Jury is out on Spurs chairman Levy and board
Last Monday night the former Spurs manager Juande Ramos had dinner with the club's directors at London's Wolesley restaurant where the word seemed to be the board still believed that the manager should be given time.
The man for the chop was more likely to be the director of football Damien Comolli.
But late on Saturday at the Canary Wharf hotel where Tottenham prepare before a match Ramos learnt that he and his team were to join Comolli in a complete shake-up at Spurs.
So what changed between Monday night and Saturday night?
Very simply, it became evident to the board, particularly after the Uefa Cup defeat to Udinese, that Ramos had lost the dressing room as the comments of David Bentley, Jonathan Woodgate and Luka Modric made clear.
This is what made the Tottenham directors decide not merely to tinker by getting rid of Comolli, but have a clean sweep and remove Ramos and his assistants. Indeed, go back to old fashioned English management and having a manager in sole charge.
Levy, who feels he is a shrewd deal maker, will be pleased that he has handled the whole thing rather well.
Tottenham were aware Portsmouth could do with the money and would be tempted by the £5m compensation for Harry.
Spurs will probably have to pay an additional £3m to £5m as compensation to Ramos, Comolli and the rest of the departed team, but a total bill of £10m is still cheap if Premier League status is to be saved.
And, unlike previous changes of football management by Levy, this was done without any leaks or recriminations.
Back in 2001, when Levy got his first manager Glenn Hoddle from Southampton there was a huge row with the Saints chairman Rupert Lowe who called Levy and the Tottenham board "north London yobos".
The turmoil that accompanied the sacking of Martin Jol and the arrival of Ramos is little over a year old and too well chronicled to need repetition.
How Levy must now wish that he had discarded the advice of Comolli that he must go for a continental manager and gone for Redknapp last year.
A year ago Harry was on the Tottenham shortlist as they were looking for a replacement for Jol, but Comolli's view was that if Tottenham had serious European ambitions they should appoint a European.
And remember, the reason Jol got the sack, despite two fifth place finishes - the best by the club for almost 20 years - was the feeling that while this was good, he was not good enough to make sure Tottenham get into the Champions League, the long-term goal of Levy and the board.
Now, of course, the goal is to avoid having to go into the Championship.
Harry has certainly started well but it is worth recalling that he failed to keep Southampton up, although he did keep Portsmouth up the following season and, ironically, his first match in charge then was at Tottenham where Spurs won 3-1.
Whatever Harry does or does not achieve, the one question that will haunt Tottenham fans is why in the last 20 years Tottenham seem to always have an autumn surprise and more often than not end up with a new manager?
Of course, clubs in crisis often sack managers as the clocks are turning back.
Back in 1986 that is what Manchester United did, bringing in Alex Ferguson. In 1996 that is what Arsenal did hiring Arsene Wenger. And even Chelsea last year had a change of managers as the autumn began.
But well-managed clubs make sure this does not become a habit.
Tottenham, in contrast, are serial offenders who just cannot resist doing it again and again.
In the Alan Sugar regime, the autumns of 1994, 1997 and then 1998 saw new managers come in - Gerry Francis, Christian Gross and George Graham.
Under Levy this pattern has been repeated, with Hoddle going in September 2003, Santini in November 2004, Jol in October 2007 and Ramos in October 2008.
No football club can be successful if they play musical chairs with their football management every two or three years.
Sugar and Levy may have made sure that Tottenham's finances are in good order but they have lamentably failed in providing a stable football management environment.
It will be interesting to see if Redknapp serves out his four-and-a-half-year contract, or whether come the autumn of 2010 we will have the familiar White Hart Lane musical chairs.
One thing is sure, though.
Tottenham fans need no longer worry about the back pages of the newspapers.
Not since Terry Venables have they had such a silver-tongued manager who can charm the press and provide a quote or two that will make all the headlines.
Given that the likes of Jacques Santini, Jol, Ramos, and even Hoddle, could not make much of an impression on the back pages, this may be some comfort for Tottenham fans as they face a very difficult year.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~26~RS~)
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"But well managed clubs make sure this does not become a habit.
Tottenham, in contrast, are serial offenders who just cannot resist doing it again and again."
The jury is very much in on the biased media, and the unanimous verdict is GUILTY!
Chelsea managers between 1998 and 2008 (7 in 10 years):
Ruud Guillit
Gianluca Vialli
Graham Rix
Claudio Ranieri (treated far worse than Martin Jol with a fraction of the media protest)
Jose Mourinho (treated far worse than Martin Jol with a fraction of the media protest)
Avram Grant (treated far worse than Martin Jol with a fraction of the media protest)
Luis Felipe Scolari
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I just hope for one we have a manager that'll be at the club for at least 5 years. I hate it how we keep going from one manager to the next so frequently.
Harry will be great, there is no doubt we'll stay in the premiership and the only way is up.
Spurs fan slate some members of the team but we saw today what Pav, Modric, Bentley can be like when they have confidence.
Levy should stay in charge, he's made spurs a rich club, it's just his money hasn't be spent wisely. With more balance brought to the team we'll soon see a different spurs.
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If you're including people like Graham Rix shouldn't Tottenham's numerous caretakers be included as well
A good article Mihir. Haven't Tottenham said in the past that they adopted the director of football system so that they could seamlessly change the manager without changing the whole regime
I think the Director of Football concept has been slightly lost in translation. I thought the only reason the position existed abroad was because the clubs were sports clubs rather than solely football clubs, and so another level of administration was put in with Directors of football, basketball, handball,etc. as the board looked after many sports rather than one, as is the case in England
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Nice words Mhir......But! Jol was sacked because of the poor start to the season.....Analysis of this leads to one and only one conclusion. Martin Jols position as manager was undermined by the boards unbridled atempt to see Spurs as a European club.
When Arnesen suggested that Jol should take charge of Spurs, you had the perfect European System. Director of Football and Head Coach working together.
Lets be "Frank". Money IS Spurs downfall. We made sure we got a great compensation package from each of the losses that this club has suffered over the last 3 years. But to what end. Yes, the club operates in the black. For which as a supporter I am supremely proud. BUT. We will always be also runs.
Ramos was courted by Spurs Hierachy in the last July transfer window of Jols reign. This entered the public domain before a ball was kicked in the new season. If you know anything about club football, this kind of news is like the plague for a football club. So it proved when Spurs players lost confidence in the encumbent manegerial team and lost any impetus from the previous two seasons.
So.... The board destroyed the teams gains under Jol.
They have got trapped in a system ultimately begun by David Pleats insistence that he remain involved in the workings of a club he had very strong links to. The club has gone down the wrong avenue for some considerable tim. Levy admits this. He has tried to run the club as a business at every level. Now we are left with the arch wheeler dealer 'Arry.
How will this end?! In court probably!
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Spurs have been positely restrained compared to the antics at our place. Including caretaker managers, we are on our 5th manager since Briatore took over.
Neither club seems to have the first idea that allowing a manager to build his team, his way and giving him time to do it, might actually be a good idea.
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Let's not forget that Redknapp is 61.... Has suffered from poor health in the past and can not.....surely.....be considered the future!
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I don't know what Tottenham wants here. To be in the Champions League? Still? Now that Liverpool are resurgent, Arsenal are in good finances, and Man City is on the rise? The manager isn't whats keeping Tottenham out of the Champions League at this point, the massive pile of money is.
I mean, Ramos's firing was inevitable, though still unfortunate. But a club has to be realistic. Better to stick with a proven manager (Ramos counts) and give him support than to flit around skittishly trying to do the impossible.
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In repsonse to questions about Spurs immediate ambitions. There can be only 1! A repeat of the 5 - 1 drubbing of Arsenal at White Hart Lane.
After that.....Premier league survival!
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The reason Jol didn't make a "an impression on the back pages"
Was because he let the team do the talking on the pitch and the supporters do the talking in thier work places!
Come on Hamburg.........Come on Spurs (more)!
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thanks for the facts. I could have gone to wikipedia for a roll call of apppointments.
Now what is your point?
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What an inspired appointment! I read some comments about Redknapp being too old, but I thought the same thing when Capello became England manager.
He may be old, but he can help Spurs to avoid relegation, which is the immediate priority. He's also helped smaller clubs reach loftier heights than they ever dreamed.
I think that Spurs deserve someone who truley understands exactly what the club is, and how reults of late are damaging not only one of London's or even England's, but one of the biggest clubs in the world's reputation.
Come on Harry and bring this club the trophies it deserves!
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I agree that Levy can seem as though he is all about the money, and maybe he is in a way, but noone can question his desire to make spurs great. I would rather him than some arab investor.
He could have ignored advise from Mr Comolli and avoided the mass critisism he recieved, and also the amount of money it cost. But he believed the advise to be true and would take spurs to the next level. So he put his neck on the line and pulled no punches in getting Ramos.
He has taken swift and precise action in the sacking of the "Ramos" regime and bringing Harry in and presumably giving him full control on the playing side of the club. Which I believe is the only way our club should be run, and as a season ticket holder so do most of the people I talk to.
This is backed up by the way the top four are run, none of their managers would stand someone far less experienced telling them what players they will have.
Also his statement on the website I thought was honest and very much needed.
The comments and explainations on how we lost our strike force helped us fans understand the reasons why we are so short.
He also resisted taking side swips at the outgoing regime, which would had been very easy to levy (sorry) blame on Comolli.
Saying all this progress will have to be made now under Harry, as this is last chance saloon.
Onto Harry, he is a fantastic manager who gets the best out of players, so you would hope that getting that bit extra out of some of the talented players at spurs would bode well.
I think the whole country would like to see what Harry could do with a bigger club, he now has the chance to spend money work with better players, and start from the VERY bottom.
Get behind the club now spurs fans and leave any negatives in rudolphs!!
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"No football club can be successful if they play musical chairs with their football management every two or three years."
...Real Madrid? They've been reasonably successful with 21 managers in the last 19 years;
John Toshack - June 1989 November 1990
Alfredo Di Stéfano - November 1990 March 1991
Radomir Antic - March 1991 January 1992
Leo Beenhakker - January 1992 June 1992
Benito Floro - June 1992 March 1994
Vicente Del Bosque - March 1994 May 1994
Jorge Valdano - May 1994 January 1996
Vicente Del Bosque - January 1996 January 1996
Arsenio Iglesias - January 1996 May 1996
Fabio Capello - May 1996 June 1997
Jupp Heynckes - June 1997 May 1998
Guus Hiddink - May 1998 February 1999
John Toshack - February 1999 November 1999
Vicente Del Bosque - November 1999 June 2003
Carlos Queiroz - June 2003 May 2004
José Antonio Camacho - May 2004 September 2004
Mariano García Remón - September 2004 December 2004
Vanderlei Luxemburgo - December 2004 December 2005
Juan Ramón López Caro - December 2005 May 2006
Fabio Capello May 2006 - June 2007
Bernd Schuster - June 2007 Present
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Good move for Rednapp.
He's taken Portsmouth as far as they will go for a while. They can be grateful.
While Spurs is a step down the ladder for the moment, he will see bigger potential there than with Pompey, and trophies/CL have to be an ultimate objective.
I'm happy for Spurs, and for HR... and for Portsmouth, as he's left them safe & in good stead. What do you call this - win-win-win?
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Ha Ha..not matter what,Sacked Managers atleast are getting compensation of over 4m is totaly getting an easy money.
To be honestly Managers dont really care whether they are sacked or not,they get alot of money anyways.
I say Managers are looking like they are having a bad time but if you look better,they are actually making easy money withouth doing any work.
Ramos is out of job but he will still earn his salary as compensation that is.
He is a good Manager and we will soon see him in Spianing doing wongers.
Now it is time to wait for when will Harry be sacked.
But he is a good Manager i hope he succeeds.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Martin Jol was interviewed on the radio a couple of weeks back. Reading between the lines, he seemed to be suggesting the following chain of events:
Dimitar Berbatov tells Jol he wants to join United.
Jol passes the message on to Levy.
Levy interprets this as meaning that Berbatov can't work with Jol, and so Levy decides he'd rather keep the stroppy striker than the beloved manager. So he starts looking at managerial successors, leading to the protracted, messy and extremely damaging departure of Jol.
I've read a lot of comments on messageboards that Levy has pulled a masterstroke bringing in Redknapp. Fact is, if Redknapp had been the replacement for Jol, there would have been a revolution among the fans. In fact, only Ramos's glittering reputation probably quelled calls for Levy to go last October.
Levy has seriously ballsed up the progress Spurs made over the last few years. Redknapp is his last throw of the dice. Let's hope it works, for all of us.
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"Levy will be pleased he has handled the whole thing rather well". Eh? What basis do you have for saying this?
Levy has undermined his last two managers with courting of other managers; brinkmanship in player transfers that left no time for replacements; selling three strikers at once; and listening to his "director of football" instead of the man he appointed to run the team.
Look at Jol's success with Hamburg. Note that Fergie thought him astute enough to be a good deputy at Old Trafford. Look at the sustained success Ramos had at Seville.
Now judge - who's the smart football brain, and who is the muppet?
Levy has succeeded in keeping the club out of debt but, given the strength of the fan base and the ticket prices, that's no stroke of genius. What he has also done, is to promote a feeling of constant insecurity and unnecessary flux. It's not generally a recipe for success.
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Levy hit the panick button! I,m affraid Harry is a stop gap! the good news is ,come January ,Defoe and probably james will be heading for the lane! I wonder if Moyes was contacted ,in view of how long it took him to sign his new contract! The players should keep their opinions to themselves ! How long has woodgate been at the club. He,s hardly a senior player !
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@ post #13
True, but Real Madrid are a big club with a worldwide fan-base and almost limitless resources.
Tottenham just think they are.
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10. At 02:08am on 27 Oct 2008, boils wrote:
thanks for the facts. I could have gone to wikipedia for a roll call of apppointments.
----------------------------------
Why don't u just stay there? Thanks!
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Levy has plenty to be ashamed of.
H writes an open letter to the fans overstating his sincerity and strivings, but as already stated the fan base, TV money and the good financial run the economy had ,all premier clubs doing well financially.
What he did on the footballing side was infantile, now thats where the big four got it right.
No point in a healthy bank baance and a c**p fotball team.
Martin Jol had it right, was progressing and the wheels came off when the media reported the sightings of the board members and Ramos at a hotel. That was during pre-season.
The wheels came off MJ's season when this was discovered and you could see it in his face at every game from then until he left that the carpet had been pulled from under everything he was trying to achieve.
That was perpratrated by Levy, Comolia and Kinsley.
These were the people with the power and the power was misused.
No point in his heartfelt open letter now, it does'nt explain the true nature of what happened.
When Alex or someone similar come sniffing around the likes of Bentley, Modric or indeed Pav next summer I wonder will he have learned anything.
I doubt it.
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"Given that the likes of Jacques Santini, Jol, Ramos, and even Hoddle, could not make much of an impression on the back pages, this may be some comfort for Tottenham fans as they face a very difficult year."
Oh yes, I'm sure having a manager who's good at talking his way around the press will provide plenty of comfort for the fans of a club who are bottom of the league.
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Spurs operate in the black, eh?
Do they give a cup for that? Is it a nice big shiny one - like the Champions League cup.
Or a small but old one - like the FA cup?
Still...
So long as they're in the black.
That's what football is all about, after all...
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Levy is a disgrace. It was him who brought in Comolli where is his apology?
His removal of Graham was a disgrace
His purchase of Hoddle and then his obvious hypercritical stance on Berbatov?
How can you steal a other teams player (youngster from Palace forgotten his name) Routledge etc and then complain when another team does it to you and dont say others do it cos people commit murder doesn,t validate you doing it?
His Appointment of Santini then he sacked him did he apologise again for his error?
Martin Jol did a superb job despite interference and yet he got the boot for what " a feeling we would not progress further" a joke
The Ramos purchase upsetting Seville they should have stuck with him and Levy should resigned as a matter of disgrace he goes on about improving but has he improved Spurs no hes a joke a abject failure i hope Spurs go down (hard to say as a fan) so the rest of the thick Spurs fans finally wake up to the fact that Levy is a JOKE!!!!
Good Luck Harry
Bet anyone he does not complete his contact?
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Has Redknapp really done a great job at Pompie?
If I were a Pompie fan I would be disgusted at him walking away. The financial situation is not good there and no doubt Harry will be back to cherry pick his favourites, Defoe, James, Campbell (LOL).
I think the Pompie bubble is gonna pop Leeds style. When Redknapp left last time they went into freefall.
Is Harry the new Keegan? No. I think he is a very intelligent man who can see that Pompie are punching way above their weight and dont have the right financial foundations to continue their rise up the league.
Good luck to Portsmouth, best fans in the south who dont deserve to be treated so callously.
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With the exception of Jol, otehr changes at Spurs over the years have been needed or beyond the clubs control.
"How Levy must now wish that he had discarded the advice of Comolli that he must go for a continental manager and gone for Redknapp last year."
How Levy wished he had have discarded Comolli's advice and stuck with Jol you mean??
The mangement changes at Spurs have been very much a pandering to the fans. For the first time Levy has taken it upon himself to make "decisive decisions". Even at that though the weekends developments were again due to fan pressure to a degree, (although surprisingly some think Ramos still needed time).
When you write an article like this put in to perspective why the managment changes came about. You are only telling half a story, if even that.
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Have to say as a neutral, that letter from Levy is by far the most sincere, honest and warming message from any chairmen.
If I were a Spurs fan, I would be extremely grateful to a director who didnt let his club be abused by Man U and liverpool and instead has done his best to make Spurs a better club. He has invested heavily in the team and now with Harry, theres no doubting they can climb right back up.
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Daniel Levy is about as clueless as you can get at running a football club. The money the club has wasted on compensating managers and the waste on players is nothing short of criminal. How on earth the systems put in place at Spurs have gone on for so long is beyond me and as a result Levy should sling his hook, as he has got to take the blame. Bringing in Redknapp is a good move in the short term, but Redknapp will fall short in terms of moving Spurs on to bigger and better things, I hope I am wrong as Redknapp seems like a good man.
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You know what, I have read many a blog in recent weeks as I sat scratching my head, trying to think where the real problem was at Spurs.
Most comments by Spurs fans and neutrals led back to the same 2 things: Director of Football and a European system that simply did not work for us and a manager that, in a year, could still not conduct an E2E interview in English - how could he have ever been commanding, authoritive and constructive in the dressing room and on the sidelines!
I would say that Levy himself scours the internet looking at blogs and for once, he understood exactly what was needed at the club!
Ok, Redknapp is 61, but what a manager he is - experienced pure old school football man with bundles of Premier League years behind him and a 'jack the lad' who doesnt mix his words!
Top move by Levy and I think he will build something good over the next 2-3 years. He has a hell of a lot to work with and for once in his career will have the real financial backing he has always wanted.
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As for the age thing, i.e. Redknapp being 61, Ramos was 54 and Big Gus was 40 - I saw more animation and passion in Redknapp in 90 minutes and a few interviews than was seen in Ramos and Gus over the past year.
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I don't like Redknapp on any level but as a Spurs fan I have to accept that he could be the man to keep us up. Levy made the right decision but on the back of five years of relative failure - epic fail for him.
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£5 million to Portsmouth and the same to the departing management team (if Spurs get off that lightly) is a sizeable sum that won't be available to Harry Redknapp for players.
I thought it was interesting that my newspaper picked Malbranque and Chimbonda as the stars of Sunderland's win over Newcastle, and I'm not clear how Spurs benefited by selling that pair plus Tainio. It seems to me that part of Spurs' problems this season has been that they can't get hold of the ball, which Malbranque and Tainio used to do for them. I'm hoping that sometime Comolli will explain what the summer transfer plan was, because I can't spot any logic.
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Thanks Mihir, but if anyone is going to slag our club off I would rather it came from one of us. I have posted an open letter to Daniel Levy on 606: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A42698839
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Lovely! This has got all the hallmarks of a really good pairing about it. 'Arry's good for an FA cup win every decade or so and given that Spurs just about manage to win that one trophy every 10 years or so['it's our year this year,our name's on it, there's are 4 numbers in the year 'etc]....,all should be well.Expectations reached and everybody's 'appy. Until...having saved 'London's finest'[copyright THFC] from relegation by buying[the oldest] half of the England 2002 World Cup squad ,he gets the sack for failing to get Stylish Spurs/Danny's Dynamos/The Push and Run Heroes above 8th. Exit 'Arry,having proved that all the money inTottenham wouldn't make him a decent manager.He still won't have achieved his ambition to manage a 'big' club.Replaced by Frank Rijkaard and Lee Sharpe and finish 7th. Cue'The Glory Days are back'and roll the credits,with music by Dennis Waterman with Chas and Dave.Lovely jubbly!!
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dafonk, re:35,
judging by that comment, you are either a man born out of extreme hate, dissatisfaction for life or generally are the victim of much adversity; your outlook is so bleak and you try and channel this through wit and sarcasm but frankly it's not working.
I personally think the only feeling one can have from this appointment is that of optimism. Any other reservations are frankly channeled through personal problems you have either with spurs or harry.
I wish you the best of luck in getting out of the right side of bed tomorrow and also coming to terms with spurs' success come the end of the season.
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Mrfootieand essex..sorry,"ethics"
Sorry to upset you but the truth is much simpler than your over-theorised,presumptuous nonsense. I just find Spurs in general pretty entertaining lately and some-not all- of their supporters equally amusing. That wasn't 'wit' or 'sarcasm' back there.It was satire,I guess.Sort of..
Oh,by the way-i was 'born out of' my mother,just as you were 'born out of' yours.Nice bantering with you.C'mon you Cockerels!! Thank you and good night.
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Mihir, your point about autumn sackings has a basic flaw. The season starts in August / September, so it is logical that poor early form results in managerial changes.
After Christmas is usually too late. We know the old saying about sides in the bottom three over the festive period.
Quite a few teams do part with managers in the close season, as well.
If the season started in June, it would be summer sackings instead.
Logical, no?
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rubbish article mihir. you're a fan who can't see past the truth. the reason ramos went on saturday is that if spurs get slaughtered at arsenal on wednesday and he was in charge, levy would have been under immense pressure. now he sacked the previous regime, if arsenal go mad who will blame redknap?
answer this; who employed comoli, ramos et al? who implemented the hiarachy at the club? who has overall responsibilty?
answer; as long as levy is running the club for his mate joe to make a few quid in the bahamas spurs will continue to be a shambles.
harry redknap; relegated west ham, went to pompey, relegated saints, went to pompey..... let's hope he's back at fratton park in august!!!!
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Spurs will never get into the CL now. They had their chance and blew it... now with Man City's money and potentially other takeovers they won't do it (unless they sell up themselves to an obscenely rich man).
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Welcome 'Arry, now go on and beat the Arse and Pool.
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As a Youth Redknapp is a Gooner, he supported the Reds and that is where his real heart is. Comolli come from the Gunners as did George Graham. For those of you that don't know the rivalry is extremely deep, Rangers and Celticesque. Ramos is a class act and his future will prove just that. Levy has made a monumental blunder because a team at the bottom of the premiership has just aquired Redknapp and now Bond, Brown envelopes containing resignation desires should be winging their way around the Lane, Levy is the problem and his desire to be the best at all costs ! Patience and support don't come in Brown envelopes unfortunately !
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Re. Rupert Lowe's comments, I just want to know what Joseph Yobo did to upset him and why Tottenham were considered "North London Yobos".
In all seriousness though I think stability really is important. Chelsea are rightfully cited as an exception given the special relationship with Red Roman but even Liverpool have entered a period of relative consistency now and certainly Arsenal and Man U seem to have benefitted.
I can't help feeling that both Jol and Ramos were sacked prematurely (though I have no objections to the removal of Comolli). Let's hope that Redknapp is at least given time to try and build a sound foundation for the future!
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An interesting question that went unanswered was "what exactly do Spurs expect?" Obviously this season now has to be about survival and maybe a decent cup run in one of the domestic cups, but beyond that, what do Spurs fans feel their club is capable of?
Do you genuinely believe that the Champions League is still an acheivable goal? Which of the top four do you see slipping out of there and how do you expect to progress beyond clubs like Villa with the astute Martin O'Neill, Man City with all their riches or even 'Arry's old stoping ground at Pompey?
I mean no disrespect but clubs like Newcastle, Spurs, West Ham et al need to realise that past glories or passionate support is not enough to be classified as a big club in the modern context of the Premier League and Champions League qualification. If Berbatov or Keane really thought that Spurs were capable of doing such things, would they now be wearing red jerseys? Well maybe Keane, as a boyhood Liverpool fan, would be.
You lot have turned on several players over the years because they realised what you haven't as of yet and left to fulfill thieer ambitions. Spurs will not be competing at the top end of the PL any time soon and it will take either Abromovich to pull out of Chelski, Sounes to go back to Liverpool, Fergie to retire and the new guy to do a Souness or Real to sign all of Arsenal's youngsters for any club to have a realistic chance of breaking into the top 4. Even then, there are still clubs ahead of you in the pecking order (6 of them by last season's table).
it's time for fans of these clubs to get a grip, reign in their expectations and stop demanding instant success. Maybe then will managers be given a chance to prosper and the fans will have a chance of seeing thier ambitions realised.
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Hey, no doubt about it, Jol's sacking was premature and uncalled for.
I am one of the believers that he should have stayed and certain that 'consistency' and the sole ownership of first team affairs and overall football structure by 'the manager' at a top club does breed success.
However, Ramos had to go and had to go now, along with 'his' staff, otherwise it would have been far to late. Comolli - nothing to say on him!
Let's hope Redknapp sticks around for a few years, stabalises things this season, brings in some much needed agression in January and a couple of decent assistants - one of whom will be a youngster with desire to become a top manager. He has done wonders for Tony Adams and hopefully he can coach and nurture someone at Spurs to eventually take over after him.
I hear names like Tim Sherwood, Teddy Sheringham and Chris Waddle flying around at the moment. Along with Gary Stevens and Graham Roberts........ Not sure who I would take, but I am sure there are people who can do a decent job for the club.
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Mihr,
If you are going to mix with the movers and shakers you should be able to spell correctly the name of one of Londons best restaurants! Wolseley and not Wolesley.
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Mr Redknapp is a triumph of charisma over form or function and will not be a panacea. Nonetheless I have a feeling he will be more adept at crafting individual players and egos into a more consistent team shape. He will also be quite canny at plugging the key gaps at the back, in the central holding role and up front.
His greatest challenge will be his legacy under Spurs new owners, whatever their pedigree and origin. Clive Allen does not set the world on fire but may prove to be Spurs' Mark Hughes.
If Harry keeps Spurs up by bringing back Crouch and Defoe and ofloading some of the more hasty Comolli purchases (Pavyl, Benoit) and also Lennon - who is a busted flush, he will earn respect to top up his pension. A Cup run (FA) and a top five next season and we can begin to talk in usual hasty Spurs style, about martyrdom
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I'M CONFIDENT GOOD OLD HARRY WILL TURN THINGS AROUND VERY SOON. I'M DEAD SURE
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Well this has certainly come out of the blue!! I think that Levy has a big problem. I'm sure he was the one that said yes or no. You don't have to say Yes to every decision you are asked about. I'm sure neither Ramos or Comolli told Levy to sell Berbatov at the last minute knowing they couldn't get anyone decent in and that's all for the sake of an extra few million.
Why buy Bentley when you know he has an attitude problem. At least Harry will straighten some of these players out as he did with DiCanio at West Ham. Levy has to give them time and own up to his own failings. You used to have an academy that brought through young players but you don't see too many of them knocking on the door now either.
Levy must be the next one to go if Harry can't turn it around. He must understand that they are not now a 'BIG' club anymore. It's the same with Newcastle. Yes you have great support and fan base but it's all about playing in europe year in year out even if it's the UEFA cup and then possibly try and launch a sustained attack on getting into the top 4 like you did under Jol. He has not suddenly become a good manager since he left for Hamburg but was always a good manager.
I hope Harry does well for Spurs but being a Gooner I still want you to go down.
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Bottom line, the management turnaround at Spurs is not unlike any other at any of the top flights clubs.
Ferguson just managed to avoid the chop by virtually minutes, how many changes happened before Alex secured the job.
Arsenal had a similar spell with mangers before Wenger settled. They had more caretaker managers than London City Council.
What Arsenal and Man U have found is managers that have delivered. So of course there have been no management changes in recent years, why should there be?
Chelsea and Real Madrid's management merry-go-round is well documented in this thread. And even then look at the success both these clubs have enjoyed in recent years!
Spurs changes, as I have stated, have come from the fans. And that has been Levy's weakness, doing as the fans wanted and not what the club wanted. Even when Jol was sacked, loads of Spurs fans patted poor Jol on the back but loved the notion of Ramos coming. It was what the (majority of) fans wanted. And it has been the case under Levy since he arrived.
Levy has now got rid of Ramos (I still cant believe how many Spurs "fans" felt Ramos needed more time, unbelievable) and said to Harry how do you want to run this club? Harry has said what he wanted to happen and Levy has oblidged.
Levy has finally let a football man run a football club the way it should be run. Levy can take care of whatever profit margins he is best at looking after. He now (Levy)does not need to be a part of things on the pitch.
And finally, we can get back to being a football club again.
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Spurs will finish somewhere between 12th and 8th in all likelihood. And next season ? Probably top ten, then..
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Hmm...sorry...what..? must have dozed off.. thats because this whole argument is just plain daft... Spurs are a mid table club..sure they have a pink fit once every ten years and finish maybe 5th then its back to the usual..
GET USED TO IT SPURS FANS...the rest of us a long time ago...whoever your manager is!!
Mihir, rubbish article as usual..glad to see you are in keeping with the club you support and maintaining that blandness.
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This is wonderful, it really is. Levy has far more right to the phrase 'Houdini' than 'Arry does any day.
Let me get this straight - everyone's swanning round saying Levy plays a blinder for acting so quickly and sacking yet another Spurs manager, and gets the plaudits. Ramos wasn't up to the job, just as Jol, just as Graham wasn't...
Now - who created the continental system at Spurs? Who pulled the trigger on all these managers? Most crucially, because this is the real gist of it, who was responsible for not offloading Berbatov for a fee at the start of last summer - apparently the esteemed chairman claims Berbatov wanted to leave after the end of his first season at Spurs! ample time to look for a replacement - so he could get an extra 4 million for the Incredible Bulgarian Sulk?
One answer - one man, now applauded from the plastic rafters by deluded, nonsensical fans. Daniel Levy - THE LAST MAN STANDING AS GRAHAM, JOL, POYET, COMOLLI AND RAMOS FALL BY THE WAYSIDE. All of them must be in the wrong and Levy has seen through them all. To paraphrase Springsteen, 'He's still there/They're all gone!' They seem to have forgotten who caused this all in the first place. You know that condition that guy from Christopher Nolan's film Memento suffers from, forgetting everything after 5 minutes, severe amnesia - that's what Spurs fans, and perhaps Mihir are now suffering from.
Levy's very glad the fans suffer from this afflicition, as he now appears to be being toasted all over this website and others for his disgraceful running of Spurs.
I think his tactic is Trotskyist - permanent revolution activated at a football club. He is a businessman but he has this political streak in him. Keep sacking the manager every season - we've already seen how the players responded yesterday to a new manager coming in, as they responded to Ramos last season. Levy has seen this works; also keeps everyone at the club fearing fr their future. This will clearly be an annual process. So get behind 'Arry, folks - until the next time...Mr Levy. See you back in here in a year's time when things start going wrong for Spurs.
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While I usually disagree with much that Bose says I will with the sentiment of this:
Redknapp can charm the press.
Since the whole panorama incident when he stopped talking to the BBC/reporters every since he has come back the reporters have been fawning over him, like he is doing them a massive favour.
I will never forget when his computer was taken away by police his comment was:
"The wife only learned to switch it on last week"
Which is shear brilliance, it was this quote that made all the headlines and made the police look foolish while making himself look very witty. Of course what all of those so called reporters neglected to mention was that it wasn't his wife that was being investigated!
He was never charged with anything but after that incident he knew he could control the press easily with the odd witty comment.
So well done to him, he has certainly done his job well and learnt how to play the media. "Shrewd deal maker" is certainly not the way I would describe his transfer dealing but then again I don't have to worry about liable do I!
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53. No you certainly don't have to worry about "liable"!
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WHAT EXACTLY WAS MARTIN JOL"S FAULT?
now i wud ilke to see spurn in the COCA COLA championship. i cant believe a club can sell three strikers like-defoe, keane and berba. they shud get their punishment for selling these players.
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Surely the issue here is whether the Board (who are usually businessfolk) have sufficient understanding of football to make the right appointments at the right time.
Be that Spurs, Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea etc.
If you look at Abramovitch, he clearly saw what the evolution was: what he had; then a winner; then hopefully a winner with style. In a background of limitless cash.
Well, at Spurs there's not limitless cash. And they've not been in the European Cup for nearly 50 years. So their strategy must be different.
I must say though: if I were Joe Lewis, I might be thinking the same as Levy thought last week.......
And I might keep a money man, a marketing man and put on the Board an NED with a wealth of football experience to be the primary liaison point with the manager.....
But as I'm not Joe Lewis, that's all right, isn't it?
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Comment 54
Me reporter? No
Me Lawyer? No
Me writing quickly while at work? Yes
I actually find it rather amusing that you clearly think your hilarious comment is actually clever.
Take your pick I either meant to say "being liable" or "libel". Either way I still got the point across, 'Arry makes a circle look square by comparison!
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There seems to be some naive opinions and doubt about the role of the Football Director.
Muppets like Levy are the reason many directors and investors need a knowledgable football man on the board, it is a policy designed to protect them and their wallet from BS managers who continually pull the wool over the eyes of those providing the cash from which the clubs actually exsists.
No genuine Manager will object to having a honest working relationship with any person whose job it is to advise both directors and shareholders of all matters concerning football.
Those who do object and refuse to work with such a person are to be considered as not having the best interests of the club, the company or the shareholders at heart.
Club, Company and Customers first, ALL employees second, no person is big enough to dictate the terms of employment.
Who said Levy was a good businessman ? because being so means having skills in Man Management and having the ability to maintain a steady ship in stormy waters. Sunk almost without trace at the bottom of the PL having thrown the sailors overboard is hardly conducive to being a Captain of Industry, whatever the business.
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Radknapp would have never worked under a Director of Football and was the reason he left Portsmouth the first time. This was also the main reason going for Ramos as Comolli was acutely aware of British managers' view to DoF. The old school manager/coach only like reporting to the 'big man' through arrogance not football reasons, as they like to claim. It is simply a power thing.
Also, it is simply a coincident that Portsmouth lost to Spurs in his first match in charge when he kept Portsmouth in the EPL. It is not ironic; though it is lazy journalism overusing a trendy word or phrase.
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What absolute piffle Bose is writing, yet again! I find that Bose is a "name dropper" and he is obsessed with money; give it a rest!
Bose suggests that Redknapp failed to keep Southampton up. However, Bose is surely eating his words now, as Spurs slowly climb the table.
I am guessing that Bose is an Arsenal fan with his ill informed comments. What have you had for tea, Bose?- humble pie was it?
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