Actions speak louder than words, but speaking is what Daniel Levy does best as the Tottenham chairman breaks his silence on Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank, and more.
Tottenham fans around the globe have heard the latest claims of Daniel Levy, and for most, they came with an element of surprise. Levy has always been clear about wanting his team to compete in the Champions League, but his recent statement is far more ambitious.
Speaking with club CEO Vinai Venkatesham, Levy set a clear Tottenham target to win the Premier League and Champions League.
He said: “We are very proud of the stadium, but we need to make sure we win on the pitch.
“There is no point in having a wonderful stadium if you have not got a wonderful team and winning. I mean, the reason we do all these other events is to provide additional financial resources to the club, which in turn goes back into the team. Everything is about the team. Everything.”
“Failure is not an option, the desire to succeed, and because it is so difficult, I want to succeed even more,” he added.
In response to Venkatesham commenting on Levy’s desire to win, the Spurs chairman said: “The pressure and the disappointment of not winning over a number of years, I just wanted it so desperately, not just for me, my family, but all the fans around the world.
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“We deserve some luck, and that last seven or so minutes was horrific. It felt like hours to win that final whistle went. That was just an amazing experience and you saw the outpouring of emotion with the parade.
“You know, it was just incredible. We have won a European trophy, but it is not enough. What we have not done is more important. We need to win the league. We want to win the Premier League. We want to win the Champions League, you know, we want to win.”
Daniel Levy’s past Tottenham Hotspur failures
Spurs almost had their hands on the Champions League, which is arguably the greatest tournament in club football. However, a poor refereeing decision in the opening minute set the tone for the game and Tottenham never really got going, in one of the most heartbreaking defeats in the club’s history.
Reaching the Champions League final was Mauricio Pochettino’s success. He built the best Tottenham first-team squad in recent memory without spending a huge sum of money. Despite an array of talent in the first team, the squad depth was lacking.
One only has to look as far as Tottenham’s bench for the 2019 Champions League final. The lack of quality speaks volumes and makes it very clear why Spurs did so well, yet always failed to achieve their ultimate goal of winning a trophy.
It was the responsibility of Levy to give Pochettino the players he needed. Instead, he broke a 15-year Premier League club record, by failing to sign a single player in the summer transfer window, back in 2018.
Even after Pochettino, Levy sacked Jose Mourinho less than a week before the Carabao Cup final. Mourinho may not have been doing well at Tottenham, but he was a proven winner elsewhere and deserved the chance to take his team to Wembley. Instead, Ryan Mason, who had no managerial experience, took charge as Spurs were defeated by Manchester City.
That decision was not motivated by success. Therefore, why should Spurs fans believe Levy’s latest claims that investing in the team and winning trophies is what is most important to him?
Ange Postecoglou is the latest Tottenham victim
Nothing has changed over the last couple of years. Ange Postecoglou was not backed by the club, as Spurs opted for more budget-friendly signings. Of course, the Australian will have had a say on the players arriving at Hotspur Way, but by January of this year, it was clear he was left hung out to dry.
Postecoglou warned Levy he was playing with fire over Tottenham’s transfer inactivity, and he was right. He had been without so many players due to injuries and yet, it seemed as though Levy was failing to sign players so he had a convenient excuse to axe Postecoglou in the coming months.
Even after Postecoglou won the Europa League, a decision was made, which Levy said was collective, to show the 59-year-old the door. Winning a trophy within two seasons at a club renowned for failing to win trophies was quite the achievement. It is ridiculous to demand more from any Spurs manager after only a couple of years at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Daniel Levy has to mean what he says this time
Levy has delivered Spurs a world-class stadium and state-of-the-art training facilities. The North Londoners have recorded a second-place finish in the Premier League and competed for trophies under his watch. However, his decisions on transfers and managerial sackings seem to contradict his new claims that everything is about the team.
The club’s latest appointment, Thomas Frank, is yet another reason why what Levy says does not appear to match what he does. Frank is undoubtedly a good manager and may well see Spurs rise back up the Premier League Table.
However, he has never won a major trophy as a manager. Is appointing him really going to see Spurs build on their recent success and win more silverware?
It is important to continue supporting Tottenham and hoping for the best. Whatever anyone’s opinions on Levy or the current crop of players, being behind the side through the good and the bad is the only way to help them move forward.
However, Levy’s supposed desire to win every trophy on offer needs to be backed up by his actions as chairman. That starts with backing Frank this summer and giving him the squad he needs to be successful at Tottenham.