Apologies, couldn’t help but laugh out loud at your post.That was a fair call at the time.
1. Poch was okay with the idea of signing Grealish but didn't especially want him. So no surprise that Levy wasn't prepared to go balls deep.
2. No other club was in for him at the time at that price.
3. Grealish had just had a great season in the Championship but was largely unproven at PL level.
4. Given all of which, Spurs' bid of £20m was a lot at the time.
5. And Spurs did eventually agree a deal with Villa at £20m. But it was called off a day or two later when Villa were taken over.
As to this transfer window, it has indeed been a bit of a shambles thus far. But not because Levy is being tight. It's because both Traore and Luiz preferred other clubs. Entirely understandable in both cases. But, yes, very disappointing - especially missing out on Luiz.
Spurs are supposedly still expecting three in and quite a few out over the next couple of days. Mostly loans. I'm not especially enamoured by the names being linked - a number of Juve squad players. A tad underwhelming.
I’m convinced that one reason other clubs seek to persecute us is that it deflects from their continued mismanagement. That said, simply buying players now to appease fans/new managers makes little sense if the intention is to change and work instead to a plan.It's hard to believe that Premier League football clubs are run this badly.
I agree they should be working to a long term plan but when you are well placed and have games in hand and a new coach who seems to have made an impact, then you'd imagine that you would accelerate long standing plans. They don't seem to have any whereas clubs like City and Liverpool do. Newcastle are in a desperate situation and seem to have signed or be very close to signing Guimaraes for a fee that Spurs could have met.I’m convinced that one reason other clubs seek to persecute us is that it deflects from their continued mismanagement. That said, simply buying players now to appease fans/new managers makes little sense if the intention is to change and work instead to a plan.
Yet throwing money around to appease people is one of the reasons they’re well placed rather than in the top four, where they arguably should be when Arsenal and that lot are all at sea.I agree they should be working to a long term plan but when you are well placed and have games in hand and a new coach who seems to have made an impact, then you'd imagine that you would accelerate long standing plans. They don't seem to have any whereas clubs like City and Liverpool do. Newcastle are in a desperate situation and seem to have signed or be very close to signing Guimaraes for a fee that Spurs could have met.
Something of a cliche but the January window, especially, is very tricky. It's only in the last few days that it starts to open up.I agree they should be working to a long term plan but when you are well placed and have games in hand and a new coach who seems to have made an impact, then you'd imagine that you would accelerate long standing plans. They don't seem to have any whereas clubs like City and Liverpool do. Newcastle are in a desperate situation and seem to have signed or be very close to signing Guimaraes for a fee that Spurs could have met.
Spurs are in a position here that could set them up for the next decade.Levy does this every other transfer window. Gets to the last week, and suddenly they are involved in the transfer market. SSN and the media in general tell us what a shrewd operator he is but I don't see the sense in it.
I believe Utd are going to get 4th now because they can't possibly be as bad in the 2nd half of the season as they have been in the first but the 4th spot is relatively wide open and I you would have thought a Spurs or west Ham might have been working on some transfer plan for some time but no they leave everything until the last 72 hours.
It's hard to believe that Premier League football clubs are run this badly.