The Best In England? Probably Yes! – Why Tottenham’s Management Is Absolutely Top-notch
About ten years back, Tottenham Hotspur were barely considered a threat – let alone a club that could launch a serious challenge for the title. Now, they have challenged for the title for two consecutive seasons, and are a part of the ‘top-4’ in English football.
Much of this can be attributed to their chairman – the shrewd Daniel Levy. Often touted as a businessman rather than a chairman, Levy is the epitome of mystery. Unlike most other club owners whose flamboyant and lavish lifestyles do the talking, Levy prefers his business deals to make most of the noise.
Tottenham are still viewed as a ‘selling club’ by many, owing to several transfers sanctioned by Levy in the past. Levy was smart enough to recognise that they did not have as much financial capacity as Manchester City, or even Liverpool. Levy was a part of the property development industry earlier, and he applied the same principles here: buy low and sell high.
The recent summer window was probably the best example of his shrewdness. For large parts of the window, Spurs did not make any news, besides the sale of Kyle Walker to Manchester City. In fact, people started talking about how they were refusing to spend. And then suddenly, things changed.
They announced the transfers of Davinson Sanchez, Serge Aurier, Fernando Llorente and Juan Foyth – all players that were targeted by a lot of other clubs. Besides the flurry of new signings, Tottenham also managed to retain most of their star players which is truly enviable.
Another example of Levy’s ‘buy low, sell high’ policy is Harry Kane. The player has won the Premier League’s Golden Boot for the past two seasons and, as such, he can lay claim to being the best striker in England. He is at the top of the Tottenham pay scale but it is stating the obvious to say that he could earn significantly more elsewhere.
Furthermore, their manager Mauricio Pochettino has developed a positive spirit within the team and the players seem to love being a part of something special. However, there is a flipside to paying less to the players, since the rival clubs believe they can tempt them away with better money.
One of Spurs’ most promising talents, Eric Dier, almost fell prey to a similar situation this summer. Manchester United wanted Dier and they were prepared to offer more than double of his current £70,000-a-week wage. Dier did not make the switch but who is to say he won’t in the near future?
Having said that, Levy takes immense pride in the fact that the Tottenham players are not as money-minded as their contemporaries. Moreover, they have been able to increase the prominence of their academy, turn mid-range purchases into superstars and challenge for the biggest domestic prizes without threatening their economic integrity – and that in itself is a feat no other club has been able to achieve thus far.
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