbed. Then getting rid of Pochettino’s successor, Jose Mourinho, days before the League Cup final – and Mourinho was often a specialist in preparing a team for such one-off games – was bizarre.

The idea of a money-spinning stadium was to generate funds for the team, and there was some, but not enough from the fans’ perspective when they see how other more ambitious clubs were acting. There was frustration amongst fans that they had become a business, and concert venue, rather than a football club. Fans chanted, "Can Beyonce play in defence?" and "Guns 'n' Roses - stick them upfront."

The wage structure meant Spurs weren’t buying at the top level. Levy famously negotiated hard over wages, and Michael Carrick wrote in his autobiography that “if Daniel had made the deal fairer I would have stayed” in 2006. He decided to leave. When Manchester United came in for Carrick, Levy played hardball. Carrick recalls standing on a beach in Cannes pleading with Levy to negotiate more with United.

Levy was just focused on getting maximum price, eventually lifting it bit by bit, phone-call by phone-call with David Gill, to £18m. Fair enough, that was Levy’s job, generating funds, although the delay complicated Martin Jol’s job of finding a replacement for Carrick. It also made some clubs cautious about negotiating with Levy.

Thirdly, clubs are about trophies, and two in 24 years with a churn of managers, 16, is not good enough. Levy stands down with the recent memory of Europa League glory, and with the club in the Champions League, so he can feel he leaves on a high. He also brought in the widely respected Thomas Frank.

Tottenham insisted in the statement announcing Levy’s exit that “there are no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure of the Club”. But Levy’s departure inevitably fuels more talk about the club being sold or new investment incoming. Levy out. Enic out? #THFC

[Tottenham Hotspur @SpursOfficial]

Tissues at the ready 😭

A final goodbye message from Sonny...

[Big Smoke - @Skepta]

#COYS

[Sam Cornish @samliamcornish]

A few clips from a very special night in Tottenham. Up the Spurs 🤍

[osvaldo ardiles @osvaldooardiles]

Yes. Bob was a fan of Tottenham. He loved the 1981/2 team specially. I never meet him. When we were going to meet He started to feel not too good. Pity. He was an extraordinary artist.
COYS

[slcx @_SaulCox]

🐐

[The Spurs Express @TheSpursExpress]

Mousa Dembele back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium today 🇧🇪🤍

[slcx @_SaulCox]

👑

[Harry Kane @HKane]

Hard to put into words how to say goodbye to a club and fans who have done so much for me in my career. You will always be in my heart. Thank you Tottenham, thank you Tottenham fans. 💙

[The Spurs Web @thespursweb]

Business is booming at Chick-King

[slcx @_SaulCox]

@Filip021251049 Idk who took it

[slcx @_SaulCox]

@Filip021251049 It’s a real picture

[Tottenham Hotspur @SpursOfficial]

🤍

[COPA90 @Copa90]

Six years ago, we lost Ugo Ehiogu. #dosomethingkind today in his memory.

[slcx @_SaulCox]

All while his name is being sung at every game and he has publicly stated his personal desire to return. So much non acceptance from Levy

[The Spurs Web @thespursweb]

How #THFC can sit back and not have Mauricio Pochettino on their managerial shortlist is mind blowing, yet one of our biggest rivals are meeting with him…

[slcx @_SaulCox]

Levy makes better footballing decisions than this guilty as charged fraud. Levy would’ve promoted Mason which would’ve automatically been an improvement on the mood and football

[Spurs Connect @Spurs_Connect]

🚨 Fabio Paratici advised Daniel Levy to promote Cristian Stellini as the interim head coach in what was one of his last acts as #THFC Director of Football.

@Matt_Law_DT 🥇

[slcx @_SaulCox]

We share the same enthusiasm for Spurs right now Skippy

[Tottenham Hotspur @SpursOfficial]

📲 A message from Skippy

See you all back at @SpursStadium tomorrow 🙌

🤳 @HPE

[slcx @_SaulCox]

@Zeus1882x I’d prefer the latter but at this point, that would leave a very short list

[slcx @_SaulCox]

4 years of no naming rights and a soulless substitute name instead of White Hart Lane