Kyle Walker

[waspish]

I'm sure you're right but it wasn't my point . The fact is that off a pretty modest budget they have built a very competitive squad.

Yep been the best team in premier last 2 seasons, what they got to show for it? All down hill now I think with the new stadium settling period and Wembley this season where there record shows if that keeps up they will be midtable next season.

 

[philjoneswho?]

I'm sure you're right but it wasn't my point . The fact is that off a pretty modest budget they have built a very competitive squad.

I agree. I like the idea of players being signed for relatively small fees and coming good. Unfortunately we have no time to dominate to allow this to happen! Good post!

 

[Cityfan]

Yep been the best team in premier last 2 seasons, what they got to show for it? All down hill now I think with the new stadium settling period and Wembley this season where there record shows if that keeps up they will be midtable next season.

I'm optimistic about finishing above them, but I'd be surprised if they finished midtable. Europa cup place at worst I reckon.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I totally agree that they've had some flops, but they have also had some spectacular success. Apart from the obvious, lloris was a bargain, dembele is a cracking buy, the list is quite long. However, I agree with many posters that with levy at the helm they will continue to sell their prized assets and never build on their potential.

What they've excelled at is buying English youngsters before anyone else knows about them and then bringing them through. They've partly been able to do this because of lower expectations. Let's be honest, they spent a good few years with an average LB before Rose developed into the player he is now. But the last time we bought a lower league player who developed into a decent squad player was probably Adam Johnson, and that didn't last long. We've tried it with Roberts, but he hasn't really had an opportunity for us yet. But we at least need to make sure that the young English players we currently have in the squad make it. It's massively in our interests to make sure that Stones becomes our first choice CB for example, rather than fucking him off for a shiny new defender because he made a few mistakes. We also ideally need to get to the stage where young academy products can be brought in without a massive drop off in quality. The ideal situation is a relatively small squad of world class players backed up by academy products. It's quite difficult though because any player that's arguably good enough to sit on our bench has to get sent out on loan to give them the games they need to develop.

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

Why not leave all our business to the last week in August if that is the case. I for one am totally chilled about Walker point is if he is going
to be a pivotal part of next seasons team better to get the deal done quickly.

Pre-season isn't for another week. We save 80K by waiting a week he wouldn't be doing anything anyways just by being patient.

 

[JimB]

And I could say we got Agüero for the price he paid for Lamela.

Fact is he's not a transfer genius. He's a bang average midtable director who makes as many cock ups as anyone else and has built up a myth based on...Bale? A few long shot punts coming good?

He makes as many bad deals as anyone.

I simply have an issue with the massively overinflated reputation he has as a director of football, sorry.

I have no doubts he's a class A ****, though or that he negotiates in bad faith.

Arf!

Since taking over the club, this "bang average, mid table director with a massively overinflated reputation" has taken Spurs from a perennial lower mid table club that had fallen light years behind the top clubs to one that is now firmly established among the top six at least - and now starting to challenge seriously for major honours. He has done so while battling against overwhelming financial odds in the other clubs' favour.

Besides the first team, he has overseen the transformation of the club's academy from one that was unproductive and woefully neglected under Sugar to one that is now among the best, and certainly among the most productive in the Premier League. He built a new £75m training centre that is also among the best in the country. And the team will move into a superb new stadium just over a year from now. All of this while keeping the club on the financial straight and narrow.

Mocking Levy for some poor signings is failing to see the wood for the trees. Of course there have been setbacks and failures during his time at the club. But the overall consequence of his leadership is a club that is in a far, far better state than it was and has far, far better future prospects than it did when he took over.

Okay, so you don't like Levy. Fair enough. But to dismiss him as you have is just plain silliness.

They buy a lot of cheap players in the 5-15m range and after years of underperforming (Walker, Rose, Dembele), some have started to deliver under a very good manager.

They also had the likes of Lamela (£30m), Janssen (£25m), Son (£25m) and Sissokho (£30m) on the bench. The fact that the starting XI was cheap only highlights how all their big money signings do awfully.

Just to be a little less cavalier with the figures, the actual prices were:

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

 

[jrb]

Jim.

Stop arfing on Blue Moon. ;-)

 

[Delphacito]

I’d say Pochettino is the main reason Tottenham rose to the top.

 

[waspish]

I’d say Pochettino is the main reason Tottenham rose to the top.

Yep and he will be the scum manager within the next 18 months and Brendon will be made the spurs manager.

 

[Bill]

Arf!

Since taking over the club, this "bang average, mid table director with a massively overinflated reputation" has taken Spurs from a perennial lower mid table club that had fallen light years behind the top clubs to one that is now firmly established among the top six at least - and now starting to challenge seriously for major honours. He has done so while battling against overwhelming financial odds in the other clubs' favour.

Besides the first team, he has overseen the transformation of the club's academy from one that was unproductive and woefully neglected under Sugar to one that is now among the best, and certainly among the most productive in the Premier League. He built a new £75m training centre that is also among the best in the country. And the team will move into a superb new stadium just over a year from now. All of this while keeping the club on the financial straight and narrow.

Mocking Levy for some poor signings is failing to see the wood for the trees. Of course there have been setbacks and failures during his time at the club. But the overall consequence of his leadership is a club that is in a far, far better state than it was and has far, far better future prospects than it did when he took over.

Okay, so you don't like Levy. Fair enough. But to dismiss him as you have is just plain silliness.



Just to be a little less cavalier with the figures, the actual prices were:

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

Good post.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Arf!

Since taking over the club, this "bang average, mid table director with a massively overinflated reputation" has taken Spurs from a perennial lower mid table club that had fallen light years behind the top clubs to one that is now firmly established among the top six at least - and now starting to challenge seriously for major honours. He has done so while battling against overwhelming financial odds in the other clubs' favour.

Besides the first team, he has overseen the transformation of the club's academy from one that was unproductive and woefully neglected under Sugar to one that is now among the best, and certainly among the most productive in the Premier League. He built a new £75m training centre that is also among the best in the country. And the team will move into a superb new stadium just over a year from now. All of this while keeping the club on the financial straight and narrow.

Mocking Levy for some poor signings is failing to see the wood for the trees. Of course there have been setbacks and failures during his time at the club. But the overall consequence of his leadership is a club that is in a far, far better state than it was and has far, far better future prospects than it did when he took over.

Okay, so you don't like Levy. Fair enough. But to dismiss him as you have is just plain silliness.



Just to be a little less cavalier with the figures, the actual prices were:

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

I agree with you. Its a really impressive improvement on where they were. Poch has made a big contribution too. The big question for me though is can they maintain it and actually start to win some serious trophies? I think we will go to another level and Chelsea will continue to incrementally improve. Liverpool? Think they will plateau, Rags and Arsenal are going backwards. Spuds will be top three I think for the next few years but can they win the title or the CL? No I don't think so.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

I'm surprised Son was being highlighted as a particularly bad buy tbh. 22m isn't a huge amount in the market in recent years and whilst he isn't absolutely incredible, he looks fairly decent to me. Certainly he seems to make a significant contribution for them. I imagine we've made a few buys at that kind of level that have worked out much worse.

 

[Hungarian blue]

I'm surprised Son was being highlighted as a particularly bad buy tbh. 22m isn't a huge amount in the market in recent years and whilst he isn't absolutely incredible, he looks fairly decent to me. Certainly he seems to make a significant contribution for them. I imagine we've made a few buys at that kind of level that have worked out much worse.

Absolutely, Son was a more than decent buy.

 

[domalino]

I'm surprised Son was being highlighted as a particularly bad buy tbh. 22m isn't a huge amount in the market in recent years and whilst he isn't absolutely incredible, he looks fairly decent to me. Certainly he seems to make a significant contribution for them. I imagine we've made a few buys at that kind of level that have worked out much worse.

I didn't highlight him as a bad buy. I pointed to the fact they've got a bench (which Son is on) that costs well over £100m when someone said how brilliant they were for having a starting XI that only cost £100m.

 

[domalino]

Arf!

Since taking over the club, this "bang average, mid table director with a massively overinflated reputation" has taken Spurs from a perennial lower mid table club that had fallen light years behind the top clubs to one that is now firmly established among the top six at least - and now starting to challenge seriously for major honours. He has done so while battling against overwhelming financial odds in the other clubs' favour.

Besides the first team, he has overseen the transformation of the club's academy from one that was unproductive and woefully neglected under Sugar to one that is now among the best, and certainly among the most productive in the Premier League. He built a new £75m training centre that is also among the best in the country. And the team will move into a superb new stadium just over a year from now. All of this while keeping the club on the financial straight and narrow.

Mocking Levy for some poor signings is failing to see the wood for the trees. Of course there have been setbacks and failures during his time at the club. But the overall consequence of his leadership is a club that is in a far, far better state than it was and has far, far better future prospects than it did when he took over.

Okay, so you don't like Levy. Fair enough. But to dismiss him as you have is just plain silliness.



Just to be a little less cavalier with the figures, the actual prices were:

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

He's done a good job at Spurs, but he doesn't warrant the mythical transfer genius reputation he's created for himself. Which was very clearly my point, and when I referred to him as an average mid table director it was (like the rest of my entire comment) in relation to his transfer dealings.

As for Spurs academy, Pochettino is the only reason it's getting attention now, Spurs have produced good players for years, but it took Pochettino to use it, and I dare say that with the exception of the players who've broken through under him, things will go back to normal when he leaves. Similarly, Pochettino is the only reason they are challenging (although only Spurs would be credited with challenging for the title after finishing 9 and 11 points behind the winners) major honours, and when he goes they will fall back again, probably with nothing to show for it.

 

[BillyShears]

Arf!

Since taking over the club, this "bang average, mid table director with a massively overinflated reputation" has taken Spurs from a perennial lower mid table club that had fallen light years behind the top clubs to one that is now firmly established among the top six at least - and now starting to challenge seriously for major honours. He has done so while battling against overwhelming financial odds in the other clubs' favour.

Besides the first team, he has overseen the transformation of the club's academy from one that was unproductive and woefully neglected under Sugar to one that is now among the best, and certainly among the most productive in the Premier League. He built a new £75m training centre that is also among the best in the country. And the team will move into a superb new stadium just over a year from now. All of this while keeping the club on the financial straight and narrow.

Mocking Levy for some poor signings is failing to see the wood for the trees. Of course there have been setbacks and failures during his time at the club. But the overall consequence of his leadership is a club that is in a far, far better state than it was and has far, far better future prospects than it did when he took over.

Okay, so you don't like Levy. Fair enough. But to dismiss him as you have is just plain silliness.



Just to be a little less cavalier with the figures, the actual prices were:

Lamela - £26m, rising to £30m
Janssen - £17m
Son - £22m
Sissioko - £30m

Actually. That's not the point being made as far as I can tell.

The point is simple. Levy isn't some Machiavellian transfer genius. He doesn't have special powers at a negotiating table. He's just another chairman of a SELLING CLUB. Selling clubs sell their best players as he has done. People getting themselves all hot under the collar about what Walker is going to cost miss the point. The only time his reputation will matter to the bigger kids in the playground is when he actually STOPS selling players. Until then ... I daresay the likes of Txiki could give less of a fuck about the guy. They'll get Walker because they know Levy will sell. End of story.

 

[Marvin]

He's done a good job at Spurs, but he doesn't warrant the mythical transfer genius reputation he's created for himself. Which was very clearly my point, and when I referred to him as an average mid table director it was (like the rest of my entire comment) in relation to his transfer dealings.

As for Spurs academy, Pochettino is the only reason it's getting attention now, Spurs have produced good players for years, but it took Pochettino to use it, and I dare say that with the exception of the players who've broken through under him, things will go back to normal when he leaves. Similarly, Pochettino is the only reason they are challenging (although only Spurs would be credited with challenging for the title after finishing 9 and 11 points behind the winners) major honours, and when he goes they will fall back again, probably with nothing to show for it.

Spurs look solid to me. I don't think managerial change is imminent, but if it was they'd be able to appoint a really top coach.

 

[domalino]

Spurs look solid to me. I don't think managerial change is imminent, but if it was they'd be able to appoint a really top coach.

Like who? They pay Pochettino less than Everton pay Koeman. They won't pay for a top coach, their only chance of replacing Pochettino is if a smaller club like Southampton manage to find another gem and Spurs can bully their way in.

As for solid, lets see how long it takes for all their players to start leaving when they decide that coming close to trophies for half the wages they could be earning isn't that great. Walker is leaving us and his £60,000 a week wage will defintiely have something to do with it. Alderweireld is demanding 2x his wages and running his contract down.

 

[Rolee]

DLIAC

 

[Marvin]

Like who? They pay Pochettino less than Everton pay Koeman. They won't pay for a top coach, their only chance of replacing Pochettino is if a smaller club like Southampton manage to find another gem and Spurs can bully their way in.

I have no idea what Pochettino earns but I see no rationale as to why Spurs wouldn't pay the going rate for a top coach should they need to replace him.