Tottenham tell Pochettino to work transfer miracles again on smaller budget than rivals

[Spurrific]

If this is even remotely true and we're shopping in the bargain bin (not saying it is) - Poch should leave and go to a club that will back him properly.

 

[Dougal]

As will our trophy cabinet.

Two wins away from the most sought after club trophy without spending like idiots.

 

[SpartanSpur]

What I like about this article is that is also suggests that Chelsea have a transfer ban that may actually be enforced, Liverpool are likely to make small adjustments and Arsenal have not determined their budget yet (but strong rumours are that if they miss out on CL it'll be small), yet we are going to be left behind by the spending of others and have to 'work miracles'...

If we can bring in 3-4 quality additions I'd certainly back us to improve next season. I like the sound of Grealish and Atal for starters. The Sessegnon and Gomes prices are reasonable although I'd prefer us to aim a bit higher. Belgian press saying we are interested in Tielemans again who I'd prefer over Gomes.

 

[Dougal]

If this is even remotely true and we're shopping in the bargain bin (not saying it is) - Poch should leave and go to a club that will back him properly.

Clubs that throw a lot of money at their problems tend to throw their managers under the bus too when things don’t go right. He’s got a good thing going here and the fact that he hasn’t spent the money has highlighted his talents as a coach.

 

[Spurs 1961]

Not worth reading the article so I won't. We know Poch does not like big squads but want to get rid of a few and get a few in. I see that happening but we won't be buying Neymar or paying Bale £500,000 a week

 

[newbie]

we are in a funny position, a couple of years back we had the best attack and defence, Mousa and Victor in midfield, best full backs year before in rose and walker. we didn't have many weakness we just lacked experience other clubs have improved but we can really improve as we have areas where we lack quality our full backs ect however we do need to spend wisely and we will improve just from no fucking world cup this summer that was a killer.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

We will never compete with City and United, that’s obvious. Chelsea are an unknown quantity at the moment till the transfer ban is sorted. Arsenal will have no more money than us, especially if no Champ lge.
If Tielemans has a choice of us and leicester...no contest really is it.
Gomes will be ideal. We badly need two top class CM’s. Victor looks shot and Dier will prob end up playing at the back.
If Eriksen goes cannot see us getting more than about 70 for him. Talk in the press about 130 is absolute rubbish.
Anyway Better to say we haven’t much money as opposed to telling everyone we have a war chest so they can stick another 0 on the price.
Having got to the end of the 5 year plan, Daniel can not afford to let this slip. We need to strengthen to maintain our position. 75 mill so far from champ lge. We will definitely spend this summer

 

[Japhet]

I don't expect us to be targetting the top tier of players (NDombele, deLigt etc), nor do I want us to. I want us to go after realistic targets for us like Berge, Diawara, Grimaldo, Meunier, Grealish, Brooks, Tielemans etc where we can get deals done early and have a full squad in pre season. We've been led down the garden path too often with rumours about Aguero and the like to fall for it again. Of course, the perennial fly in the ointment is Levy's asking price for players leaving which leads to the old 'can't buy til we sell' chestnut.

 

[shelfboy68]

Two wins away from the most sought after club trophy without spending like idiots.

No disrespect but with the best will in the world I don't think it's likely that this club will be CL winner's, a wonderful romantic notion but Barcelona are on a completely different level and no way past them.

 

[m*****73]

Who cares if teams outspend us? Their stadiums will still be shit. It’s short term thinking.

Two wins away from the most sought after club trophy without spending like idiots.

This is THE summer to show whether we are truly ambitious as a club or not.

Up to now, we are world class at excuses.

Even half the contributions to this forum seem to be content that we have a stadium but win nothing. What ambition is that? Who ever decides to follow a football club as a kid because they have a great stadium?!?!?

If we didn't already know it, it should be pretty obvious that we should look at the scousers as a model of how to run a club and really compete with Europe's elite. They got their manager and backed him. They're not funded by some Russian or Arab prince. They are a sustainable club, doing things the right way, investing in young and established players alike. Are our owners brave enough to follow their example?

Maybe someone on here who's happy that we'll only ever be also rans might explain to me why we can't compete with Liverpool?

We are based in London (which is a hell of alot more attractive than living on Merseyside), we have a super manager, we've a recent track record of playing in the Champions League, we've a better & bigger stadium, etc.

So why shouldn't we be able to match Liverpool?

Spending €100m in today's transfer market ain't gonna cut it. Minimum 4 first team players are needed now - and we need to be signing another couple of young, hungry, unproven players (the next Dele and Dier, etc.) to make sure we have the pipeline of talent coming through. Net spend of at least €150m needed. That should be available after spending nothing for the last 16mths....

 

[Dougal]

No disrespect but with the best will in the world I don't think it's likely that this club will be CL winner's, a wonderful romantic notion but Barcelona are on a completely different level and no way past them.

Sometimes football shakes off the shackles of notion and becomes a full blown romance. Otherwise why do we even bother?

 

[Dougal]

This is THE summer to show whether we are truly ambitious as a club or not.

Up to now, we are world class at excuses.

Even half the contributions to this forum seem to be content that we have a stadium but win nothing. What ambition is that? Who ever decides to follow a football club as a kid because they have a great stadium?!?!?

If we didn't already know it, it should be pretty obvious that we should look at the scousers as a model of how to run a club and really compete with Europe's elite. They got their manager and backed him. They're not funded by some Russian or Arab prince. They are a sustainable club, doing things the right way, investing in young and established players alike. Are our owners brave enough to follow their example?

Maybe someone on here who's happy that we'll only ever be also rans might explain to me why we can't compete with Liverpool?

We are based in London (which is a hell of alot more attractive than living on Merseyside), we have a super manager, we've a recent track record of playing in the Champions League, we've a better & bigger stadium, etc.

So why shouldn't we be able to match Liverpool?

Spending €100m in today's transfer market ain't gonna cut it. Minimum 4 first team players are needed now - and we need to be signing another couple as yong, unproven players (the next Dele and Dier, etc.) to make sure we have the pipeline of talent coming through. Net spend of at least €150m needed. That should be available after spending nothing for the last 16mths....

Last summer was ‘the summer’ too. Every summer is. But ‘the stadium’ has to be paid for. And you can’t just keep sticking transfer budgets rounded up to the nearest £50m out there because we don’t know who or for how much are targets will be. Makes for great headlines, has very little to do with reality for 99% of clubs.

 

[Spurrific]

Clubs that throw a lot of money at their problems tend to throw their managers under the bus too when things don’t go right. He’s got a good thing going here and the fact that he hasn’t spent the money has highlighted his talents as a coach.

They also tend to win things, when the combination of talented coach and ambitious board is there. Poch has said every window we need to be braver, now we’ve got a top of the line stadium with 0 investment where it matters, on the pitch.

Having said that, I’m sure we’ll actually address the clear problem areas of the squad this window. I’m not even being overly negative, regardless of what the sensitive hobbits who disliked my previous post think.

 

[Dougal]

There is a great likelihood that Liverpool, who spent millions buying top class solutions to the obvious problem areas of their team, and Tottenham, who spent zip, both end up top 4 and semi finalists of the Champions League. History books, similar. Balance books, very different.

This won’t last forever. Once the stadium balance is under control we will compete financially. To a point.

And this is all hypothetical anyway thanks to this article.

 

[Buggsy61]

Not read the article (first of plenty of trash we are going to be treated to over the next couple of months or so I am sure), but if we make CL I am confident that we will spend £100m+.
Noone who matters at the club - least of all Levy are going to put it out there that we have loads of money to spend as it will prejudice the subsequent negotiating position.

 

[John48]

Thought that last year, but we didn't. Still I expect we'll get loads of speculation & most of it will involve bad news for us.

 

[m*****73]

Last summer was ‘the summer’ too. Every summer is. But ‘the stadium’ has to be paid for. And you can’t just keep sticking transfer budgets rounded up to the nearest £50m out there because we don’t know who or for how much are targets will be. Makes for great headlines, has very little to do with reality for 99% of clubs.

None of us know what will happen this summer. And I certainly don't put any weight into what is reported in the media. Levy plays his cards close to his chest - as can be proven by the lack of accurate ITK over the last couple of seasons. We'll know who they sign or sell when the deal is done.

However, that being said, it's blindingly obvious that we need to upgrade in order to challenge for honours and even just to stay competitive. We've lost significant ground to Liverpool and City this season. And Arsenal, Chelsea and United have closed the gap. None of that is surprising given zero investment in playing resources over the last season & a half.

It's also obvious that Pochettino now expects or wants to see the club being "brave" (his choice of word). We can kid ourselves, but we know that he doesn't mean that we continue to shop in the bargain basement, if we shop at all.

The stadium has been delivered behind plan, while the on field performance is being delivered ahead of plan. That's why we are now at a critical crossroads in terms of what happens this summer. We either become like Arsenal (a decent team in a big stadium but with a general feeling of unfulfillment amongst the fans and the players) or Liverpool (a club with ambition and the courage to back itself and who know they are on the verge of something really big).

What does 'success' mean to us?

 

[JC-Rule]

The core of our squad is fine. A right back, a creative CM, a winger, and a back-up striker won't cost us the Earth.

This plus resign Eriksen and Toby.

 

[UbeAstard]

They also tend to win things, when the combination of talented coach and ambitious board is there. Poch has said every window we need to be braver, now we’ve got a top of the line stadium with 0 investment where it matters, on the pitch.

Having said that, I’m sure we’ll actually address the clear problem areas of the squad this window. I’m not even being overly negative, regardless of what the sensitive hobbits who disliked my previous post think.

Some of them clubs came close and didn't win, some did and have been out the premier league for a while. Would I swap their premier league title or FA cup for where we are now? No...

 

[Dougal]

None of us know what will happen this summer. And I certainly don't put any weight into what is reported in the media. Levy plays his cards close to his chest - as can be proven by the lack of accurate ITK over the last couple of seasons. We'll know who they sign or sell when the deal is done.

However, that being said, it's blindingly obvious that we need to upgrade in order to challenge for honours and even just to stay competitive. We've lost significant ground to Liverpool and City this season. And Arsenal, Chelsea and United have closed the gap. None of that is surprising given zero investment in playing resources over the last season & a half.

It's also obvious that Pochettino now expects or wants to see the club being "brave" (his choice of word). We can kid ourselves, but we know that he doesn't mean that we continue to shop in the bargain basement, if we shop at all.

The stadium has been delivered behind plan, while the on field performance is being delivered ahead of plan. That's why we are now at a critical crossroads in terms of what happens this summer. We either become like Arsenal (a decent team in a big stadium but with a general feeling of unfulfillment amongst the fans and the players) or Liverpool (a club with ambition and the courage to back itself and who know they are on the verge of something really big).

What does 'success' mean to us?

We can kid ourselves in both directions as far as the club’s ambitions are concerned but going by recent experience no amount of pointing out we need to spend will sway Levy. It’ll happen when it happens so guessing the war chest amount now and speculating players we should sign is just pissing in the wind.