Manager Watch: Ange Postecoglou

[alfie103]

I think the wages thing is a misnomer. Someone shared an article in here that summarised how many prem clubs were cutting their wage bills, because of PSR and the lack of money in other european leagues meaning it's impossible to shift deadwood on high wages. It mentioned this being the main reason why Chelsea were getting rid of both Sterling and Chilwell.

Also, if Udogie, Gray, Bergvall, VDV etc... all start fulfilling their potential it won't be long before their wages are increased anyway. Our wage bill being what it is, is a direct result of trying to build the squad back from the ground up. Filling it with young talents to start a new cycle.

Yes we are more competitive on wages because of the stadium, but it doesn't mean we're going compete with Chelsea's reckless level of spending, and give injury prone players 7 year contracts. It means when those young players I listed fulfil their potential we can offer them big contract renewals (as is reportedly happening with Romero), and if the squad gets to the stage where it needs 1 or 2 finished articles to push us to compete for the league, we have the capacity to do it.

On that last point, we haven't been at the stage where the squad is performing at capacity and needs a couple of ready made players to push on since peak Poch. This was obviously something we couldn't do at the time due to the stadium build. So we'll see what Levy is really made of if we get to that level again, because by all accounts we should have the ability to make those signings and push the team on (a la Rice signing for Arsenal) with the additional stadium revenues.

The wages thing isn't a misnomer. Premier League clubs might be cutting their wage bills but they are in a very different position financially and in terms of PSR to us. Look at the highest wages bill in the PL for last few years and those are the clubs that tend to be in the highest positions.

I am not sure why you are equating being more competitive with wages to doing what Chelsea have done recently. It seems to be something people mention as if there is no choice between the two, look at what Liverpool and Arsenal do.

Why do we have to buy young players and develop them hoping we get the team to a level we were under Poch, to then start buy one or two ready made players?

 

[NEVILLEB]

We recruit the players at the wage bracket we are willing to pay. Some play above that expectation, some below. It averages out. If we are super lucky we stumble across a young worldie (Kane, Bale) up their wages as much as we dare and keep them until they realise they will have to move to play in a team of peers.

We’re run as a frugal business. I think Levy takes more pleasure from that side of it than he does the football and desire to win trophies.

He’s a good businessman but he’s not really into football and so makes decisions which are blind to creating a winning team.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

We’re run as a frugal business. I think Levy takes more pleasure from that side of it than he does the football and desire to win trophies.

He’s a good businessman but he’s not really into football and so makes decisions which are blind to creating a winning team.

Here's a devils advocate position to that. Generally when we've paid big wages and had success it's been with players we've developed (Kane, Son, Bale). We have them younger and when they improve we secure them with wages that are in line with their standing. When we've brought players in on big salaries we've got stuck with them as there's a risk with integration.
If we buy the best young talent on lower wages, if they fail we can shift them but if the succeed we can pay them the market rate to secure them which is a much less risky strategy.
I'll wear my sarcastic laughing emoji from John W with pride for this post

 

[alfie103]

Here's a devils advocate position to that. Generally when we've paid big wages and had success it's been with players we've developed (Kane, Son, Bale). We have them younger and when they improve we secure them with wages that are in line with their standing. When we've brought players in on big salaries we've got stuck with them as there's a risk with integration.
If we buy the best young talent on lower wages, if they fail we can shift them but if the succeed we can pay them the market rate to secure them which is a much less risky strategy.
I'll wear my sarcastic laughing emoji from John W with pride for this post

This is the problem though, the focus in all on the finances and whether it is risky financially or not.

 

[Gb160]

The wages thing isn't a misnomer. Premier League clubs might be cutting their wage bills but they are in a very different position financially and in terms of PSR to us. Look at the highest wages bill in the PL for last few years and those are the clubs that tend to be in the highest positions.

I am not sure why you are equating being more competitive with wages to doing what Chelsea have done recently. It seems to be something people mention as if there is no choice between the two, look at what Liverpool and Arsenal do.

Why do we have to buy young players and develop them hoping we get the team to a level we were under Poch, to then start buy one or two ready made players?

Stop being impatient we just need to wait another 4/5 years of paying the highest ticket prices in world football and paying our Chairman the highest wage in the league and then we'll see if we can afford a couple of players that have actually exited puberty..

 

[funkycoldmedina]

This is the problem though, the focus in all on the finances and whether it is risky financially or not.

We also ended up with a bloated squad with players we didn't want and couldn't shift

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

The wages thing isn't a misnomer. Premier League clubs might be cutting their wage bills but they are in a very different position financially and in terms of PSR to us. Look at the highest wages bill in the PL for last few years and those are the clubs that tend to be in the highest positions.

I am not sure why you are equating being more competitive with wages to doing what Chelsea have done recently. It seems to be something people mention as if there is no choice between the two, look at what Liverpool and Arsenal do.

Why do we have to buy young players and develop them hoping we get the team to a level we were under Poch, to then start buy one or two ready made players?

Do you really know where we are financially at what level we have to keep our wage bill in relation due to revenue to satisfy our stadium credit agreements?

Arsenal were in a similar place to us and cut all their high wage earners but have built it back up due to big contract renewals for young players like Saka, Saliba and Odegaard. As I said, if our young players reach their potential our wage bill will rise again...

Ange openly stated it was part of his plan to fill the squad with young players. Young players are developed in the right way they can reach a level that is probably out of our reach to buy ready made. Also, we're at a stage now we're we had many holes to fill in the squad, costs had to be spread between 4-5 players rather than just 1 or 2. When the young players start fulfilling their potential and we need 1 or 2 to push us on then maybe we'll splash out. As I said, this is all just me speculating, we'll see what happens if/when the squad reaches that level.

 

[alfie103]

We also ended up with a bloated squad with players we didn't want and couldn't shift

Why is that the main concern though? If it means we win more trophies, I don't really care if the squad is bloated or not.

It is almost like some support Tottenham more as a business than a football club.

 

[Albertbarich]

Just love how he speaks so much. 15mins especially about how people are so so quick to judge these days, he's said Solanke has played 2 games its so so early to judge.

I can’t believe people don’t have faith in him. He is the man still in my eyes.

 

[alfie103]

Do you really know where we are financially at what level we have to keep our wage bill in relation due to revenue to satisfy our stadium credit agreements?

Arsenal were in a similar place to us and cut all their high wage earners but have built it back up due to big contract renewals for young players like Saka, Saliba and Odegaard. As I said, if our young players reach their potential our wage bill will rise again...

Ange openly stated it was part of his plan to fill the squad with young players. Young players are developed in the right way they can reach a level that is probably out of our reach to buy ready made. Also, we're at a stage now we're we had many holes to fill in the squad, costs had to be spread between 4-5 players rather than just 1 or 2. When the young players start fulfilling their potential and we need 1 or 2 to push us on then maybe we'll splash out. As I said, this is all just me speculating, we'll see what happens if/when the squad reaches that level.

Oh right, so the stadium will only be a game changer when we settle our debts?

It seems there is always an excuse (Apologies, this isn't aimed at you personally but to the general argument)

 

[funkycoldmedina]

Why is that the main concern though? If it means we win more trophies, I don't really care if the squad is bloated or not.

It is almost like some support Tottenham more as a business than a football club.

Who other than Chelsea has one? Managers don't want that dynamic, it's not healthy. Guardiola has talked about this in the past. How many of those have waste of spaces like NDombele, LoCelso, Reguilon coming back window after window?

 

[homer hotspur]

Stop being impatient we just need to wait another 4/5 years of paying the highest ticket prices in world football and paying our Chairman the highest wage in the league and then we'll see if we can afford a couple of players that have actually exited puberty..

Like Ndombele and GLC ?

 

[Archibald&Crooks]

I can’t believe people don’t have faith in him. He is the man still in my eyes.

In a rush to not have faith in the next guy

 

[Styopa]

Stop being impatient we just need to wait another 4/5 years of paying the highest ticket prices in world football and paying our Chairman the highest wage in the league and then we'll see if we can afford a couple of players that have actually exited puberty..

In five years, Levy will be 67 and closing in on 30 years as Tottenham’s chairman. Talk about playing the long-game!

The funny thing is, if we somehow win an FA Cup or Europa League by then, he’ll probably claim his strategy has been vindicated!

 

[ohtottenham!]

But we’ll still do it. So at the very least we need to not be stressed by it. Levy manifested this when he took root within the club and over a period of time eroded what influence the fans may have. Along with many of the benefits of being a fan. We still turn up and pay our money but the experience is different. We are the paying customer and the panto remains the same whether we cheer or boo.

The panto analogy is so apt. Same show, same script, a revolving cast of actors with the one notable exception. The panto's moved to a bigger hall with ticket prices to match. Around 24 years we've been wailing, "He's behind you...!" 'cause he always is.

 

[NEVILLEB]

We had a top scouting network and made it so they wanted to leave.

That’s the real issue.

 

[robotsonic]

We’re run as a frugal business. I think Levy takes more pleasure from that side of it than he does the football and desire to win trophies.

He’s a good businessman but he’s not really into football and so makes decisions which are blind to creating a winning team.

For someone not interested in football, he sure does sit through every single game we play like an absolute champ!

 

[Trent Crimm]

Wait till we have a user from Miami join.

FLAnge

 

[spursville]

Just love how he speaks so much. 15mins especially about how people are so so quick to judge these days, he's said Solanke has played 2 games its so so early to judge.

Some of the questions he got asked were quite bizarre. I can see a bit of what Ally Gold said in his last video about asking ' roundabout' questions in order to put him at ease and get him to say as much 'juicy stuff' as possible but it's all a bit tiresome. Journalists just trying to get copy and reacting so quickly without 'yoga - reflecting' . Why don't they ask him about actual football - detailed strategy and tactics!

 

[Monkey boy]

We had a top scouting network and made it so they wanted to leave.

That’s the real issue.

blimey I’ve read so many “that’s the real issue” posts lately that I have no idea what is or isn’t the “real issue” anymore.