ENIC

[Raziel]

I've said it before, but when he first came in, all the way up until roughly the mid-2010s, Levy had some genuinely ground-breaking ideas and an eye for talent. He was one of the first to bring the Director of Football model to English football, only for his pick, Arnesen, to be stolen by Chelsea. He persisted and brought in Comolli, who despite his flaws brought us players like Modric and Bale (and eventually went to Liverpool). He brought Michael Edwards to the club, who revolutionized our scouting and then eventually went to Liverpool. Even appointments like Alex Inglethorpe and John McDermott - they helped revolutionize our moribund youth system, and were rewarded with better jobs at Liverpool and the FA respectively.

The problem is, he never saw the problem being highlighted here - he brought in great people, but they were poached by clubs with more ambition than us (Chelsea, Liverpool) or just a better pay packet (FA). And to keep our progress going, he needed to keep replacing them with equally talented people - which, after the mid-2010s, dropped off as he picked numerous duds like Steve 'I hate January' Hitchen to lead player recruitment, and now this Lange and Munn duo (though they haven't had much time, it isn't looking promising so far).

His model imposed a hard ceiling on us - we would not compete with the ambitious clubs on wages and fees, so we had to compete by being better than them in our structure. But to do that, every appointment had to be right - eventually, they weren't, and we suffered for it. But he never changed his ways.

That's probably the most balanced thing you have ever written.

Levy won't change his ways, he won't "risk" beyond what he thinks is manageable for the club, (and in fairness), Lewis never gave an alternative. He will strive to make the business more successful, and part of that is to increase the funds the model can provide (and yes, that still won't be fully competitive with clubs that simply don't follow rules or any sensible business model).

So the question is (and always will be), what next?

- There doesn't seem to be a line of buyers for the club?
- ENIC clearly is exploring the additional investors route, will that be enough?

When we get it right (your point above, of we need to get it all right), we show how close we can get (and part of that is the other structure around), but we continue to operate in a world where we are playing with different rules.

Until there is a buyer, this is our reality, hope that Munn/Lange/Ange/squad refresh get us back to Poch era output, perhaps with a bonus cup.

Otherwise, we are the same as Everton/Villa/whoever complaining about not challenging for title

 

[Bullet]

Levy won't sell because his investment is going up up up.
Levy will continue to pour all of our profits into new players.
Levy won't spend money we don't have, unlike Cheatski and City.
We have a very good budget for new players, the trick is spending it on the right ones.
We don't yet have enough data on Munn/Lange to know quite how good they are.

 

[Baleforce]

Levy won't sell because his investment is going up up up.
Levy will continue to pour all of our profits into new players.
Levy won't spend money we don't have, unlike Cheatski and City.
We have a very good budget for new players, the trick is spending it on the right ones.
We don't yet have enough data on Munn/Lange to know quite how good they are.

get out of here with logic and reason

reported!

 

[Bullet]

Technical director Johan Lange
Head of football insights and strategy Frederik Leth
Head of loans and pathways Andy Scoulding
Head of performance analyst Ross Johnston
Academy director Simon Davies
Chief scout Rob Mackenzie

It will be Munn's role to coordinate all these people and heads of other departments and make sure everyone is working towards the same goal. I guess Leth and Mackenzie and maybe others as well might report to Lange, who then reports to Munn.

BUMP^^

Tottenham have hired Pawel Kapuscinski from Zelus Analytics as their new Data Engineer.

Kapuscinski has worked for Zelus – the sports intelligence platform co-founded by Doug Fearing and Luke Bornn – since September 2022. Prior to that he was Head of Data for Czech side Raków Częstochowa (October 21 to September 2022) and a Scouting Data Analyst for Burnley (February 2017 to September 2019).

Kapuscinski will report into Tottenham’s Head of Football Insights and Strategy, Frederik Leth.

Training Ground Guru | Zelus's KapuÅciÅski appointed Data Engineer at Tottenham

Training Ground Guru | This is THE portal for staff working in â or aspiring to work in â professional football.

trainingground.guru

 

[Gazza]

Was listening to talk brick on my way home and heard that Tottenham and Chelsea have the most managers in the history of the premier league … I thought it was interesting looking at how many managers levy has hired and fired and reasons behind it

 

[DubSpur]

Was listening to talk brick on my way home and heard that Tottenham and Chelsea have the most managers in the history of the premier league … I thought it was interesting looking at how many managers levy has hired and fired and reasons behind it

Two of the six only ever presents in the PL. Utd and Arsenal had the two longest serving managers, so really was only going to be us and Chelsea.

 

[DubSpur]

BUMP^^

Tottenham have hired Pawel Kapuscinski from Zelus Analytics as their new Data Engineer.

Kapuscinski has worked for Zelus – the sports intelligence platform co-founded by Doug Fearing and Luke Bornn – since September 2022. Prior to that he was Head of Data for Czech side Raków Częstochowa (October 21 to September 2022) and a Scouting Data Analyst for Burnley (February 2017 to September 2019).

Kapuscinski will report into Tottenham’s Head of Football Insights and Strategy, Frederik Leth.

Training Ground Guru | Zelus's KapuÅciÅski appointed Data Engineer at Tottenham

Training Ground Guru | This is THE portal for staff working in â or aspiring to work in â professional football.

trainingground.guru

Good to see the data analytics side being strengthened.

 

[Muttley]

Was listening to talk brick on my way home and heard that Tottenham and Chelsea have the most managers in the history of the premier league … I thought it was interesting looking at how many managers levy has hired and fired and reasons behind it

I just posted this on another thread:

01/07/2023 - 30/06/2027 Ange Postecoglou Australia 27/08/1965
25/04/2023 - 30/06/2023 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
27/03/2023 - 24/04/2023 Cristian Stellini Italy 27/04/1974
02/11/2021 - 26/03/2023 Antonio Conte Italy 31/07/1969
01/07/2021 - 01/11/2021 Nuno Espírito Santo Portugal 25/01/1974
20/04/2021 - 30/06/2021 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
20/11/2019 - 19/04/2021 José Mourinho Portugal 26/01/1963
01/07/2014 - 19/11/2019 Mauricio Pochettino Argentina 02/03/1972
17/12/2013 - 30/06/2014 Tim Sherwood England 06/02/1969
01/07/2012 - 16/12/2013 André Villas-Boas Portugal 17/10/1977
26/10/2008 - 14/06/2012 Harry Redknapp England 02/03/1947
29/10/2007 - 25/10/2008 Juande Ramos Spain 25/09/1954
08/11/2004 - 26/10/2007 Martin Jol Netherlands 16/01/1956
01/07/2004 - 05/11/2004 Jacques Santini France 25/04/1952
22/09/2003 - 30/06/2004 Chris Hughton Ireland 11/12/1958
21/09/2003 - 02/06/2004 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
02/04/2001 - 21/09/2003 Glenn Hoddle England 27/10/1957
16/03/2001 - 01/04/2001 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
01/10/1998 - 15/03/2001 George Graham Scotland 30/11/1944

It would be hard for Levy to defend this list, but it's also a data point on why he felt he needed to move upstairs and vacate this space.

 

[DubSpur]

I just posted this on another thread:

01/07/2023 - 30/06/2027 Ange Postecoglou Australia 27/08/1965
25/04/2023 - 30/06/2023 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
27/03/2023 - 24/04/2023 Cristian Stellini Italy 27/04/1974
02/11/2021 - 26/03/2023 Antonio Conte Italy 31/07/1969
01/07/2021 - 01/11/2021 Nuno Espírito Santo Portugal 25/01/1974
20/04/2021 - 30/06/2021 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
20/11/2019 - 19/04/2021 José Mourinho Portugal 26/01/1963
01/07/2014 - 19/11/2019 Mauricio Pochettino Argentina 02/03/1972
17/12/2013 - 30/06/2014 Tim Sherwood England 06/02/1969
01/07/2012 - 16/12/2013 André Villas-Boas Portugal 17/10/1977
26/10/2008 - 14/06/2012 Harry Redknapp England 02/03/1947
29/10/2007 - 25/10/2008 Juande Ramos Spain 25/09/1954
08/11/2004 - 26/10/2007 Martin Jol Netherlands 16/01/1956
01/07/2004 - 05/11/2004 Jacques Santini France 25/04/1952
22/09/2003 - 30/06/2004 Chris Hughton Ireland 11/12/1958
21/09/2003 - 02/06/2004 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
02/04/2001 - 21/09/2003 Glenn Hoddle England 27/10/1957
16/03/2001 - 01/04/2001 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
01/10/1998 - 15/03/2001 George Graham Scotland 30/11/1944

It would be hard for Levy to defend this list, but it's also a data point on why he felt he needed to move upstairs and vacate this space.

Is there really a need to pad it out with caretakers?

 

[Raziel]

I just posted this on another thread:

01/07/2023 - 30/06/2027 Ange Postecoglou Australia 27/08/1965
25/04/2023 - 30/06/2023 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
27/03/2023 - 24/04/2023 Cristian Stellini Italy 27/04/1974
02/11/2021 - 26/03/2023 Antonio Conte Italy 31/07/1969
01/07/2021 - 01/11/2021 Nuno Espírito Santo Portugal 25/01/1974
20/04/2021 - 30/06/2021 Ryan Mason England 13/06/1991
20/11/2019 - 19/04/2021 José Mourinho Portugal 26/01/1963
01/07/2014 - 19/11/2019 Mauricio Pochettino Argentina 02/03/1972
17/12/2013 - 30/06/2014 Tim Sherwood England 06/02/1969
01/07/2012 - 16/12/2013 André Villas-Boas Portugal 17/10/1977
26/10/2008 - 14/06/2012 Harry Redknapp England 02/03/1947
29/10/2007 - 25/10/2008 Juande Ramos Spain 25/09/1954
08/11/2004 - 26/10/2007 Martin Jol Netherlands 16/01/1956
01/07/2004 - 05/11/2004 Jacques Santini France 25/04/1952
22/09/2003 - 30/06/2004 Chris Hughton Ireland 11/12/1958
21/09/2003 - 02/06/2004 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
02/04/2001 - 21/09/2003 Glenn Hoddle England 27/10/1957
16/03/2001 - 01/04/2001 David Pleat England 15/01/1945
01/10/1998 - 15/03/2001 George Graham Scotland 30/11/1944

It would be hard for Levy to defend this list, but it's also a data point on why he felt he needed to move upstairs and vacate this space.

So to have a reasonable conversation

- Remove the caretakers
- Highlight who lasted less than average EPL tenure (2 years, 4 days)
- Who succeed/failed

Easy success in that list -> BMJ, Juande (he got a cup), Harry, Poch
Keep in mind, pretty much everyone in that list got/kept the club in Europe from BMJ -> current

So real fudge ups? Nuno, Santini and pre that you are bitching about something 20 years ago?

 

[Mrs Vert]

Two of the six only ever presents in the PL. Utd and Arsenal had the two longest serving managers, so really was only going to be us and Chelsea.

At least Chelsea have won stuff!

 

[Mrs Vert]

Spurs have now got a deal to show squid games 2 and apparently a blimp going over the pool game on Sunday
Levy is something else or a visionary

 

[Daisuk]

When should we expect to see us competing with the top tier teams for the signing of players, given that we have this new shiny money making machine of a stadium? We've had it 5 years now. Are we still paying off a loan, or is it Levy penny pinching again? I get that we won't do a Chelsea, of course, but shouldn't we be able to sign better and more competitive players than we have? Basically, when will we see the benefits of the stadium income on the field? Because surely, that must've been the point of the stadium?

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Spurs have now got a deal to show squid games 2 and apparently a blimp going over the pool game on Sunday
Levy is something else or a visionary

(Google search)
'Bizarre'
'Strange'
'Spurs fans slam'
'Spurs fans RAGE'

Isn't life on the internet wonderful.

A blimp in the sky
A bit of stuff on the screen
Some dudes in pink wandering around...

'I'm RAGING'

Tbh I'll probably barely notice.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

When should we expect to see us competing with the top tier teams for the signing of players, given that we have this new shiny money making machine of a stadium? We've had it 5 years now. Are we still paying off a loan, or is it Levy penny pinching again? I get that we won't do a Chelsea, of course, but shouldn't we be able to sign better and more competitive players than we have? Basically, when will we see the benefits of the stadium income on the field? Because surely, that must've been the point of the stadium?

Just to point out..we probably lost 1.5 years of the stadium to COVID.

The overview is...The stadium is a tool to increase income to spend on the team. It's certainly done that, and is still on an upward curve, but I suppose it has it's limits. How much we earn is all there in black and white. So we can roughly guess how much we can spend. It costs us roughly £25m a year in interest payments.

And that's it. How competitive we can be is dependent on how we spend it, and the success of those purchases.

 

[Jordinho]

When should we expect to see us competing with the top tier teams for the signing of players, given that we have this new shiny money making machine of a stadium? We've had it 5 years now. Are we still paying off a loan, or is it Levy penny pinching again? I get that we won't do a Chelsea, of course, but shouldn't we be able to sign better and more competitive players than we have? Basically, when will we see the benefits of the stadium income on the field? Because surely, that must've been the point of the stadium?

If you ignore the cheaters, we're spending similar to Arsenal and Liverpool. We'd be spending a lot less if we were still in the old WHL. We're also able to pay higher wages than we used to.

I don't think we're yet at a point where we can go huge on one or two players like they did with Rice and Allison/ Van Dijk. We need both additional squad players and upgrades on a few.

Tbh, I prefer going for players that haven't reached peak value. This whole marquee signing stuff is a load of gonads. Do we get extra points for other clubs taking notice of our signings?

 

[Baleforce]

Just to point out..we probably lost 1.5 years to COVID.

The overview is...The stadium is a tool to increase income to spend on the team. It's certainly done that, and is still on an upward curve, but I suppose it has it's limits. How much we earn is all there in black and white. So we can roughly guess how much we can spend. It costs us roughly £25m a year in interest payments.

And that's it. How competitive we can be is dependent on how we spend it, and the success of those purchases.

And how much financial doping our rivals continue to get away with.

 

[Muttley]

Just to point out..we probably lost 1.5 years of the stadium to COVID.

The overview is...The stadium is a tool to increase income to spend on the team. It's certainly done that, and is still on an upward curve, but I suppose it has it's limits. How much we earn is all there in black and white. So we can roughly guess how much we can spend. It costs us roughly £25m a year in interest payments.

And that's it. How competitive we can be is dependent on how we spend it, and the success of those purchases.

COVID was incredibly tough for the club. Whilst every club suffered financially, we obviously got a bigger share because of the stadium revenue dependency.

I'm still not fully normalised to where our new spend limits are though, especially net spending on transfers. Because PSR/FFP seem to use some 3 year rolling calculations, it's hard to know what any season might entail. We might see one big year of spending followed by 2 smaller ones or we might just see a flat rate all the time.

I'm not complaining though. I still believe tactical systems, team selections and in-game management can be way bigger than a bit more budget and a couple of extra players.

 

[Gazza]

Is there really a need to pad it out with caretakers?

The real question is why we have had so many caretakers … it’s not an agenda it’s just facts

 

[Mikey10]

And how much financial doping our rivals continue to get away with.

I’m not sure it’s ‘financial doping’ anymore. It’s seemingly accented by the authorities, despite what they might say publicly; therefore part and parcel of the game is now to find ways around the supposed rules for the benefit of your club.

I’m not complaining though. I still believe tactical systems, team selections and in-game management can be way bigger than a bit more budget and a couple of extra players.

I’d love you to be right, but by and large the biggest spenders are those who win things.