TBR Football

Tottenham Hotspur are not in a particularly good place at present amid poor form and fan criticism of both the manager and the board.

Spurs’ 4-0 victory over Manchester City was cause for major celebration among fans, but that remains the last time the team has won.

Tottenham have since failed to win in five matches in all competitions, and both of the Lilywhites’ last two Premier League games ended in defeats.

On Thursday, Spurs drew with Rangers in the Europa League, after which Ange Postecoglou publicly criticised Timo Werner.

The Telegraph has now reported what Postecoglou has done with Tottenham’s other senior players behind closed doors.

Tottenham boss and staff demanding more from multiple players

According to the newspaper, Werner is just one of a number of the club’s senior players Postecoglou and his staff are demanding more from.

The Tottenham boss has also ‘stood by his brutal assessment’ of the RB Leipzig loanee, who he accused of not ‘playing anywhere near the level he should’.

What Postecoglou said about Werner at Friday’s press conference

Indeed, Postecoglou doubled down in his Friday press conference ahead of Sunday’s Premier League trip to Southampton as he spoke of “other players” who should’ve done better.

“I get there’s a lot of discussion around him but, for me, last night was not about Timo Werner,” he told football.london. “It is about the situation we are in and what is required in this time.

“Last night, it didn’t have to be Timo, it could have been someone else and there are other players who I think could have also given more to what we were trying to do last night.

“I just felt from him, particularly because he hasn’t played a lot, there should have been some freshness around him to make a real impact because I know he is a top player.

“I suspect he looks around and sees an 18-year-old and other players who have played a lot and say ‘I am going to make an impact myself’ because he is a top player and that’s what I expect.”

As things stand, Guglielmo Vicario, Richarlison, Ben Davies, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are all injured.

Meanwhile, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur are both suspended for the Saints game.

With so many players out of action, it’s understandable why Postecoglou wants more from those who are available as the team navigates some very choppy waters.

Officially, Tottenham – like all of their co-conspirators from three years ago – have distanced themselves from the European Super League. Privately, things aren’t as clear cut.

In April 2021, the rhetoric from clubs like Spurs who backed out of the botched Super League plot with their tails between their legs was that they had to join because their rivals were.

The six Premier League clubs – Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs – would surely trot out the same reasoning this time around.

That European Super League 2.0 is in the works is far from a conspiracy.

The organisations backers, A22 Sports Management, are actively working to relaunch the project, with the blessing of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The imminent introduction of an independent football regulator with the potential power to block owners from signing up breakaway leagues was presumed by many to preclude English clubs.

However, new reports suggest that the A22 have not given up hope of getting the Big Six to sign up and, far from being rebuffed, the Premier League are actively courting their advances.

With Tottenham seeking new investment – a process during which Daniel Levy has valued the club at £3.75bn – the issue s more pressing for the North Londoners than most.

Super League would supercharge Tottenham’s value amid investment talks, says finance expert

Amanda Staveley is known to be interested in investing in Spurs, while several other names have been tentatively linked with a minority deal.

As Liverpool University football finance lecturer Kieran Maguire tells TBR Football, participation in a revamped European Super League would be transformative in terms of the price Levy and ENIC could get.

“From an investment perspective, the one thing you don’t want in any business is uncertainty.

“What we have at Spurs is uncertainty in terms of whether they will qualify for the Champions League.

“Qualification for the Champions League is going to be worth – if you combine broadcast money, matchday revenue and commercial bonuses – is going to be worth £150-200m to any side that wins it.

“You are going to get a quarter of that in the Europa League and maybe a sixth of that in the Conference League.

“With a revamped Super League, participation is not guaranteed indefinitely, but it may as well be for the elite clubs.

“When you take a look at the structure that A22 are proposing, there is effectively only one up, one down.

“If you qualified domestically via winning the league – if we had another Leicester, for example – it could take them three years to get to the top division of the new setup.

“During that period, all of their best players would be poached by bigger clubs who can afford to pay more.

“It is locking up a bigger product for those top teams. There is no doubt those conversations are taking place behind closed doors.

“We have seen the mealy-mouthed responses to the Super League at the time, those comments were made through gritted teeth.

“There is nothing more that those owners want than to have guaranteed revenues. That would be fantastic for enterprise value [takeover value].

“On a discounted cash flow basis, the more uncertainty, the lower guaranteed future revenues were be, you add those all together, work out your terminal value and that gives you your enterprise value.

“With Super League, you are reducing the risk by two or three percentage points, which would have a massive impact on the value of clubs like Spurs.”

What is the latest with Amanda Staveley plans to buy into Tottenham?

Since it was reported in June that Staveley wanted to acquire a minority stake in Tottenham through her PCP Capital Partners investment vehicle, there have been relatively few clear updates.

However, the Middle East-focused financier has made some changes to a number of her sports investment companies on Companies House, the UK business registrar.

She has also chosen not to deny the reports linking her with Spurs and was a guest at the NFL’s London Games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a few weeks ago.

Tottenham Hotspur aren’t in a particularly good place at present, having failed to win any of their last five games.

Spurs’ last game was a 1-1 draw against Rangers in the Europa League, in which Ange Postecoglou’s side had to come from behind.

After the game, the Tottenham manager publicly criticised Timo Werner for being nowhere near the level expected of him.

“He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds it’s not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo. He’s a senior international, he’s a German international.”

Werner only has one goal and three assists from 19 Tottenham outings this season, and hasn’t completed a full 90 minutes since returning to Spurs.

This is the RB Leipzig forward’s second loan stint with Tottenham, having linked up with the Lilywhites in the second half of last season.

When Werner re-joined Tottenham, Alasdair Gold shared how Spurs’ players and staff made of his return, which makes for interesting hearing now.

Tottenham were hoping for Timo Werner stay last summer

Back in May, after Tottenham confirmed Werner’s return to N17 on loan with the option to buy, Gold said the Spurs players and staff were happy to have him back.

“I think it’s also key that Postecoglou wanted him,” he said. “I have spoken to a few people around the club and around the squad as well and quite a few people were hoping that he would stay.

“He has just been quite effective within the Postecoglou way. He does exactly what he wants. He has fitted into the squad dynamic very well. He is popular within the squad.

“Werner wanted to stay himself as well.”

Postecoglou previously said he would never publicly criticise his players, something which he has now done.

Could Werner leave Tottenham in January transfer window?

Werner’s disappointing season so far, culminating in his poor performance against Rangers, had led to speculation regarding his future at N17 ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Tottenham have the option to end his loan stint early, but according to Bild, this is not something they plan to do.

However, the outlet says Spurs are unlikely to take up the option to sign Werner at the end of the season as things stand.

It looks as though Tottenham could be keeping him around as a squad option – and maybe Postecoglou’s public criticism may spur him on – while they’ve got him.

Tottenham’s performances on the pitch in recent weeks have taken a turn for the worse, but they remain one of the most desirable clubs in world football from an investment perspective.

That is just as well, as Daniel Levy is looking for a new minority partner at Spurs and has commissioned the Rothschild bank to canvass the market for fresh investment.

Amanda Staveley, the former Newcastle United supremo and broker for the rich and powerful in the Middle East, is one possible option.

Via her PCP Capital Partners investment vehicle, Staveley has raised £500m and is looking at Tottenham.

TBR Football understands Staveley’s consortium counts investors from the Middle East among its members but not royals from any of the major Gulf nations, à la Newcastle or Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs side have won one of their last eight and those persistent questions about the ambitions of Levy and ENIC, the club’s major shareholders persist.

Among those who voice their frustrations was Cristiano Romero, who criticised the North London club’s lack of investment and culture, suggesting it is “always the same people responsible.”

Incidentally, speaking ahead of Spurs’ draw with Rangers at Ibrox last night, Postecoglou said there will be no reprisal for Romero from the board or management in N17 for his remarks.

Over the years, numerous groups and individuals have been linked with taking over Tottenham, increasing spending, and inspiring the club to challenge for titles once more.

It has been the football finance industry’s worst kept secret for several years that the club are open to investment, with a minority deal and full takeover both on the table.

The likes of Liberty Media, the sports empire behind Formula One, have been suggested as potential suitors, while sources have TBR that MSP Sports Capital have also previously held an interest.

One name, however, has arguably stood out against the rest.

Sheikh Jassim advisor clarifies takeover intentions after Spurs link

The mysterious Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani was one of a handful of parties to submit a full takeover offer worth around £5bn for Manchester United.

Ultimately, the Glazers rejected the Qatari banker and royal’s advances in favour of a £1.2bn minority deal from Sir Jim Ratcliffe instead.

Sheikh Jassim was subsequently linked with a deal to buy Spurs, who Levy values at around £3.75bn.

It was not the first time that the North Londoners had been earmarked as a potential subject of Qatari investment. Paris Saint-Germain’s owners Qatar Sports Investments, have also been mentioned.

This week, fresh detail has emerged about Sheikh Jassim’s interest in the Premier League.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Jassim has entirely given up hope of one day buying Man United. But does that mean a takeover of Spurs is out of the question?

Yes, according to an anonymous advisor quoted in the piece, who said: “He [Jassim] is still a United fan. He is not going to rush off and try another Premier League club.

“If the opportunity to buy the whole of Manchester United arose again at some point in the future it is hard to see there not being a big level of interest. The plans are still there.”

So it looks like Spurs hopes of blasting hundreds of millions worth of petrodollars in the transfer market are on ice for the time being.

But could a new minority partner in Amanda Staveley cajole the Levy-ENIC regime to increase their spending in line with their pees in the so-called Big Six?

Amid Amanda Staveley interest, would Tottenham spend more under a new owner?

If indeed she did buy into Spurs, it would be highly unlikely that Staveley would use her own capital.

Instead, the financier would probably borrow from another member of her consortium to fund a stake, just as she did from the Reuben Brothers to acquire her equity in Newcastle in 2021.

The cash injection, Levy says, would go towards infrastructure projects – probably the hotel they are building at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – and investing in the men’s and women’s teams.

However, there would be no obligation for Levy or ENIC to redirect funds into the club at all if it is a transfer between themselves and an external party as opposed to a new share issue.

In either case, it is unlikely that a minority investment of around 10-20 per cent would lead to a dramatic upswing in spending. At least, not in the immediate term.

If Spurs are in real danger of slipping away from their rivals and, most crucially, losing their status as semi-regulars in the extraordinarily lucrative Champions League, they will have to open their wallets.

Tottenham have built a ‘brand’ and a mature commercial strategy that can withstand a lot, true.

But they need to be at least slightly competitive at the top end of the Premier League if Levy and ENIC’s capital appreciation plan (buy low, sell high) is going to attract the return on investment they crave.

Ange Postecoglou is coming under pressure at Tottenham at the moment and it’s safe to say he’s not exactly helping his own cause with some recent comments.

Tottenham drew with Rangers last night in the Europa League but away from just that game, it’s been a busy week of press duties for Postecoglou.

Postecoglou was forced to come out and speak about Cristian Romero’s comments on the club lacking investment.

At the time, Postecoglou stated that Romero had said some correct things but claimed some of his comments were wrong, and insisted that it’s akin to him not publicly criticising a player.

However, after the draw with Rangers, Postecoglou seems to have already gone back on those words, just days after making the claim.

Ange Postecoglou slams Timo Werner as he goes back on his word

Speaking after the 1-1 draw with Rangers, Postecoglou was pressed on the performance from his team and he fell into the trap of getting onto individuals.

More specifically, Timo Werner, who he criticised for a poor performance as a senior player.

“Yeah, yeah, he wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should,” Postecoglou commented.

“When you’ve got 18-year-olds it’s not acceptable to me. I said that to Timo. He’s a senior international, he’s a German international. In the moment we’re in right now, it’s not like we’ve got many options. I need everyone to at least be going out there trying to give the best of themselves. His performance in the first half wasn’t acceptable.”

Of course, this comment from the Tottenham boss goes directly against what he said in midweek about Romero.

There is always a risk when a manager comes out to the general public and picks a player out and even more of a risk when results are going badly.

Postecoglou will not be fussed about his words on Werner and to be honest, he is correct with his analysis.

However, he has dug a player out here when others are performing poorly as well and how that goes down in the dressing room, remains to be seen.

Postecoglou has potentially rolled the dice a bit here and it will be interesting to see how both Werner and the rest of the squad react.

Tottenham Hotspur need some help in the January transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are not in a good place at the moment. They have won just one of their last eight games in all competitions and have looked really poor in most of those fixtures.

Injuries have been a big factor for Tottenham, but some of their key players haven’t stepped up either. That has made things worse.

Postecoglou is ready to dive into the transfer market in January, and he has identified a key target.

Tottenham want to sign Quinten Timber in January

Tottenham’s problems haven’t just been at the back, their midfield has struggled this season too.

Rodrigo Bentancur is serving his ban in the Premier League, while James Maddison has been hit-and-miss for a few months now.

Yves Bissouma, on his day, is among Tottenham’s best midfielders, but he has been far too inconsistent in a Spurs shirt.

Football Transfers have now revealed that Postecoglou is ready to sell Bissouma in January, and Tottenham have identified Quentin Timber of Feyenoord as his replacement.

The 23-year-old, twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, is a midfielder by trade, and he has been impressing in the Netherlands for a while now.

The report claims that Postecoglou has already held talks with Johan Lange about new signings in January, and Timber has been described as a ‘perfect fit’.

Liverpool are also interested in signing the 23-year-old – they see Timber as an alternative to their long-time target Martin Zubimendi.

Tottenham have a surprise edge over Liverpool in Quinten Timber race

Timber is a fine player, and it’s only a matter of time before he leaves Feyenoord for a bigger club. That could happen in January.

Liverpool’s interest in Timber isn’t too big of a surprise as their manager, Arne Slot, worked with the Dutchman during their time together at Feyenoord.

However, the report claims that it is Tottenham who could have a slight edge in the race for his signature.

That’s because the Timber brothers ‘are known to be very close, and living in the same city would be seen as a major benefit’ for them.

The report also adds that Spurs’ rivalry with Arsenal will not be a problem for the brothers – they shared a house before despite playing for rival clubs in the Netherlands – Ajax and Feyenoord.

The outlet describes Timber as a ‘versatile, all-action player’, and we think he would be a great addition to Tottenham’s side in January.

James Maddison will leave Ibrox worried about his future at Tottenham Hotspur as one of the club’s hottest young talents outperformed him against Rangers.

Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox, which looks to be a decent point for Ange Postecoglou’s team in the end. The Scottish giants caused Spurs many problems in this key Europa League clash as the pressure continues to mount on their manager.

For Maddison, it was another lacklustre showing with his place in the team already so uncertain. His display against Rangers won’t have done him any favours either, especially with another midfielder staking his claim to start for Postecoglou.

How Lucas Bergvall outperformed James Maddison vs Rangers

James Maddison will return to London with his future at Tottenham even more uncertain following the impressive cameo of Lucas Bergvall. The 18-year-old was tasked, alongside Dejan Kulusevski, with galvanising Spurs’ midfield and he did exactly that as he moved the ball with real purpose.

The Lilywhites’ midfield trio of Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Maddison struggled to take control of the game and that changed after the introduction of Bergvall and Kulusevski. Both players looked motivated to change the game and the two Swedes helped rescue a point.

Maddison still managed a few bright moments but in a hostile atmosphere and when Tottenham were already up against it, they needed their vice-captain to step up. However, the 28-year-old was just unable to make anything happen for his team and was lucky not to have been hooked off.

What Lucas Bergvall’s performance means for James Maddison

Bergvall’s 29-minute cameo was praised by Glenn Hoddle as the Tottenham legend claimed the midfielder showed so much confidence against Rangers. With Spurs set to be without the suspended duo of Bissouma and Bentancur, the Swede staked his claim to start against Southampton.

Postecoglou had plenty of good things to say about the teenager in his press conference: “I thought Lucas was excellent when he came on as well. He was due to start tonight but wasn’t feeling well today. He was a bit under the weather today. We had to keep him on the bench, but that’s a massive positive for us.”

The young Swede has done well in each of his last appearances for the North Londoners and his display against Rangers may well earn him a starting spot against Southampton. If Bergvall continues to perform, Maddison could fall even further down the pecking order at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur managed to salvage a 1-1 draw with Rangers in their Europa League clash at Ibrox on Thursday night.

Spurs were lacklustre in the first half and ended up conceding shortly after the restart when Light Blues star James Tavernier crossed for Hamza Igamane to slam home.

However, Tottenham improved as the second half wore on and fashioned themselves an equaliser on 75 minutes.

Substitute Dejan Kulusevski slotted home after good work from Dominic Solanke and James Maddison to split the Rangers defence open.

Neither side could find a winner, though Fraser Forster had to be alert to make a superb late save from Gers forward Cyriel Dessers.

Despite a fair few Spurs players flattering to deceive in Glasgow, there was praise from supporters for one of their young gems.

Tottenham fans call for Lucas Bergvall to start against Southampton

Tottenham fans loved what they saw from Lucas Bergvall against Rangers as he helped take back control of the game alongside Kulusevski.

The 18-year-old is starting to look more confident at this level as he completed 27 of his 28 passes and won four of his nine ground duels, plus one aerial duel.

Needless to say, many Spurs supporters backed Bergvall to start against Southampton this Sunday.

One fan said: “I think Bergvall looked a lot better in the second half, and showed some composure in the 30 minutes he played.

“He will start on Sunday for sure. Looking forward to it. I’ve been waiting for Radu and Bergvall to get their first goals at Spurs.”

Another supporter said: “There is simply no reason why Bergvall shouldn’t start on Sunday.

“He has been great tonight and brought the energy and hunger we have needed in a while. A good game from him on Sunday and he should start versus United too.”

The calls for Bergvall to start kept coming, with one fan adding: “Bergvall needs game time. Levy bought him as an investment. Ange needs to see past that.

“I watched him live several times last season over here. He’s thrives on confidence. Put him on from the start in place of Maddison.”

There were also comparisons with established stars, one fan saying: “Have we found our very own Frankie De Jong in Bergvall? He looks so suited to that number 6 role.”

What Glenn Hoddle and Ally McCoist said about Bergvall

Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle said Bergvall “looks really good” as his confidence increases and his passing gets more adventurous.

Hoddle told TNT Sports during the game: “I think young Bergvall looks good. Looks really good. He looks confident.

“It’s the first time I have seen him come on and be a bit adventurous with the passing.”

Ally McCoist added: “He’s one of those boys who always looks like has a bit of time. He always makes a bit of time and space for himself.”

Tottenham are next in action on Sunday night as they head to Southampton for a Premier League fixture scheduled to kick off at 7pm GMT.

One of Ange Postecoglou’s big Tottenham Hotspur mistakes was once again exposed as his team were held to a draw with Rangers.

Tottenham were held to a 1-1 tie with Rangers at Ibrox in what was a decent point in the end for Ange Postecoglou’s team. The Scottish giants caused Spurs many problems in this key Europa League clash.

It was another tough evening for the North London club’s manager as one of his big mistakes again came back to bite him during his team’s lacklustre showing in Glasgow.

No Djed Spence is coming back to bite Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou’s decision not to include Djed Spence in Tottenham’s Europa League squad is continuing to look more foolish by the week. Spurs looked in desperate need of rotation at full-back which they were unable to do with no alternative options available.

Archie Gray has been the only other player to feature at full-back for the North London club this season, aside from Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie. Both players have played 90 minutes in most games this campaign and their performances are starting to show strong signs of fatigue.

In fairness, at the time, Fraser Forster was picked over Spence due to Postecoglou opting for a backup goalkeeper over another option at full-back. But considering Gray was his only alternative to Porro and Udogie, in hindsight, he should have sacrificed another area of the squad.

Spence playing just 109 minutes of action this term remains a great mystery, especially when you consider he has only recently signed a new deal and the Lilywhites crying out for a new full-back.

Pedro Porro’s stats vs Rangers make for shocking reading

Not including Spence was made to look even more foolish against Rangers as Porro produced one of his worst displays in Tottenham colours. The defender was ripped apart by Rıdvan Yılmaz who caused him so many issues down Spurs’ right side.

The defender lost possession a shocking 20 times against Rangers and he was dribbled past on four occasions at Ibrox. The 25-year-old is a top player but it is so clear he needs to be rested.

Postecoglou must start Spence over Porro against Southampton as the Spaniard looks a shell of himself right now having played too much football.

Tottenham Hotspur dropped points once again, this time against Rangers in the Europa League.

Spurs are really struggling at the moment. They have just one win in their last eight games in all competitions, which is simply not good enough.

Manchester United have now overtaken Tottenham in the Europa League table, and Spurs are at risk of missing out on automatic qualification.

Ange Postecoglou was far from impressed with his side’s display, but he seemed impressed by two players’ performance at Ibrox.

Ange Postecoglou praises Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall after Tottenham’s draw with Rangers

Injuries have made life horrible for Tottenham this season.

The North Londoners have had one problem or another for several weeks now. They are really short of options at the back, and that has played a part in their results.

Spurs brought Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven back against Chelsea, but neither player lasted that game. They are both sidelined again and missed the clash against Rangers on Thursday night.

That forced Postecoglou to start young Archie Gray in the heart of the defence, and the teenager, despite the result, played a good game. Fellow youngster Lucas Bergvall came on in the second half, and he showed some good touches too.

Postecoglou, who is under pressure because of the results, faced the media after the game, and he praised both Gray and Bergvall.

He said, as per Football London: “He (Gray) is 18, it’s a big experience for him. I thought he handled himself really well. We’re asking him to do something that as an 18-year-old in his first year at this level, to play in an unfamiliar position in such big games, I thought it’s outstanding what he’s doing.

“I thought Lucas was excellent when he came on as well. He was due to start tonight but wasn’t feeling well today. He was a bit under the weather today. We had to keep him on the bench, but that’s a massive positive for us.

“Those two, as 18-year-olds, to be already contributing and experiencing these things will be of enormous benefit to us.”

Tottenham’s next six games could earn Postecoglou the sack

One win in eight games is a terrible record for any club, let alone a side as big as Tottenham.

Postecoglou was adamant a few months ago that he always wins a trophy in his second season at the club, but if their performances don’t improve, they won’t stand a chance.

Tottenham need to start winning games, especially in the Premier League, but unfortunately for them, their next six games don’t look easy at all, especially because of their injuries.

Southampton have been dreadful this season, but facing them away from home under the lights is never easy. They could spring a surprise.

Manchester United in the cup is probably Spurs’ biggest game of the season. They need to win that to have a good chance of winning silverware, but the Red Devils are improving under Ruben Amorim and could get one over Tottenham.

Liverpool will be the favourites for their game against Spurs and Nottingham Forest will be a tough test too – they have had a great start to the season and even just beat Manchester United.

The Wolves clash at home is arguably the easiest, but right after that, Tottenham face Newcastle, a club who have given them a lot of pain in recent years.

If Spurs don’t come out of these fixtures with a few wins, Postecoglou will be in big trouble and could be shown the door.