So my target for the new season was to average one blog per week and here I am, less than seven days from my last one writing a piece about the man who seems to be both loved and hated in equal measure. Of course as the title suggests this piece is all about Daniel Levy.
Let me start by saying I am neither “Levy out” nor am I “Levy in” I am of the belief that a person should be judged on their merits, their actions and each action or inaction in itself can be judged independent of others. Which is a fancy way of saying I can praise him for things I think he has done well but I reserve the right to be critical when he does things I believe were poor.
The picture above shows him smiling. I assure you I looked into this, it was not wind, he really does laugh and smile. I think he is the kind of guy I would actually be worried if he approached me smiling. I would be like; “oh hell, what does he know…” however that is just him as a person and I have never met him in person but have had the pleasure of talking to many who have. They all talk about a very warm person, approachable, funny. Does not seem at all like the man Sir Alex Ferguson once described dealing with as like having your love spuds in a vice.
Let us look at the facts of his tenure as Chairman of Tottenham first. He took over from Lord Alan Sugar after the Apprentice star sold his majority stake in the club to ENIC. A company owned by billionaire Joe Lewis and who employs Daniel Levy. (That is something worth remembering, lots of people forget, Daniel is an employee and not the owner himself and like any employee he operates within the remit he is given).
During that time the club have steadily, with many false dawns and blips moved in an upward motion. We were often worrying about relegation when the good Lord Sugar was in charge so it is safe to say that has not happened under Mr Levy. Mid table at worse but European football became the norm at first and now for the last few years Champions league football.
I know many will be screaming; “BUT WHAT HAVE WE WON” well let me tell you we are the current holders of the International Champions Cup and I seem to remember a Peace Cup in Asia and we have the best damn Cheese Room being built in history!! Okay of course I joke.. not about the cheese room… that’s awesome… but trophies wise we have been restricted to the league cup. The last FA Cup win was 1991 and our last league win was 1961. Our last European trophy was in the 80’s and so yeah, under ENIC we have not increased our trophy haul. That is a constant complaint.
However, did you know, that as a club we were founded in 1882 meaning we have been around 136 years and only won 17 trophies. Two league championships, eight FA cups, four league cups, one UEFA Cup winners cup and the UEFA cup twice. Take into account the seasons where we won more than one thing in that year, ie the double years that mean in our 136 year history we have had seasons that ended with a trophy 13 times.
So 123 years out of 136 we have had no trophy to show for it and of those years ENIC have been around for 17 of those years, 16 without a trophy. 16 out of 123. I think my point here is that it is not like ENIC arrived and we were winning a trophy every season and it stopped. In fact, we have pretty much carried on as we were in the trophy winning sense, an average of one trophy winning season every 10 years.
Now I know for a fact people are going to take what I have said above the wrong way. I am not saying we should settle for this. It is right to be ambitious, it is right to want to win things and all of us want trophies and glory to enjoy and to create memories with our friends and family. That is what sport is.
So under Levy we have not broken the mould and improved our trophy haul however we have off the field grown a lot. World leading training facilities and newly completed accommodations on site and the club is close to moving into one of the best stadiums in the world which has been built in Tottenham.
The new stadium being delayed of course is the latest in what feels like a long line of cock ups from the club recently. The construction delay in itself is not so much of an issue, I think even the most annoyed fan can look at that and say subjectively it happens BUT the communication from the club and the treatment of the fans has been awful.
Fans were sold tickets at much higher prices and were told this was because of all the new facilities at the new stadium… I mean… Cheese Room.. hello!! …. However that has not been delivered. For the club to learn of this and stay silent was very sad and for the information to be leaked to the press following an emergency board meeting is worse.
A fan base still reeling from a summer which saw zero investment in the playing squad now sees the new stadium hit delays and the club treat their supporters poorly. Any and all goodwill built by Pochettino and his squad is being undone by the board and its actions or inaction and that sadly must rest on the shoulders of Daniel Levy.
So, in summary over the years Daniel Levy has done many good things. Sadly he has also made some bad decisions and just recently seems to have lost sight of the fans or as we have built an international fan base forgotten about those who attend every game.
I do believe Mr Levy is a fan and I also believe he has the clubs best interest at heart but I do also think he is so obsessed with delivering this stadium he has lost sight of who he is delivering it for. The fans. Without fans…football is nothing.
-SJ
