The summer of surprises does not stop as Tottenham fans wake up to the news of Daniel Levy leaving the club after being at the helm for almost a quarter of a century. The Englishman stepped down from his role as Executive Chairman at the football club, as the Lilywhites look all set to kickstart a new era at N17.
The prayers of many Spurs fans may have been answered as the North London club finally announced the ‘under-scrutiny’ chairman was no longer a part of the club moving forward. The chants of ‘Levy Out’ that ringed around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will finally stop now that Levy has decided to call it quits on his tenure as the Spurs chairman.
Not all was bad under Daniel Levy as the Englishman weathered the storm during the initial years at N17. The Lilywhites were well-run under him, and their financial status was second to none. Not only that, but the state-of -the-art training facility, and the world-class stadium just added more gravitas to Levy’s legacy at Tottenham.
But there is a reason why he never really understood the value of the club. Let’s take a look at it…
Fans felt an instant disconnect with Tottenham under Daniel Levy
Well, the most important criteria to become a successful football club is to maintain open dialogue and build a real connection with the fans. Daniel Levy failed to do any of that, and there was a clear division between the fanbase and the Englishman. The Spurs chairman’s decision-making was not in line with the goals and objectives set out by the fans.
It was clear to see that Levy failed to understand the importance of having the fans on his side at N17. The chants of ‘Levy Out’ ringing around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium may not have been pleasant for the Englishman, given that he is a boyhood Spurs fans. But it showed that the situation had escalated a lot, leaving the Spurs chairman to sulk in the hostile atmosphere.
All Daniel Levy had to do was to engage with the fans more and consider their points over how to get the North London club back on top. After all, a football club is built by the fans. And more importantly… it is for the fans. The hiring of Vinai Venkatesham as the new CEO was seen as a massive step towards having open dialogue with the Spurs faithful, proving that the board was willing to budge and listen to their inputs in the end.
Lack of investment and questionable decisions when it mattered the most
As we all know, one of the major reasons why Tottenham only managed to win two trophies during Daniel Levy’s tenure was the lack of investment into the squad. The Spurs chairman failed to back numerous managers during his time at the helm, making several questionable decisions along the way that set the club back in all regards.
The main reason to build a world-class stadium was to generate more revenue that could be invested into the squad. However, Levy thought otherwise and did not spend an awful lot on the thing that mattered the most… improving the team on the pitch. The fans were also growing tired of seeing Tottenham become a commercial club, instead of a football club that valued its footballing identity.
Levy’s ruthless nature in negotiating deals, plus his insistence on not offering high wages to potential signings, meant that the North London club could not lure top players for years to come. Not only that, but the Englishman also failed to back managers from time to time, forcing them to call it quits after a drop in performance.
Mauricio Pochettino got sacked just months after leading the club to its first Champions League final in 2019. Jose Mourinho, known as a serial winner in the footballing world, was sacked just a few days before the Lilywhites took on Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final. This carried on until the end, with Ange Postecoglou also losing his job immediately after helping the club win the Europa League and ending the long-standing trophy drought in May.
Lack of trophies proved to be the final nail in the coffin
For a club of Tottenham’s stature and presence in European football, winning major trophies is seen as the main objective. The amount of silverware that a football club wins says everything about the size of the club at the end of the day. And that is where Spurs fell short under Daniel Levy during his 25-year stint at N17.
Tottenham’s state-of-the-art stadium and the revenue it generates is something that other clubs envy, but it is their trophy cabinet that Tottenham envies at the end of the day. The Lilywhites have not won nearly enough to prove their place in the top-end of the footballing pyramid in this century. With no Premier League or Champions League title to show for, except maybe a few close calls in recent years, sum up Levy’s tenure at N17.
Two trophies, with 16 managers along the way, just shows that Levy was out of his depth when it came to making footballing decisions. The Lilywhites never really competed for a major trophy for most parts of the last two decades. And the fans grew tired of the mediocrity on display, both on and off the pitch.
However, it may be fitting that the Englishman leaves his post on a high after winning the Europa League in May. History will judge Daniel Levy more kindly than Tottenham fans ever did. One of the last moves by Levy as the Spurs’ chairman was to hire Thomas Frank. And that might just turn out to be the best managerial appointment the Englishman has made in recent years.
