Value is down to perception though. We seem to mostly want to do things on the cheap. This method works to some extent but ultimately you’re unlikely to get actual success (trophies) with it. Why are we the only club that does business like this? What happened to Audere est Facere?
Levy's transfer policy in a nutshell is how he bartered over a million quid and Suarez ended up at Pool. Levy's transfers cost this team. He might get the odd one right and so he bloody well should but most are misses and the obvious players with talent are met with a bit of resistance from the selling club, naturally and understandably but Levy won't pay a bit more. The guy does not know how to speculate to accumulate. He could have had that million back and some...but no, he thought he was being shrewd. I wish people would stop looking for positives in our transfer policy under Levy just because he's built a new stadium. The two have got nothing to do with each other or at least shouldn't have for an ambitious owner wanting on field success. Plus I think it's stinks a bit how he expects a big fee for our average dross yet won't pay a bit more for serious quality from other clubs. I say it stinks but really that just shows his ambition. Like I said..he's more interested in the brand and the profit it might yield him and Uncle Joe as oppose to winning trophies 1 trophy since he came...same as Wigan, Portsmouth and I'm sure there are a few more...I'm embarrassed. Even then, they won the FA Cup and we just have a paltry League cup to show. Anyone thinking on field success is before the business model is deluded
Think you're being way too harsh, Spurly. You say his transfers has cost this team yet he's the one who essentially bought most of it with the exception of Kane and Winks. For sure there's been transfer hiccups along the way but ultimately it's clearly been a successful procedure because we have one of the best sides in the country, even Europe in fact. If we're to become a successful side then the likes of a large stadium, advanced facilities as well as being financially stable is paramount - and that's what Levy has done. The only sides who have enjoyed a bigger rise than us during Levy's stewardship is Chelsea and City and they've both needed unlimited finances to get there. For sure we don't have half the amount of silverware we'd like but the progression cannot be disputed. We went from being a side who Sir Alex would say "Lads, it's Tottenham" to now being a side who everyone has to be on their A game to have a chance of beating. Wigan and Pompey may have won a similar amount of trophies in Levy's time at the club but I know for sure I'm much happier supporting this Spurs side than I would be supporting them. A successful business model is needed for on field success, I don't see how you can't see that. Utd wouldn't have dominated English football if they didn't have one. City and Chelsea have enjoyed periods of success thanks to huge finances which has then allowed them to have successful models. Arsenal enjoyed a dominant spell under Wenger because their business model was superb. You don't win things by not having a successful business model unless you get an absolute freak of a season like Leicester had, which let's face it, likely won't happen for another 100 years. I'm not saying Levy's perfect but I'd challenge you or anyone else to name a few better chairmen than him who haven't needed Roman's or Sheikh Mansour's finances.
In the words of Harry Enfield Calm Down - lets not be like all the other forums and start overreacting to a slow transfer window. Personally I am going to trust the Manager and Chairman who have turned us into challengers. I want to win things as much as the next fan, and we are heading in the right direction. We are about to embark on a third successive season in the champions league, a competition we qualified for once before Poch arrived, (not forgetting 1 season in the European Cup before most of us on here were born). 3 successive top 3 finishes have got us those ECL places and all with a young squad who should be getting better season on season. Importantly we haven’t sold anyone yet either and I am sure that new players will arrive this week to supplement what is already a very competitive squad
Yeah I agree I am being harsh and every positive thing for us has been influenced by Levy also. However the test of the man is now when he has got all the tools to propel us onto another level and at this crossroads we might need just a bit more ambition than he normally shows. Last minute bargain bucket, saving a mill here and there...like I said we could get away with that during the other stages of our development. However now that we have got to where we have...that kind of thinking will not cut it. It will result in us going backwards because football just does not stand still. To me, it looks like Levy is standing still when it comes to the team. Pool don't always spend like they have done this past year..whys that? it's because the hierarchy have recognised that they are onto something special and worth backing in order to get to that next level when everything is set...these moments pass and it takes football clubs whole generations for another golden period. I just hope that we the fans don't lose focus.....it's about having the best team not the best Cheese room
Unlike Portsmouth and Wigan we are still in the Premier League and will have been in three consecutive Champions League campaigns. Would anyone prefer one FA Cup and League One?
How long before the said players start to look elsewhere due to them getting older? Do you think it's a bit harsh for me to think we are at a stage where we need to win trophies? Let's remember this is football not the Apprentice...so when do we get to the stage of deliverance? Or are we just happy to be the new Arsenal? and since Poch and Levy think the only trophies worth winning are the big 2 maybe they need to start justifying that statement by purchasing like teams who are serious about winning the big 2. I think it's unfair on the fans to be sold red herrings all this crap about a 150 mill war chest just before season tickets need to be renewed...it's scandalous and I'm not even buying one. Levy does this often..times his illusions to perfection.
Yeah I know that Paul...but we are not so **** that we would dissapear into the arse end of oblivion though are we? Them 2 teams have never reached the heights we are at now. My point is....he's not bothered about balancing trophies with the business. So long as we are reaching certain financial goals..he will keep going. Are we that fragile as a business that a spending spree to bolster one of the finest squads we have ever had would break us? I won't believe that with the money in today's game. Only yesterday one of the shareholders was saying how the stadium build is not interfering with transfer funds. I'm more than happy to be eating humble pie in a few weeks time but I very much doubt I will be. Even before the stadium build Levy's biggest spend was when we sold Bale. it's all about balancing the books...you reckon Liverpool will go under after their spending? I very much doubt it.
Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction It seems perfect to me (nowhere does it say what % will be fact and what will be fiction) .
They weren't that's true..but they weren't spending then like they are for Klopp due to understanding what he is achieving with their team. Yeah they haven't won anything but the point is the owners are backing the on field dream in order to seriously achieve that, Klopp can't complain...Poch I think can complain, not that he is...but he has ever right to and I bet it's in the back of many supporters minds that he might get pissed off and leave. We feared that this time round but we also knew that Poch was dedicated to the project....might not be so lucky all the time. I very much doubt that he would not appreciate a few real quality additions...because he wants to win things, the big ones he says. I just don't believe we are so fragile financially that we have to deal with this over cautious approach at such a pivotal time. 2 weeks left though so maybe Levy has got a few aces up his sleeve and a lot might be happening behind closed doors...hmm
I hear you loud. It's not harsh at all. It's shame as we don't really need much improvement. If we keep Toby, we have the best back line in the league, hands down. I've not seen Jan, Sanchez and Toby play in the same line-up. That would be immense and would have probably gotten us a place higher in the league last season if Toby were fit and Poch was willing to bench Dier. Zaha to cover for Kane, Grealish to cover and understudy Eriksen, a new CM on top of the league's best defense and we are definitely challenging for one of the "2", why not? (That is if we keep all of the best players of course.)
