Harry Kane | "I will be staying at Tottenham this summer and will be 100% focused on helping the team achieve success."

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Levy doesn’t have blind spots - he’s the longest serving Chairman in the Premier League because he’s extremely good at his job.
You should stick his name into wiki and have a look at the basics of his CV.
Amongst many other business accomplishments, he’s the bloke who squeezed Alan Sugar out of Spurs.

I see a lot of hate thrown at Levy but it’s always because he’s awesome at his job, very difficult to do business with, never suffers an outcome that’s not on his terms (which are always the terms that best manage the interests of Spurs as a business under the circumstances at the time).

I don’t like the guy, but love him or hate him, only someone who knows absolutely nothing about managing a business could accuse him of having a blind spot of any description.

Levy isn't just the chairman, he's part owner, the only one who could positionally "sack" him is Lewis who has no day to day interest in the club..

I am thankful to Levy for many reasons but have been getting slow disillusioned with him, undoubtable Covid has messed up his plans.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Levy doesn’t have blind spots - he’s the longest serving Chairman in the Premier League because he’s extremely good at his job.
You should stick his name into wiki and have a look at the basics of his CV.
Amongst many other business accomplishments, he’s the bloke who squeezed Alan Sugar out of Spurs.

I see a lot of hate thrown at Levy but it’s always because he’s awesome at his job, very difficult to do business with, never suffers an outcome that’s not on his terms (which are always the terms that best manage the interests of Spurs as a business under the circumstances at the time).

I don’t like the guy, but love him or hate him, only someone who knows absolutely nothing about managing a business could accuse him of having a blind spot of any description.

extracting The last penny from a transfer, and not allowing you to buy a replacement because you take it to the last moment - is a massive blind spot, and an obvious indicator that his priorities are misplaced. Look at the Berbatov transfer for clear evidence of this. Look at Danny Rose, and how much they have wasted in wages over the past two seasons, when he should have sold him when he first wanted to go - yet put too high of a price on his head.

He didn’t allow the club to buy a player for 18 months. There are clearly some things he’s very good at, but he has significant failings as well.

 

[GazTheLegend]

extracting The last penny from a transfer, and not allowing you to buy a replacement because you take it to the last moment - is a massive blind spot, and an obvious indicator that his priorities are misplaced. Look at the Berbatov transfer for clear evidence of this. Look at Danny Rose, and how much they have wasted in wages over the past two seasons, when he should have sold him when he first wanted to go - yet put too high of a price on his head.

He didn’t allow the club to buy a player for 18 months. There are clearly some things he’s very good at, but he has significant failings as well.

Also - players themselves see this going on. SMART players with decent agents will never sign a 5 year deal with Levy, because you know that to him you are just a bargaining chip and he will play profiteering games with your -life-. I think there was a player (forget who) that literally went to the airport and sat on a plane ready to go, with no word of what was happening before Levy pulled the plug on a deal for whatever reason at the last minute. So plenty of players eventually start just running their contracts down instead.

He needs to sell Kane - but he won't . Levy holds all the cards here and would rather wreck Kane's career than give a shit what Harry Kane wants. Perhaps he's felt a bit burned by selling us Carrick, Berbatov etc and has said "never again" but the players have a say in it too, it's a dangerous game to play and not really sustainable in my opinion (hence Tottenham's lack of consistency at the top)

 

[crossy1686]

It seems that way, too much money. Like a poster above said though, it is possible we could do a panic move if we fail again with Sancho.

I think we'd try but we'd never pay it either. It's looking more like we're going to panic buy a CB instead if Sancho doesn't happen

 

[Lash]

extracting The last penny from a transfer, and not allowing you to buy a replacement because you take it to the last moment - is a massive blind spot, and an obvious indicator that his priorities are misplaced. Look at the Berbatov transfer for clear evidence of this. Look at Danny Rose, and how much they have wasted in wages over the past two seasons, when he should have sold him when he first wanted to go - yet put too high of a price on his head.

He didn’t allow the club to buy a player for 18 months. There are clearly some things he’s very good at, but he has significant failings as well.

Also sacked a manager capable of winning finals, just before a final, because financially it helped.

 

[HerbT]

extracting The last penny from a transfer, and not allowing you to buy a replacement because you take it to the last moment - is a massive blind spot, and an obvious indicator that his priorities are misplaced. Look at the Berbatov transfer for clear evidence of this. Look at Danny Rose, and how much they have wasted in wages over the past two seasons, when he should have sold him when he first wanted to go - yet put too high of a price on his head.

He didn’t allow the club to buy a player for 18 months. There are clearly some things he’s very good at, but he has significant failings as well.

You need to look at him from a business perspective, not a football perspective, because the notion that all football clubs have the sole purpose of playing good football and winning trophies is a romantic fantasy that we football supporters cuddle up to for comfort.
The fact of the matter is that the sole aim of most clubs is to make money, which sometimes aligns with playing football up to a high enough standard to finish 4th in the PL.
Levy is an excellent business man, the longest serving Chairman in the PL and a bloke who elbowed Lord Sugar out of his way to take control of Spurs and improve their lot fantastically.
Like I said, I don’t like the bloke, I don’t like that he’s willing to cut his nose off to spite his face but his reputation is well earned and nobody could every consider him an easy touch or a walkover so I also have deep respect for him as a business man because he’s one of the very best.

 

[Herschel Krustofsky]

Sterling can operate centrally when required. Most forward players are effective anywhere across the front line these days - at least to a degree.

Or in Sterling's case, equally ineffective anywhere across the front line

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

You need to look at him from a business perspective, not a football perspective, because the notion that all football clubs have the sole purpose of playing good football and winning trophies is a romantic fantasy that we football supporters cuddle up to for comfort.
The fact of the matter is that the sole aim of most clubs is to make money, which sometimes aligns with playing football up to a high enough standard to finish 4th in the PL.
Levy is an excellent business man, the longest serving Chairman in the PL and a bloke who elbowed Lord Sugar out of his way to take control of Spurs and improve their lot fantastically.
Like I said, I don’t like the bloke, I don’t like that he’s willing to cut his nose off to spite his face but his reputation is well earned and nobody could every consider him an easy touch or a walkover so I also have deep respect for him as a business man because he’s one of the very best.

I do look at it from a football and a business perspective. In this business you have to BUY and SELL - there are two sides of the coin, and he sacrifices one for the other. Even before COVID he failed to sell the naming rights to the stadium.

he has done some good things for spurs, and overseeing the stadium will be his legacy. However he’s not good in the transfer market by any stretch.

look at what he did with the Bale money as another example.

 

[Murder on Zidane's Floor]

Levy is deluded.

I could understand your stance on not selling him if you missed out on the league by a couple of points and are going again next season. But there is a light-year-sized chasm between them and the top four teams in the league. Keeping him doesn't get you closer to the title. Another £300m of investment does...which they don't have. So you're keeping a player, who is going to decline because.....you want to save face? That's it. That's all it is. Nothing more.

And people gassing him up like he is some astute businessman? Behave!

The lovely shiny new stadium (that they didn't need) meaning the club's finances are hamstrung paying it down (Arsenal say hello). Wastes huge money on the Mourinho experiment who delivered nothing and left inside of 18 months (which people said would happen), now chasing the old manager that he sacked after he got your team to a EUROPEAN final. Who you didn't back in the market after he had worked miracles.

Now apparently not paying up for Conte. Replacing Bale with LAMELA (who is still at the club?!) and Soldado. The guy is a detriment to Spurs in all honesty.

 

[HerbT]

I do look at it from a football and a business perspective. In this business you have to BUY and SELL - there are two sides of the coin, and he sacrifices one for the other. Even before COVID he failed to sell the naming rights to the stadium.

he has done some good things for spurs, and overseeing the stadium will be his legacy. However he’s not good in the transfer market by any stretch.

look at what he did with the Bale money as another example.

He’s invested just enough in players and staff to have Spurs punching above their weight, the club’s shareholders have been delighted with their returns and the value of the club has soared.
Having taken huge loans to finance their new super-stadium covid then caught him with his pants down, but covid caught almost the whole of football with it’s pants down because very few clubs bothered taking out business continuity insurance with regard to pandemics (which was plain stupid). However, he’s restructured their loans and IMO if any Chairman can take Spurs through this situation than it’s him.
Though I do concede that he won’t ever make Spurs a super club in footballing terms unless it becomes financially viable to do that.
The current situation whereby investment for footballing success is a case of ever diminishing returns means that Levy, as a businessman in the business of making money, will not over-invest.

I can understand your perspective in footballing terms though. My initial post was to correct a poster who slandered him as a fool when he’s actually an excellent businessman and maybe the best business orientated chairman to grace an English football club in the last 2 decades.

 

[Sweech]

I do look at it from a football and a business perspective. In this business you have to BUY and SELL - there are two sides of the coin, and he sacrifices one for the other. Even before COVID he failed to sell the naming rights to the stadium.

he has done some good things for spurs, and overseeing the stadium will be his legacy. However he’s not good in the transfer market by any stretch.

look at what he did with the Bale money as another example.

I think people massively underrate Levy’s abilities in the transfer market because they over emphasize the flops (which every team in the league has). The fact is Levy basically built this team from the ground up.

Unless you think the team and it’s value skyrocketed since Levy took over because of just the academy (which he also saw to to massively improve) then what he’s done is a fantastic job in the transfer market on typically a zero sum budget.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

He’s invested just enough in players and staff to have Spurs punching above their weight, the club’s shareholders have been delighted with their returns and the value of the club has soared.
Having taken huge loans to finance their new super-stadium covid then caught him with his pants down, but covid caught almost the whole of football with it’s pants down because very few clubs bothered taking out business continuity insurance with regard to pandemics (which was plain stupid). However, he’s restructured their loans and IMO if any Chairman can take Spurs through this situation than it’s him.
Though I do concede that he won’t ever make Spurs a super club in footballing terms unless it becomes financially viable to do that.
The current situation whereby investment for footballing success is a case of ever diminishing returns means that Levy, as a businessman in the business of making money, will not over-invest.

I can understand your perspective in footballing terms though. My initial post was to correct a poster who slandered him as a fool when he’s actually an excellent businessman and maybe the best business orientated chairman to grace an English football club in the last 2 decades.

We don't have any shareholders outside ENIC and Levy's family, as far as I know no dividends are drawn.

 

[littleman]

I think people massively underrate Levy’s abilities in the transfer market because they over emphasize the flops (which every team in the league has). The fact is Levy basically built this team from the ground up.

Unless you think the team and it’s value skyrocketed since Levy took over because of just the academy (which he also saw to to massively improve) then what he’s done is a fantastic job in the transfer market on typically a zero sum budget.

Smart owner, dumb (but good) players.

It's a match made in heaven. He's so lucky Harry Kane's IQ is double digits when signing that super long deal.

The world will continue to turn whether or not Harry Kane is at Spurs, so sucks for the K bear.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Smart owner, dumb (but good) players.

It's a match made in heaven. He's so lucky Harry Kane's IQ is double digits when signing that super long deal.

The world will continue to turn whether or not Harry Kane is at Spurs, so sucks for the K bear.

Most people are.

 

[HerbT]

We don't have any shareholders outside ENIC and Levy's family, as far as I know no dividends are drawn.

An ever increasing valuation on their investment though?

My point, in response to a poster slagging him off as an idiot, was that Levy is a businessman of the highest order, a man who has built his own reputation by being excellent at his job, a man worthy of great respect. Which he clearly is.
And the distribution of shares is not an issue or even at issue. All businesses have a duty to carry out business in a manner that is beneficial to the shareholders - regardless of whether it’s a one man band or a multinational - and Levy does just that.

I’m not saying that he’s the bloke who’s going to pour the businesses funds into building a truly awesome team, but he will make money and he’ll provide enough to bring the level of success required to maximise the returns.

If I’d been born in London I’d have been a Spurs fan and Levy would have frustrated me to f@#K but that doesn’t diminish my respect for him at a businessman.

 

[Trophy Room]

There is no club in the world that is going to pay what Levy wants for Kane. If Kane really does want to leave then he's fecked because of his ridiculous contract. I don't think he'll ever leave Spurs in his prime primarily because Levy won't let him - Spurs are screwed without his goals.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

An ever increasing valuation on their investment though?

My point, in response to a poster slagging him off as an idiot, was that Levy is a businessman of the highest order, a man who has built his own reputation by being excellent at his job, a man worthy of great respect. Which he clearly is.
And the distribution of shares is not an issue or even at issue. All businesses have a duty to carry out business in a manner that is beneficial to the shareholders - regardless of whether it’s a one man band or a multinational - and Levy does just that.

I’m not saying that he’s the bloke who’s going to pour the businesses funds into building a truly awesome team, but he will make money and he’ll provide enough to bring the level of success required to maximise the returns.

If I’d been born in London I’d have been a Spurs fan and Levy would have frustrated me to f@#K but that doesn’t diminish my respect for him at a businessman.

Id assumed you were related to him the way you go on about him.

 

[slored1]

He is gone in my opinion. Why would he play under Fonseca?

 

[Mindhunter]

Levy doesn’t have blind spots - he’s the longest serving Chairman in the Premier League because he’s extremely good at his job.
You should stick his name into wiki and have a look at the basics of his CV.
Amongst many other business accomplishments, he’s the bloke who squeezed Alan Sugar out of Spurs.

I see a lot of hate thrown at Levy but it’s always because he’s awesome at his job, very difficult to do business with, never suffers an outcome that’s not on his terms (which are always the terms that best manage the interests of Spurs as a business under the circumstances at the time).

I don’t like the guy, but love him or hate him, only someone who knows absolutely nothing about managing a business could accuse him of having a blind spot of any description.

Jose Mourinho

Seriously, I don’t really know what you are on. He is pennywise and pound foolish. Fails to see the big picture and is more concerned about managing his reputation that getting the best outcome for Spurs.

The only good decision he has made is to bring in a footballing person to run the football side of things because he is absolutely shite at it.

 

[Brophs]

Levy doesn’t have blind spots - he’s the longest serving Chairman in the Premier League because he’s extremely good at his job.
You should stick his name into wiki and have a look at the basics of his CV.
Amongst many other business accomplishments, he’s the bloke who squeezed Alan Sugar out of Spurs.

I see a lot of hate thrown at Levy but it’s always because he’s awesome at his job, very difficult to do business with, never suffers an outcome that’s not on his terms (which are always the terms that best manage the interests of Spurs as a business under the circumstances at the time).

I don’t like the guy, but love him or hate him, only someone who knows absolutely nothing about managing a business could accuse him of having a blind spot of any description.

I posted this in another thread which has been closed so I can't directly quote it. Not sure I agree with your point, tbh. At least not in terms of the managers he chooses.

Levy's record of managerial hires is really sketchy, notwithstanding this narrative around him that he's one of the canniest operators around. Since he was appointed, they've hired:

Hoddle (01-03)
Santini (04-04)
Jol (04-07)
Juande Ramos (07-08)
Redknapp (08-12)
AVB (12-13)
Sherwood (13-14)
Pochettino (14-19)
Mourinho (19 - )

Redknapp and Pochettino have been good appointments. The rest have been somewhere between mediocre and pretty awful. He seems to get it wrong more often than he gets it right.

 

[2 man midfield]

In fairness to Levy, how many clubs consistently appoint managers who go on to be successful there? It can’t be many. Every club has their share of terrible managers.

 

[peridigm]

Not saying we will but if we signed him, could we have a chant that includes the words,
"Harry in the front, Harry in the back!"

I'll get my coat...

 

[#07]

I don't watch Kane week in week out, but he's looking long in the tooth at the minute. Not exactly getting Shevchenko/Torres vibes off him but are we still sure he's a £100m+ player?

Cards on the table, I have never been all in on Kane. I think he's benefitted massively from the lack of genuine #9s in the modern game. In the days when England could choose from Shearer, Cole, Fowler, Owen, Ferdinand, Wright etc would Kane be seen as all that?

 

[balaks]

I don't watch Kane week in week out, but he's looking long in the tooth at the minute. Not exactly getting Shevchenko/Torres vibes off him but are we still sure he's a £100m+ player?

Cards on the table, I have never been all in on Kane. I think he's benefitted massively from the lack of genuine #9s in the modern game. In the days when England could choose from Shearer, Cole, Fowler, Owen, Ferdinand, Wright etc would Kane be seen as all that?

You realise he won the golden boot and the assist award just last month right? Kane is right up there with Shearer. Not showing it so far in the Euros but he is getting zero service.

 

[Cassidy]

I don't watch Kane week in week out, but he's looking long in the tooth at the minute. Not exactly getting Shevchenko/Torres vibes off him but are we still sure he's a £100m+ player?

Cards on the table, I have never been all in on Kane. I think he's benefitted massively from the lack of genuine #9s in the modern game. In the days when England could choose from Shearer, Cole, Fowler, Owen, Ferdinand, Wright etc would Kane be seen as all that?

Just won golden boot but is looking long in the tooth. Riggghhhttt

 

[Abraxas]

I wouldn't say he's looking old, he's never been lightening and it's just a couple of games after a good season. Makes no sense to make such a drastic conclusion.

But he does look a yard or two off it and a bit heavy in the way he's lumbering around. Almost as if he's carrying a slight injury and isn't training at full tilt. Or simply an accumulation of fatigue.

There isn't much service but I always think you have to be careful with that explanation. We say the same for Martial, but the truth is the two elements of chance creation and striker play are so interlinked you cannot really break it down into the one defined reason. The striker has to aid in making that happen and then the creative players have to execute. It's not always easy to identify where most of the fault is lying when there is a complete breakdown.

 

[#07]

You realise he won the golden boot and the assist award just last month right? Kane is right up there with Shearer. Not showing it so far in the Euros but he is getting zero service.

Just won golden boot but is looking long in the tooth. Riggghhhttt

Great players are great until they're not. There was little sign of Sheva and Torres going off the boil but suddenly they did. Diego Costa is another one. Hardest striker in the Premier League to defend against one day, struggling for starts at Atleti the next.

Kane has been injured a fair amount and he's not getting any younger. He will probably prove me wrong. However, at his age, I think you gotta look out for the signs.

I wouldn't say he's looking old, he's never been lightening and it's just a couple of games after a good season. Makes no sense to make such a drastic conclusion.

But he does look a yard or two off it and a bit heavy in the way he's lumbering around. Almost as if he's carrying a slight injury and isn't training at full tilt. Or simply an accumulation of fatigue.

There isn't much service but I always think you have to be careful with that explanation. We say the same for Martial, but the truth is the two elements of chance creation and striker play are so interlinked you cannot really break it down into the one defined reason. The striker has to aid in making that happen and then the creative players have to execute. It's not always easy to identify where most of the fault is lying when there is a complete breakdown.

Agreed. If your only job as a striker is to goal hang and score tap ins then ok. But, as you say, chance creation is a two way street. How often do you see balls go begging and think a top #9 makes a near post run there etc. Haven't seen Kane come alive in the box at these Euros. That's not a great sign..

 

[balaks]

Great players are great until they're not. There was little sign of Sheva and Torres going off the boil but suddenly they did. Diego Costa is another one. Hardest striker in the Premier League to defend against one day, struggling for starts at Atleti the next.

Kane has been injured a fair amount and he's not getting any younger. He will probably prove me wrong. However, at his age, I think you gotta look out for the signs.

Two poor games for England and now he's finished right? He is 27 not 35 by the way.

 

[El Zoido]

I don't watch Kane week in week out, but he's looking long in the tooth at the minute. Not exactly getting Shevchenko/Torres vibes off him but are we still sure he's a £100m+ player?

Cards on the table, I have never been all in on Kane. I think he's benefitted massively from the lack of genuine #9s in the modern game. In the days when England could choose from Shearer, Cole, Fowler, Owen, Ferdinand, Wright etc would Kane be seen as all that?

Can’t argue with his numbers but I’ve never thought he was all that impressive. Scores a ton of goals though and that speaks for itself, I just don’t enjoy watching him like I do with most other top players.

 

[Mickeza]

Two poor games for England and now he's finished right? He is 27 not 35 by the way.

He looked very slow when gilmour “fouled” him. I think he’s still feeling the effect of the ankle injury - doesn’t seem sharp to me.

 

[balaks]

He looked very slow when gilmour “fouled” him. I think he’s still feeling the effect of the ankle injury - doesn’t seem sharp to me.

Yeah I agree

 

[redshaw]

I wouldn't write Harry off yet even if he never gets going in this tournament. He's proved his excellence many times over a season, trouble is it's a grueling one without covid truncating it. He was a bit slow getting off a shot in the game as well, usually really good at that and I think he did well to make anything from that Reece James cross, there's not much happening with England now or leading up to the tournament, been very jumbled. We'll have to find some energy and rhythm during it.

 

[Bwuk]

I’m not arsed if he goes to City and keeps up this pretending he’s a 10 act.

 

[MU655]

It is weird people are writing off Kane after a season where he finished both top scorer and top assister. Yeah, he has played crap for England, but so has the rest of the team. It is also really badly managed.

You can only say that Pickford hasn't been poor.

 

[miked99]

Is he rubbish/overrated/found out/finished now according to the resident knee-jerkers that lurk on the caf? I mean, he's had two poor games in a row after all.

He just won the golden boot whilst having the most assists as well. More asssts than de Brunye. More than Bruno. Whilst playing for Spurs. Under Jose Mourinho.

But he didn't score against Scotland, so sadly that's it for his career.

 

[TheReligion]

No one is paying what Tottenham think he's worth based on his current level of performance

 

[FootballHQ]

Spurs rushing him back for the league cup final when he probably needed 2-3 weeks rest is the issue here I think.

Reminds me very much of Rooney having an amazing 09/10 season then got injured v Bayern Munich, somehow came back for the second leg two weeks later, didn' look right in the run in and then had awful world cup.

Didn't he get similar injury to Maguire who only returned to bench last night after 4-5 weeks.

 

[mitchmouse]

the way he's playing in Euros, not sure City will still want him!

 

[Pexbo]

It’s funny I was actually looking at the England squad yesterday and thinking that it was absolutely prime for the “No striker” tactic Pep has played in the past. Then I remembered that Kane was the problem and he might be going to City.

 

[One Night Only]

His injury record is a massive concern. Be lucky if he manages. As good as he is, if he's injured all the time it's no good