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Levy discusses transfer plans, shoots down those Nike stadium rumours

davidmatzdorf

Front Page Gadfly
Jun 7, 2004
18,106
45,030
We're sailing a bit too close to the wind this year for my liking. Wait and see I guess.
There's a distinct "top 6". We won't qualify every year. Neither do Chelsea and Arsenal.

It was only a few years ago that nearly everyone here pontificated with great authority that there would always be the "top 4" and it could never change, no one could ever catch them: Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Things change.
 

Everlasting Seconds

Well-Known Member
Jan 9, 2014
14,914
26,616
Also mentioned CL football next season will provide more flexibility. Sounds like excuses are being put forward already in case CL qualification is not achieved this season.

In case levy hasn’t noticed CL qualification last few seasons has hardly helped us in the transfer market !
This is a good point and you are absolutely correct, however it may be that they are sounding out specific players who could be interesting in joining, but that would have CL footie as an requirement. So CL -> more flexibility because increased number of viable options.
 

Seafordian Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,157
4,141
I think this summer will be crazy when it comes to transfers.

Several clubs will be splashing the cash and I think we will be one of them (we will sell no doubt but we will buy heavily).

I'm at the point where I genuinely believe we'll never buy a player again ??
 

Seafordian Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,157
4,141
There's a distinct "top 6". We won't qualify every year. Neither do Chelsea and Arsenal.

It was only a few years ago that nearly everyone here pontificated with great authority that there would always be the "top 4" and it could never change, no one could ever catch them: Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Things change.

It's 'ok' for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal to fall in and out of Europa because, regardless, in the short term at least, they can still afford wages much higher than us even if we can offer a player Champs League. That might change in the future with what our new home can offer on terms of revenue.

Indulge my pontifications
 

vegassd

The ghost of Johnny Cash
Aug 5, 2006
3,356
3,330
It's 'ok' for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal to fall in and out of Europa because, regardless, in the short term at least, they can still afford wages much higher than us even if we can offer a player Champs League. That might change in the future with what our new home can offer on terms of revenue.

Indulge my pontifications
I think that's a great point and is probably part of the reason why we are still behind the other big clubs in terms of wages even though we have been in the CL for multiple seasons. I imagine that when we are putting together a contract for our player (new or existing) we have to consider the "what ifs" of things such as missing out on the CL in any given year more so than the other top six at the moment.

Hopefully the new stadium is going to have a much higher revenue "base" than WHL which will negate those "what ifs" to a decent extent and keep the financial side of the club ticking ever upwards.
 

thebenjamin

Well-Known Member
Jul 1, 2008
12,164
38,545
The liquidity point is an odd one. Sounds like he was expecting it to somehow get easier.

I think he's badly misread the direction the market's taken in the last couple of years, and the impact smaller clubs having more money has had.
 

TottenhamMattSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
10,925
16,007
There's a distinct "top 6". We won't qualify every year. Neither do Chelsea and Arsenal.

It was only a few years ago that nearly everyone here pontificated with great authority that there would always be the "top 4" and it could never change, no one could ever catch them: Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea. Things change.

That was over 10 years ago and was, as we (not) affectionately knew it - the Sky4. They utterly loved their little set up perennial champions league teams. This was in the days when it was purely Sky too, no BT Sport. I absolutely hated watching matches, even involving us, against a Sky4 team. The commentators and pundits practically willing them on to win.
They even used to let that scouse **** Tommo commentate on Liverpool matches on Soccer Saturday.
Thankfully Joe that Sky4 monopoly has finally been broken they aren't anywhere near as blatantly bias ad they once were.
Not to mention the spread of live games is a bit better. I'm sure some of the smaller teams would only ever be on TV to get battered by the Sky4.
 

Seafordian Spurs

Well-Known Member
Aug 20, 2013
2,157
4,141
I think that's a great point and is probably part of the reason why we are still behind the other big clubs in terms of wages even though we have been in the CL for multiple seasons. I imagine that when we are putting together a contract for our player (new or existing) we have to consider the "what ifs" of things such as missing out on the CL in any given year more so than the other top six at the moment.

Hopefully the new stadium is going to have a much higher revenue "base" than WHL which will negate those "what ifs" to a decent extent and keep the financial side of the club ticking ever upwards.

We can only hope! I do feel, as Levy kept implying in that recent supporters trust meeting, that it is all very long term with regards benefits of the new stadium. That securing of our future as a club and as a viable business is his aim and unfortunately that doesn't entail big glamour signings even if said signings could have been the difference between us winning a pot in the here and now...I do think if we 'fall' back into Europa, Levy/Spurs Plc will feel it's a damn shame but that a new and operational stadium in the most important thing for us. Basically, he won't be wailing and gnashing his teeth like us fans (too much) !
 

TottenhamMattSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
10,925
16,007
Back to Levy. I'm worried he took a calculated gamble a few years ago and it's not paid off.

I believe he genuinely believed FFP was a major threat to all clubs and the transfer bubble would burst. He likely thought all teams would fall in line and adhere to it so he got ahead of the game and invested in a player factory to make our own players for when it came.
Only it hasn't come. Teams are now spending more than ever and many are still totally disregarding FFP altogether.
That may change City and Chelsea are being looked at. But smaller clubs have money now. They're not letting any of their best players go on the cheap any more, but they're also not paying obscene money for our cast offs. They days of getting silly money for our old junk seem to have passed, hence Janssen, Whatever and half a dozen others we can't sell but don't play.

We may need to change direction.
 

Paolo10

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2004
6,179
7,621
Not to me, its sounds like he believes it has got more difficult and it was easier before.

Fail to see how this would be surprising to him with spiralling fees, wages and TV money increases etc. for most teams.

Also seem to recollect a couple of deals being rumoured to being very close to completion, so it's all a bit befuddling.
 

Pimp_Spur

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2005
1,122
2,045
Back to Levy. I'm worried he took a calculated gamble a few years ago and it's not paid off.

I believe he genuinely believed FFP was a major threat to all clubs and the transfer bubble would burst. He likely thought all teams would fall in line and adhere to it so he got ahead of the game and invested in a player factory to make our own players for when it came.
Only it hasn't come. Teams are now spending more than ever and many are still totally disregarding FFP altogether.
That may change City and Chelsea are being looked at. But smaller clubs have money now. They're not letting any of their best players go on the cheap any more, but they're also not paying obscene money for our cast offs. They days of getting silly money for our old junk seem to have passed, hence Janssen, Whatever and half a dozen others we can't sell but don't play.

We may need to change direction.
I agree, In City's case they have ignored FFP altogether and the consequences are a shoddy fine and a potential transfer window ban for a season. We have practically had a transfer window ban self imposed by the lack of expenditure on players and so a shoddy little fine shouldn't stop us from breaking the FFP rules if / when funds are available and as DL has said, the funds for transfers are available so lets go and bloody spend them now whilst the core of our great team are still here. Another wasted transfer window will IMHO just lead to top players like Kane, Ali & Co to think ' Sod it' we are getting no help so lets just move on and at the same time pretty much double / triple our current salaries.
 

Johnny J

Not the Kiwi you need but the one you deserve
Aug 18, 2012
18,124
47,908
Not to me, its sounds like he believes it has got more difficult and it was easier before.
Of course it's got more difficult. It has done every single season. It's never bloody easier.
 

yankspurs

Enic Out
Aug 22, 2013
41,883
71,188
Yes, Daniel. Because more clubs having money makes things...easier?o_O

I'd have thrown Grealish in his face after that statement. Villa were in dire need of the funds. Cant find more of a straight forward transfer than that.
 

Krule

Carpe Diem
Jun 4, 2017
4,534
8,686
  • DL said that transfers were tricky. If we could have sold XYZ and found someone better, we would have done it
  • DL said he was disappointed that the market was not as liquid as it had been previously
Déjà vu tbh.

Who's this guy XYZ and where did we sign him from ??(n)
 
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