Pochettino says Tottenham need new five-year plan to compete with best clubs in Europe

[Metalhead]

Talking publicly in this way has rarely ever convinced Lewis/Levy to do anything other than to get annoyed. They hate managers talking to the media like this (Redknapp being the extreme example of course!). It’s embarrassing for them. They’re old-school and like to do things in a discreet kind of way.

Poch has to be a little bit careful here I reckon. Fingers crossed Lewis/Levy both have the brains and ambition (and cash) to try to move this club onto the next level, before we miss our window of opportunity. Surely now they understand this. Poch’s only mistake is being too good at his job and getting us to a Champions League Final, having spent nothing! I’m worried that this gives Lewis/Levy the excuse they need to say that not much investment is required etc.

I don't think that Levy would think that not much investment is required. He's not stupid and especially with us (fingers crossed) finishing top 4, it will be in no small part thanks to the poor form of our closest rivals. I do believe that this transfer window will not leave us frustrated like the previous two have.

 

[slartibartfast]

New 5yr plan? World domination. Next.

 

[Metalhead]

Why are people taking this as a message aimed at only Levy? I can guarantee that these conversations have already taken place and are being finalised. You don't make this plan in the 4 weeks before the transfer window opens again.

This is a message to the players we want. If we come knocking we want you to take us to a new level. You are a key player we have identified. This is aimed at making them want to push their agents and clubs to join tottenham, maybe flush a few out that we didn't know would consider coming to us.

Poch and Levy do not fall out in public, that's a fact.

I agree with the last sentence but I am struggling to translate your previous assertion from the comments made by Poch. He is talking about the club's strategy going forward - it doesn't necessarily just mean transfer money for players - it could also be referring to scouting and the salary ceiling and being willing to deal with certain agents. I don't think that it is any one thing.

 

[spursintheblood]

We tend to direct our ire solely on Levy (wrongly imho) as the man who holds the keys to the blueprint. It is Joe Lewis the 70% owner of ENIC (that we never hear a word from) who is the main man here. I remember a comment from Pochettino when interviewed after we beat Palace at the opening of the new stadium. He was told by the reporter that JL was present. His answer was interesting and is quoted below:

"He’s here? I don’t know. I saw Daniel before the game. Nobody said to me he’s here."

For all we know Levy may share MP's ambition and be keen to push us forward in a strong way but as a 30% owner, his hands are very much tied.

By putting these messages out in such a strong way, he is achieving several things:

- signalling to the players that want to leave (and he wants to keep) that he also shares their ambition and is willing to put his neck on the block to drive the club in that direction hence buying us a bit of time before they make decisions about their futures.
- same goes for players we are trying to buy who may be interested in joining us but are also subject to strong interest from bigger clubs. They may question the vision of the club and require concrete details on what objectives we want to achieve before making a decision.
- strengthening Levy's hand in future negotiations aboard the Aviva with Lewis about the blueprint
- last but not least, giving us the fans a bit more transparency on the direction of our club and what is real versus perceived in that sense.

God, I love this man.

Agree with much of this, but it is also a brilliant piece of distraction away from the players.

Many will be rightfully excited and stressed by the prospect of the CL final. Newspapers have not historically been supportive of players in UK and seek drama and dissent to sell copy.

By putting the light firmly on himself, Poch is giving them space to assimilate their achievement and get their heads right.

 

[bigspurs]

I don't care what they like. I've had enough of the smoke and mirrors and I suspect so has the manager. Poch is in a very strong position and is making the most of it so good on him.

It is time for Lewis and Levy to be clear where we are going and what type of future we should expect in our new stadium. Are they setting up the club for a mega sale and a nice return for both of them? Do they want to hang around, see us compete at the upper echelons of the game and actively support that with investment? We need answers to these questions so fans also have some degree of visibility of the context in which they are purchasing their season tickets etc...

I totally agree with you, it’s just that clarity is not usually their style. They operate like the businessmen and respond to direct questions like politicians. They’ll only tell us what they want us to know! I’m sure that they will sign one or two players though this time.

 

[Japhet]

IMO our exploits on the field have put us way ahead of schedule in the original 5 year plan. I don't think anyone would have dreamed we'd be in the CL every year and in the 2019 Final when Poch joined us. We have the infrastructure in place to really push on now and I think Poch is clearly saying that our recruitment and wage structure need to go up a gear. You have to improve year on year to stay still in the EPL because the competition is so fierce. Poch has worked miracles but I think he's publicly telling Levy 'Show me the money!' so that there are no mixed messages.

 

[JAYSTAR]

We need to go for it and bring in top quality players where we're lacking and spend money!!!

• RWB - We need two very fit and pacey right backs in the mould of Trent Alexander. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Perreira at Leicester
• LWB - I like Ben Chilwell and feel he has the attributes to develop more at top level.
• CB - With Toby probably going and Foyth and Sanchez not top drawer, we should go for De Ligt, you never know, he might come.
• CM - We need two minimum. Quality, intelligence and fitness: Ruben Neves my favourite option and Tanguy Ndombele.
• CAM - We need two replacements for Eriksen / Lamela. One should be young and developing David Brooks and one top level: Isco.
• CFs - I rate Jovic at Eintracht who's great in the air and a perfect back up to Kane and Werner or Deulofeu who can play in a Son like role.

The simple fact is that some of our players are squad players, not top drawer and first team: Winks, KWP, Wanyama, Sanchez, Foyth, Davies, and quite a few should be sold and upgraded on: Lamela, (love him, but too slow at top level) / Trippier / Aurier / Dier.

We need a top level first team and a bench to match, which is what Liverpool have developed and Man City have had for a few seasons:

Lloris / Gazza
Wan Bissaka / Perreira
De Ligt / Sanchez
Verts / Davies
Rose / Chilwell
Sissoko / N'Dombele
Neves / Winks
Isco / Brooks
Lucas / Alli
Son / Deulofeu
Kane / Jovic

 

[Dennism]

We have had a great week and Poch has taken his opportunity to talk about the future. That is OK but after Sunday he needs to stop and fully focus on our most important game for decades. If he doesn’t do this and continues to concentrate on himself it could seriously hamper our preparation. The pro-Liverpool media will feed off the uncertainty that would be created. We must be united. There is plenty of time after the final to resolve his future.

 

[Japhet]

We have had a great week and Poch has taken his opportunity to talk about the future. That is OK but after Sunday he needs to stop and fully focus on our most important game for decades. If he doesn’t do this and continues to concentrate on himself it could seriously hamper our preparation. The pro-Liverpool media will feed off the uncertainty that would be created. We must be united. There is plenty of time after the final to resolve his future.

Can't say I'm at all sure why Poch has made these comments at this precise moment. He'll be in the media spotlight for the next few weeks and his comments have opened the door for them to misinterpret what he has said and put any kind of spin on it that they want. Could surely have done without that sort of distraction.

 

[LeParisien]

Of all the veiled criticisms to make at Levy... not having a plan? Really?

Poch’s comments are a statement of the bloody obvious and the results on the pitch and new stadium are an obvious juncture at which to clarify goals and vision. I’m sure this has already been done tbh. I am a far less accomplished leader than Levy and this is common sense to me.

Levy won’t be worried and Poch will be staying. People need to stop reading in their OWN fears.

 

[newbie]

Levy’s going to have a lot less to deal with this summer now the stadiums built we just need naming rights plus champs league final and there must be cash to spend.

 

[Metalhead]

We have had a great week and Poch has taken his opportunity to talk about the future. That is OK but after Sunday he needs to stop and fully focus on our most important game for decades. If he doesn’t do this and continues to concentrate on himself it could seriously hamper our preparation. The pro-Liverpool media will feed off the uncertainty that would be created. We must be united. There is plenty of time after the final to resolve his future.

Don't worry mate, Poch knows the score.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

Great comments and quotes from Pochettino. Fully behind the comments and the timing for them.

 

[MR_BEN]

We need to go for it and bring in top quality players where we're lacking and spend money!!!

• RWB - We need two very fit and pacey right backs in the mould of Trent Alexander. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Perreira at Leicester
• LWB - I like Ben Chilwell and feel he has the attributes to develop more at top level.
• CB - With Toby probably going and Foyth and Sanchez not top drawer, we should go for De Ligt, you never know, he might come.
• CM - We need two minimum. Quality, intelligence and fitness: Ruben Neves my favourite option and Tanguy Ndombele.
• CAM - We need two replacements for Eriksen / Lamela. One should be young and developing David Brooks and one top level: Isco.
• CFs - I rate Jovic at Eintracht who's great in the air and a perfect back up to Kane and Werner or Deulofeu who can play in a Son like role.

The simple fact is that some of our players are squad players, not top drawer and first team: Winks, KWP, Wanyama, Sanchez, Foyth, Davies, and quite a few should be sold and upgraded on: Lamela, (love him, but too slow at top level) / Trippier / Aurier / Dier.

We need a top level first team and a bench to match, which is what Liverpool have developed and Man City have had for a few seasons:

Lloris / Gazza
Wan Bissaka / Perreira
De Ligt / Sanchez
Verts / Davies
Rose / Chilwell
Sissoko / N'Dombele
Neves / Winks
Isco / Brooks
Lucas / Alli
Son / Deulofeu
Kane / Jovic

So you want us to go from spending nothing to spending about half a billions pounds?

 

[mawspurs]

We’ve apparently earned around £88m so far in the CL, if we win it that rises to around £105m. I’m sure most if that will get added to any pot we already have. So we should be able to get a couple of very good players.

 

[JAYSTAR]

So you want us to go from spending nothing to spending about half a billions pounds?

Net spend would be more like 200million, but yes we need to spend a lot to keep progressing and to keep Poch.
Selling: Dier, (30?) Lamela, (35?) Trippier, (20?) Aurier (30) Wanyama (15) KWP (10) Eriksen (90?) = 230
Buying: Wan Bissaka (35), Perreira (35), Chilwell (35), De Ligt (70), N'dombele (60), Neves (40), Deulofeu (35), Brooks (25), Isco (40) Werner (35) and Jovic (40) = 450

Net spend (220) million). Easy!



For more info, go to:
www.guessthepriceofplplayers.com

 

[Paolo10]

Honestly don't think there'll be wholesale changes to the squad outside of players that aren't regularly involved tbh. Continuity is important and lots seem to be under valuing our performance this season.

Midfield is the most important position to strengthen IMO, need a defensively-minded midfielder and more passing in there.

Andre Gomes would be one of the names at the top of my list tbh.

Back-up Striker that's ideally versatile enough to play wide like Sonny, someone to break things up in midfield (e.g. someone like Zakaria IMO), a proper Dembele replacement (e.g. Gomes).

If we're changing fullbacks, I've a feeling Danny isn't that committed and wants another big deal possibly up north and everyone knows who my preferred right back to go is (he's not homegrown).

We need creativity at full back because of how we play and as good defensively as the much lauded AWB is, I don't think he's quite good enough for us attacking and has only had a good debut season.

Honestly feel the right couple of players in the middle of the park will make a hell of a different to the whole balance of the team. As much improved as he has been, there are so many better midfielders out there than Sissoko IMHO and this isn't a dig at him...we also need to replace Toby if he's still going to fuck off.

Sceptical that winning the CL would change any of the players' prospective plans to leave etc...you'd like to think it might though.

 

[Bilko]

People keep talking about buying players
To get anyone of real qaulity we need a higher wage ceiling first-full stop and no blah blah

 

[Marty]

People keep talking about buying players
To get anyone of real qaulity we need a higher wage ceiling first-full stop and no blah blah

We have that now after first Kane and then Dele signed new deals. We obviously won't pay stupid Sanchez/Ozil money, but the ceiling is far higher now than just two years ago.

 

[MR_BEN]

Net spend would be more like 200million, but yes we need to spend a lot to keep progressing and to keep Poch.
Selling: Dier, (30?) Lamela, (35?) Trippier, (20?) Aurier (30) Wanyama (15) KWP (10) Eriksen (90?) = 230
Buying: Wan Bissaka (35), Perreira (35), Chilwell (35), De Ligt (70), N'dombele (60), Neves (40), Deulofeu (35), Brooks (25), Isco (40) Werner (35) and Jovic (40) = 450

Net spend (220) million). Easy!



For more info, go to:
www.guessthepriceofplplayers.com

Personally not keen on so many changes.

All the players you mentioned would improve us no doubt, but not all in one go.

So many changes in my opinion could disrupt the squad and take half a season or more to settle.