It looked likely to be a brilliant summer for Tottenham Hotspur, when they completed the signing of a potential world-class midfielder in Tanguy Ndombele. Yet speaking before the recent Audi Cup victory over Bayern Munich on penalties, Mauricio Pochettino seemed to lose his cool when being pressed about transfer activity.
His response that the club should change his job title to coach, coupled with the statement that he is no longer in control of transfers could be alarming to some. There was a quick response by the Spurs faithful as they backed their manager, and #LevyOut began trending on Twitter.
Levy has taken the club to a new stratosphere over recent seasons, as Spurs now have a consistent place in the Champions League and he also paid for the overhaul in the academy facilities. But, there were pressing questions that came off the back of that Pochettino press conference.
The Argentine seemed to have been frustrated with the current set up at the club. It’s clear that he wants more new players brought into the club, so Spurs are able to bridge the gap at the top of the Premier League. It also just could have been frustration at the question being asked. Managers are posed with transfer questions throughout the summer months, so it wouldn’t be hard to believe that he has just got annoyed with the constant asking of the same things.
This isn’t the first time that Pochettino has unleashed on the club and that’s why it was worrying for fans. It was expected that he could have been in the running for the managerial jobs at Real Madrid and Manchester United before they later appointed somebody else. Spurs haven’t yet been really pushed over Pochettino, but that could change this season if things don’t go right at Old Trafford or the Bernabeu, which seems likely on both counts.
The 2019-20 season could be the year when we finally see the end of the Pochettino era, as it remains up for debate whether he would stick with Spurs if one of the prior mentioned clubs required his services. Not only that, but the 2019-20 Premier League season will see Spurs meet a crossroads when they are finally expected to take that leap to the next level. You can place a bet on on Tottenham winning the Premier League at 14/1 with Novibet.
TalkSport had a debate following the penalty shootout victory in the Audi Cup, where they put to fans the question of whether Jose Mourinho would be a good fit at Spurs if Pochettino would leave.
That is a prospect that would send shivers up the backs of many Tottenham fans. Pochettino has been at Spurs for so long that it’s easy to forget the way that the club used to lurch from manager to manager, with varying degrees of success. Pochettino is quite possibly the best that Tottenham have had since Bill Nicholson. Certainly since Keith Burkinshaw.
And yet the chairman risks irking Pochettino to the point of losing the manager, due to the lack of transfer activity. With the summer transfer window closing on Thursday, Levy has precious little time left to appease him.
I am by no means a “Levy Hater”, quite the opposite; here is a very clever and intelligent businessman with a degree from Cambridge University.He has overseen the building of the best training facilities and new stadium possibly in the world.The team is up there with the 10 best in Europe, but somehow he does not feel the need to push for that little extra to have us amongst the elite every season.I just can not make out the man or how he thinks.
We are so close and yet he seems content in staying where we are – granted a nice position to be in, but it could be a whole lot better still.
I really fear that MP, if not properly backed, will walk.Then we would be I a fine mess.
Surely Mr.Levy can and will not let that happen.There are 2 1/2 days to the close of the transfer window and sure things can happen, but I am not holding my breath….
Unfortunately Spurs is a nearly club. We are always a few players short of being able to reach the next level. The same thing happened when Redknapp was in charge.
Even though I found Redknapp’s football far more entertaining than that being played under Pochettino, I do rate the current manager. Unless we get some top players in, I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to leave the club.
Every club has a model and Levy has set his pretty much in stone. Poch was given all the time in the world to get his project off the ground. All that said, I think Poch has done alot of mismanagement with the team over the years. His lack of using a bench albeit most weren’t world beaters, but he ran our starting 11 into the ground and when we need cover from the bench nobody’s game was up to speed. EG: Last year it took Llorente 6 games to find his footing when Kane is coming back from a deep world cup and got injured, he had him playing full games he started. Poch dont have a plan l to win or not lose a game after the 70th minute. How in the world do you make an average 85th minute substitutions as a practice. You are grinding your first teamers and not giving the bench any time to be game changers or ready to play for that matter. Again, they are not world beaters, he could hardly find playing time for Njie. Janssen, Nkoudo,Llorente even in cup ties. Eriksen does not have a backup at the attacking position for 5yrs. So keep blaming all the issues of us not moving forward on Levy without taking a look at the match day mishaps by the manager.
Who knows, who cares. Spurs will still be there long after we are all gone. If I remember rightly, the same shit has been written for the past four years and I have no doubt it’ll be re-written for years to come.
Have to agree here with DR on this. DL does not need to spend money on players as the manager/ coach and the players are doing everything he and Joe Lewis wants. They are finishing each year in the top four thus meaning the club look successful without winning anything. The books look great for anyone thinking of buying the club. Winning cups or the league will not dramatically change the selling of the club for Lewis and Levy. If eriksen does leave expect a replacement but that’s it folks.
The part that fans don’t, and won’t ever understand is that to ENIC, Tottenham isn’t a football club, it is a business and an investment. That’s why it is run in such a ‘sensible’ manner. Levy has done an incredible job in that sense, but he’s not going to take any risks. It’s a long slow building process – they’re not just going to start gambling and chucking money around on new players as much as we’d love them to. Joe Lewis will sell up soon, and when he does we’ll be in a great position for someone who is a bit less risk-averse to take the team on to the next level. But yes, in the short term it will probably lose us Poch.
As a lifelong spurs supporter, I do not like or want the atmosphere that seems to hang round the club. It is penny pinching, nervy, unstable and unconfident. Yes ,I know we have a wonderful ground,a wonderful training set up……..but where is the soul of the club? Levy and Pochettino have performed wonders in dragging spurs from mid table mediocrity to top four every year but does the football excite the crowd. Not me ! Pochettino has brought success on a budget but watching my team is not a priority. After years of austerity, this year was important to bring in the entertaining players we all crave. Instead we see a collection of youngsters dragged round the world in pre season, performing as enthusiastic youngsters do. No magic, no optimism, just a manager trying to suppress his feelings of being let down by Levy and ENIC. Losing Pochettino will not be the end of the world as long as he is adequately replaced……perhaps by a manager who truly wants to entertain the supporters. Losing Levy and ENIC will be a huge plus to the club ……….despite having to hold our nose over probable Kuwaiti /Arab ownership
We have got to ask ourselves when was the last time you are happy with any transfer window in the past 10 seasons. Just when you are expecting the club to push on,the club will always dissapoint you by signing the equivalence of ryan nielsen and Louis saha. There is no depth to the squad at all and key players are on a play till you breakdown basis. The transfer strategy is also questionable. For example why are we not signing any striker? When kane is out we will most likely need to revert to 2 upfront as we don’t have another player who are capable of holding his own up front. Behind every firmino there is always an origi for the big club. We are predictable and limited in that sense. Why aren’t we interested in Kean who also can double up on left mid? We are far from a big club playing staff wise and we need poch more than he need us. Coys and #backpoch
If this is true
Poch will go sooner than later
Levy is a disaster
Poch will go and then Levy will have a bigger problem on his hands
The fans are already Peed off with Levy and this would make them turn on him Big Time!
I read the comments and wonder, D.Levy has not got us where we are, M.P has. Levy does not pick the team, dictate tactics or manage the team, M.P does, ENIC supplies the money through Levy. Remember what it was like before M.P, remember the wasted money from the Bale sale that was under Levy, M.P has changed the club, not Levy, what is the point of a fantastic stadium and training set up if you have a boring, mid-table team.
Porch will leave next summer if Levy doesn’t bring in 2 or 3 more top players min, this window. If Levy truly wants THFC to reach the next level and remain a top four club AND win something- anything! he has to strengthen the squad with top talent. We had a great season but were clearly stretched too far post New Year & nearly slipped up – we would have had Man U & Arsenal not handed it to us. We’ve lost two key players Dembele & Trippier & replaced with one, with more likely to go – that weakens not strengthens us. Surely Levy can see the commercial sense in competing with the top teams, look at the income & commercial benefit we’ve already got from a champions league final. Think what can be achieved by providing Poch with the squad to go to that next level – for Gods sake Levy invest in more top players. I’ve been coming to WHL for 55 years I haven’t got another 55 left in me to see us achieve our real potential either cough up £100m or sell it!! My patience has run out!