Firstly, hope everyone is doing well in these troubled, extraordinary times. A very surreal Easter weekend, for sure.
Since the football season ground to a halt nearly a month ago, I haven't really been following much football news because there hasn't been a huge deal to discuss other than, of course, the possible existential threat to the game itself! Which isn't the most uplifting of topics. And, as I've tried to keep my news intake to once a day for the sake of my mental health, I have only occasionally been dipping into the sports section - where, of course, much of the news is in some way connected to Covid-19.
But the headlines about Spurs being one of the clubs to furlough staff have been hard to ignore. Levy acted swifter than anyone in this regard, and unlike Liverpool's owners hasn't yet been shamed into reversing his decision.
We're not the only ones - Newcastle (quelle surprise!), Norwich and Bournemouth are doing it, too - but in those cases they aren't as well-resourced and rich as we are.
It's definitely more nuanced than it's being made out to be, but from a PR perspective it's a massive own goal and smacks of an owner and chairman dramatically out of step with its fanbase.
I have, by and large, stood up for Levy and ENIC against the criticism they've received over the years. They took us from mid-table obscurity and financial basket-case to being one of the best-run clubs in the world, regularly overachieving, and successfully breaking the top 4 elite (as it was then) without spending very much at all. Under ENIC's stewardship, we had moved from mid-table no-hopers (and occasional relegation candidates) to Champions League regulars and potential title winners, while also coming close to winning that elusive silverware. All while spending significantly less than our rivals and promoting from within, or buying up the best young British and international talent.
Not perfect, by any means - and Levy has always seemed more like a businessman than a football man, with his dead-eyed stare, frugality and quiet ruthlessness - but we have largely been on an upward curve since 2001, with some great memories along the way, plus a brand-spanking new stadium that is the envy of the world.
But he has made mistakes and is too stubborn by half. And, on this, it seems a massive misstep for a club the size and wealth of Spurs to be leaning on taxpayers' money at a time like this.
I get the argument that football clubs aren't cash cows, and very rarely even break even - Levy made this point before, in an Evening Standard article, that football clubs aren't as rich as people think and aren't usually in any way profitable businesses - but when Levy and other members of the board refuse to take a pay a cut, and a billionaire like Joe Lewis seems happy to just sit back and let others take the hit, it smacks of something a bit rotten.
Surely the senior executives and management team could all have taken a collective pay cut to in part cover the club's other workers? Surely some kind of deal could have been agreed with the players, like West Ham and Southampton, about possibly deferring wages for a few months to help keep employees on? Or some kind of pay cut?
The demonisation of top footballers is predictable and, in many cases, unfair - unless your name is Grealish or Kyle Walker. Matt H should concentrate on his own government's shocking inaction and lack of preparation before going after an easy target. But the action of very rich clubs, including ours, furloughing staff at a time like this doesn't leave a nice taste in the mouth.
City, United, Everton and others seem to have it right. None of this is easy, and each approach is more nuanced than it seems, but surely Levy realises the reputational damage this is causing? Why isn't he listening to the fans like Liverpool have?
I understand we have a big debt to pay back, but we've been run very prudently for decades and surely have enough cash reserves saved up, or can come up with a better plan, where such a PR own goal isn't necessary.
Thoughts?
A bad misstep from Levy
posted on 11/4/20
Excellent article LaneSpurs, very well written.
Levy used the argument that most football clubs don't even turn a profit despite Spurs posting pre-tax profits of over £68m in 2019.
I think while a lot of non football businesses of a similar size have used the furlough scheme, not using the scheme and paying non playing staff was a viable option. Or Spurs could at least have made up the 20% difference not covered by the furlough scheme.
The Premier League players have played a PR blinder with this £4m donation that has been promised. I got the calculator out and based on 512 players in the Premier League that is less than £8,000 per player. A lot of them earn more than that in a day. Generous, but not that generous.
posted on 11/4/20
I thought the opposite..... a very confusing article and not at all well written,...nor thought out.
Not very knowledgeable about either Levy or Lewis and their money.
As for the players coughing up ...
Barca players are taking a 75% pay cut.
posted on 11/4/20
https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/1249084028159959040?s=19
LOL
posted on 11/4/20
comment by LukaBrasi Jose IN (U22178)
posted 4 minutes ago
https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/1249084028159959040?s=19
LOL
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Yeah...well he may not get a second season anywhere!
posted on 11/4/20
The same account tweeted this 3 days earlier :
Tanguy Ndombele enjoyed a 1-on-1 training session with Tottenham manager José Mourinho on Hadley Common yesterday, in actions on the part of the pair that broke with UK government protocol on COVID-19 induced quarantine. !!!!!!
Not sure what they are playing at. Fun and games.
posted on 12/4/20
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 8 hours ago
I thought the opposite..... a very confusing article and not at all well written,...nor thought out.
Not very knowledgeable about either Levy or Lewis and their money.
As for the players coughing up ...
Barca players are taking a 75% pay cut.
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Ted, it is an excellent article, and well written, giving both sides of the story in an unbiased fashion.
posted on 12/4/20
comment by sandy (U20567)
posted 16 minutes ago
comment by JustCallMeTed (U21528)
posted 8 hours ago
I thought the opposite..... a very confusing article and not at all well written,...nor thought out.
Not very knowledgeable about either Levy or Lewis and their money.
As for the players coughing up ...
Barca players are taking a 75% pay cut.
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Ted, it is an excellent article, and well written, giving both sides of the story in an unbiased fashion.
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Damned if I could understand who the good guys are, and who the bad guys are.
He knows nothing of Joe Lewis, his skint flint family upbringing or how he made his money.
I found it an article that pretended to knowledge it did not have....and therefore useless.
posted on 12/4/20
Let's be honest Levey has burdened you in the same way that an unthinking parent burdens a child by giving them a stupid name or sending a 15 year old boy to school with a micky mouse drinking cup and a frozen school bag. Basically Levey is prepared to let you guys take the hit for the contents of his wallet.
If I were you I'd start practising your best "oh not that one again, haven't you got anything else in your locker"
posted on 12/4/20
The timing of it is awful. Levy is not having a good year/season at all.
I see in the gossip pages today it says Levy is also up for Kane being sold to United for £200m. This is going to be a story that will plague us for a while even if it is bollox. If it isn't and we end up losing Kane then Levy's reputation is going to be in tatters with us fans.
posted on 12/4/20
comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 12 hours, 19 minutes ago
The timing of it is awful. Levy is not having a good year/season at all.
I see in the gossip pages today it says Levy is also up for Kane being sold to United for £200m. This is going to be a story that will plague us for a while even if it is bollox. If it isn't and we end up losing Kane then Levy's reputation is going to be in tatters with us fans.
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THAT IS Bolox!
Kane if off to a team that can afford Levy's Luxury tax........
Real Madrid ... along with Modric and Bale.. we are a feeeder team for them, after all.
AND Kane wants to win stuff.