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Tube strike is ON - but TfL says there is still time to avert chaos and pleads with RMT to back down
Tube strike is ON - but TfL says there is still time to avert chaos
Spurs Supporters’ Trust reflect on almost 25 years under former chairman, whose reign was subject to protests last season
End of an era: Daniel Levy has left his role as Tottenham chairman after almost 25 years
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George Flood
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The Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust (THST) have called for “deeper engagement with fan groups on the future direction of the club” as they responded to the news of Daniel Levy’s shock exit.
On Thursday came confirmation that Levy was departing his role as Spurs’ executive chairman after almost 25 years in post, with ENIC director and former Citi Private Bank CEO Peter Charrington becoming non-executive chairman moving forward.
The bombshell news came as a huge surprise to fans, a number of whom had protested against Levy’s leadership of Tottenham on several occasions last season.
The THST have now released a full statement reacting to his departure, urging Spurs to grab an “ideal opportunity” to foster a closer relationship with fans on the club’s future.
They thanked Levy for his “vision and drive” in delivering the world-class Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though criticised his engagement with supporters and transfer approach, describing the latter as “too cautious and too focussed on extracting monetary value”.
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“The surprising departure of Daniel Levy after 24 years as Executive Chairman of the Club provides the new leadership with the ideal opportunity for deepened engagement with fan groups on the future direction of the Club. They should take it,” read the THST’s statement.
“Daniel’s legacy is self-evidently the construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, widely regarded as one of the finest football stadia in the world, as well as related infrastructure such as the training ground. Building such a stadium in the dense, urban heart of our home, Tottenham, is no mean feat.
“While some may still hanker after the more intimate White Hart Lane, it is clear that THS was needed to allow Tottenham Hotspur to compete on an equal footing with Europe’s football elite. Our thanks go to Daniel for his vision and drive in delivering the stadium.
“And yet, the laser focus on cost and value for money necessary for completing the stadium didn’t serve the Club so well on the pitch. Our members and other respondents to our annual surveys consistently over many years valued the Club’s development off the pitch but wanted greater focus on the football.
“As welcome as the Europa League win was, it was only the second trophy during Daniel’s 24 year reign. The failure to kick on under Mauricio Pochettino and after the opening of THS was a missed opportunity and seemed to reflect an approach, particularly in the transfer market, that was too cautious and too focussed on extracting monetary value rather than addressing weaknesses that were obvious to all.
“Genuine fan engagement didn’t come naturally to Daniel. While on paper there was commitment, in practice this often meant telling us what the Club planned to do at short notice. Earlier engagement may have avoided missteps such as the proposed move to Stratford, the ESL, furloughing staff in the pandemic and curtailing senior season ticket concessions.
“Legally, there is no change in ownership, but there is no doubt Daniel’s departure represents a switch in leadership to that of the Lewis family interests. There is talk of outside investment and we would remind the Club of its support for the Trust’s 5 Principles upon which we will judge any owner of the Club.
“It also provides an opportunity for more meaningful engagement with fans; there has already been an encouraging start under new CEO, Vinai Venkatesham.
“The Trust will continue to play a constructive role in the engagement process and fulfil its role as a critical friend to the Club. The change in leadership provokes questions about future strategy, the timing of the change, plans for outside investment and reassurance that the Club is in good hands.
“The Trust will be asking those questions both directly and via its participation in the FAB. We’d like to thank Daniel Levy for his achievements during his 24 years of service to the Club and wish him well in his future endeavours.”
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The longest-serving Premier League chairman has been branded “the most astute” in English football
Goodbye: Daniel Levy
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David Pleat has described Daniel Levy's achievements at Tottenham as "incredible", insisting the departing chairman was the "most astute" in English football.
A shock announcement from Spurs on Thursday confirmed that Levy, the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League, was leaving with immediate effect.
It marks the start of a new era for Spurs, with board member Peter Charrington, who is a director of Spurs' owners ENIC, taking on the newly created role of non-executive chairman.
Pleat was Spurs' sporting director upon Levy’s appointment in early 2001, having previously served as manager, and went on to hold several other positions with the club during Levy’s tenure.
"I would judge a club on both its sustainability and its results, and it's very difficult to marry the two," Pleat told BBC 5Live when asked for a verdict on Levy’s time at the club.
"To achieve success in the modern game without mega, mega money, as has been proved, is very, very difficult. To do what Tottenham have done in the last two decades is quite incredible, because the stadium is magnificent, no one can rival the training ground, and the club is on a good footing.
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"[Levy] has always been sensible ... and has run the club sensibly."
He added: "There is no question [fans will in time give Levy credit] ... This training ground is magnificent. The stadium is there forever, and now they've got to start winning more, and challenging the biggest clubs.
"Who knows what the future may hold. Maybe Tottenham will be sold before too long. We shouldn't draw conclusions."
Legacy: Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium
The FA via Getty Images
Levy has long been considered a tough negotiator and shrewd operator. Sir Alex Ferguson described dealing with Levy during Manchester United’s successful pursuit of Dimitar Berbatov in 2008 as “more painful than my hip replacement”.
In an exclusive interview with Standard Sport in 2019, Levy dismissed suggestions he was the "best negotiator" in the Premier League. "All I am doing is trying to become a bigger club and I am just protecting my assets," he said.
The same suggestion was put to Pleat on Thursday night, who also refuted the reputation. He said: "[Levy was] no more tough than any other chairman who protects his club and looks after his club's finances.
"He's got a reputation as being tough, but I can assure you, I've known tougher chairman. He's very sensible. As far as being the custodian of the club, I don't think there's a more astute chairman in the Football League."
"He has looked after the club well. It's not easy to run a club, a massive club. See the problems at some of the biggest clubs, like Manchester United. Supporters are never happy, they want winning, winning, winning [but] it's not that easy."
Tottenham in May won just their second trophy of Daniel Levy reign
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Levy had been instrumental in bringing in new Spurs head coach Thomas Frank, following the departure of Ange Postecoglou despite the club's success in the Europa League last season after finishing 17th in the Premier League on the back of a club-record 22 defeats.
There were, though, growing frustrations within some of the Spurs fanbase over a perceived lack of progress under Levy's long tenure, after a string of managers had come and gone without being able to deliver silverware.
Tottenham said when announcing Levy's departure that there would be "no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure of the club”, and Pleat feels a period of calm is now needed amid talk of a possible sale of the club.
He continued: “Some of the talk I hear, about ENIC and about shares and this type of thing., I think it's very presumptuous at this stage for anyone to draw conclusions they don't know.
“The real reason [for Levy’s exit] very few people know, and I certainly don't. So it's very unwise to speculate. A decision has been made, and the club's in good hands. They've got some good people there, I can assure you."
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Simons joined Spurs last week from RB Leipzig as part of a deal worth just over £50million.
Prior to that, the attacking midfielder had been on the radar of both Bayern Munich and Chelsea earlier in the transfer window.
Neither side firmed up their interest, however, and instead it was Tottenham that pushed to sign Simons in the final days of the window.
And the Dutchman has now lifted the lid on why he was so delighted to put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Spurs.
“I’m happy to be a Tottenham player,” Simons told German newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung. “Since I was a child, it’s been my dream to play in the Premier League.
“The club’s vision, the magnificent stadium, the fans, the quality of the team, the coach - it’s a fantastic environment.
“I want to settle in quickly in my new home and show why Tottenham signed me.”
At one stage earlier in the summer, Bayern had looked favourites to sign Simons due to their director of sport, Max Eberl.
Eberl used to work at RB Leipzig and was their director of sport there when they signed Simons in 2023.
“In football, there are always discussions,” said Simons, when asked about Bayern’s interest. “But I don’t want to name names. Max was one of those who brought me to RB Leipzig, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that.
“The most important thing was to find a place where I could develop and express my playing style. That’s the way it is at Spurs.
“My first impressions of the club are great; I felt the energy and ambition when I was introduced to the fans.
“Expectations are high, both for the team and for me. I’m looking forward to duels against the best players in the world.”
Simons has also revealed how he spoke to Timo Werner, his former team-mate at Leipzig, before joining Spurs.
Werner spent 18 months on loan at Tottenham and told Simons that he would enjoy his time in north London.
“He told me a lot about the club’s greatness and the fantastic fans,” said Simons. “And he said he thought it was the right place for me to learn and improve. Thanks for your trust, Timo!”
The Ravens revamped their training facility this year as part of a five-and-a-half-month project believed to be worth in the region of £15million.
The 20,000-square-foot Under Armour Performance Center, also known as ‘The Castle’, has been turned into a premium performance and wellness space.
At the heart of it is a hydrotherapy suite which has a 50-foot, two-lane lap pool, a therapy pool, and hot and cold plunge pools - each large enough to accommodate up to 20 players. The suite also features an array of custom-built infrared saunas and Cryotherm plunge pools.
The Ravens took inspiration from other facilities for the renovations - one of which was understood to be Tottenham’s training ground.
The NFL side stayed at Tottenham’s base two years ago, before playing the Tennessee Titans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Ravens were impressed with the facilities and their head coach, John Harbaugh, made a point of thanking Spurs at the time.
“I really enjoyed Tottenham, when we practised over there,” he said. “Just look at the facilities.”
Ravens President Sashi Brown added: “Over 20 years ago, Steve Bisciotti’s vision for ‘The Castle’ established a new standard for training facilities across global sport and reflected his commitment to the pursuit of championships and giving players the very best.
“The sole focus of this renovation and investment was our players. The result is absolutely transformative for our ability to provide our players first-class healthcare and an incredible overall experience.
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Clubs must submit their List A squads by 11pm BST on Tuesday, September 2, meaning Spurs have just a few hours left to make some crucial calls.
Clubs can name a maximum of 25 players on their A-List, with at least two of those having to be goalkeepers. Significantly for Spurs, eight of those 25 spots must got to locally-trained players.
That applies to those who are club-trained, meaning they have been registered to a club for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.
Clubs can also fill that quota with association-trained players. That refers to those who registered to another club in the same association for three entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.
Of the eight spots for locally-trained players, only four can be filled by association-trained players. If a club has fewer than eight locally-trained players, their maximum squad size is reduced from 25.
The B-List is named ahead of each fixture and so presents no immediate rush for Spurs. There is no limit on the number of players who can be included on this.
UEFA rules state: “A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2004 and has, since his 15th birthday, been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.
Put simply, Spurs do not have enough club-trained players in their squad and have too many who fall into the association-trained category.
Goalkeeper Brandon Austin is the only club-trained player in the first-team squad, meaning Spurs will fill just one of the four necessary places under that requirement. As a result, their maximum squad size is set to be reduced from 25 to 22.
Spurs can name four association-trained players in their squad, but they have six who could fill those places. Dominic Solanke, Ben Davies, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence and Archie Gray all qualify.
There are 17 spots to be filled in the squad for players who are not locally-trained, but the signings of Xavi Simons and Randal Kolo Muani now leave Spurs with 21 to choose from.
Frank therefore will have to leave first-team players out while naming a squad that is smaller than other teams in the competition will have.
Yves Bissouma is unlikely to be in the squad, with it still possible that he leaves the club before the Turkish transfer window shuts on September 12.
James Maddison will almost certainly not be included either, having suffered an ACL injury that will keep him out for most of the season.
There are decisions to be made over the fitness of Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin. Kulusevski will potentially not be named in the squad, with the Swede expected to be out until at least December, while Radu Dragusin is believed to be a couple of months away from returning to first-team action.
Kota Takai is also currently injured and has not played since joining in the summer. However, with limited centre-back depth, Spurs could have to pick either Takai or Dragusin to have them available for the latter stages of the league phase.
If Dominic Solanke’s ankle injury is not serious, then Frank could opt to trim his attacking options. One of Wilson Odobert or Mathys Tel would likely then miss out.
Antonin Kinsky is also at risk of not being included, while Ben Davies and Archie Gray are the most likely candidates to miss out on the association-trained list.
Xavi Simons has revealed that the prospect of working under Thomas Frank was key in his decision to join Tottenham.
He was unveiled ahead of Tottenham’s home Premier League defeat to Bournemouth, but Spurs supporters will be made to wait until after the international break to watch him play in Lilywhite.
Speaking from the Netherlands’ camp to Dutch outlet AD, he explained that Frank’s management style convinced him of a move to Spurs.
“I always think the coaches are the most important people to base a decision on,” he said. “As a player, you see a coach more than your family.
"[Frank] told me a lot. Positive things, but also things I need to improve. It's fantastic how he sees football, how he wants to make players better.”
Conversations with managers have been key to Simons’ past transfer moves, but Frank’s pitch was a cut above, leaving him convinced that Hotspur Stadium could be a long-term home: “I heard different things from Thomas Frank than I've heard from other coaches in the past.
“Spurs is the right place for me to develop. And it's great that he was honest, that he wants to improve things for me."
He went on, adding that he was grateful for his time with Leipzig and PSV Eindhoven, after which he feels prepared to step up to the Premier League.
"I am ready for the Premier League now. I'm making the right moves at the right time.
“Taking a big step right away—that's on everyone's mind, I think. But step by step, that's how the best results come."
Simons will appear for the Netherlands in World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Lithuania this week before returning to north London to train with his Spurs teammates for the first time.
The club completed the signing of Xavi Simons last week to finally end their pursuit for a No10 and there is still a desire to add another attacking option to the squad.
PSG have been open to letting Kolo Muani leave all summer, and Spurs have swooped in after talks with Juventus collapsed over the weekend.
Standard Sport understands Kolo Muani will join on loan, with Spurs holding no option or obligation to make the move permanent. The player is currently travelling to undergo a medical.
Thomas Frank only wants signings that will raise the quality of the squad and that has made a centre-back addition difficult, with it tough to find a player close to the level of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero who is also happy to be a back-up.
Spurs' move for Kolo Muani comes despite the club remaining hopeful that Dominic Solanke is not set for an extended spell on the sidelines.
The forward missed the defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday with an ankle issue that has been bothering him since the early stages of pre-season.
Solanke has had an injection on his ankle and will continue to be assessed over the international break, but Kolo Muani's arrival provides cover should that issue prove to be more serious.
Ademola Lookman could be on the move on deadline day, though it is unlikely that Spurs pursue a deal.
The club have been interested in Lookman this summer, and it is believed he wants to leave Atalanta. Bayern Munich have had a loan offer for the winger rejected.
It is looking increasingly likely that Manor Solomon will still be a Spurs player beyond the close of the window this evening.
Spurs have been open to offers for the 26-year-old this summer, whether that be a permanent sale or a loan, but nothing has materialised.
Solomon instead returned to the Spurs squad for the first time in two years on Saturday and could now be a part of Frank's plans going forward.
Spurs are still trying to move on Bryan Gil before the end of the window. However, while Girona want his contract to be terminated so they can sign the winger, Spurs have no plans to do so and will not allow the Spaniard to leave as a free agent.