Why do some Tottenham fans want Levy out of White Hart Lane when Spurs are consistently punching above their weight?

By Neil Ashton

PUBLISHED: 18:15 EST, 18 March 2014 | UPDATED: 18:50 EST, 18 March 2014


Outside the main gates at White Hart Lane last Sunday, a couple of Tottenham fans walked around with big ‘LEVY OUT’ banners.

It was a peaceful protest, a demonstration against the club’s chairman Daniel Levy ahead of the north London derby.

But what, exactly, were they protesting about? History tells us that the more teams spend on wages, the higher they will finish in the table.

Spurred into action: Daniel Levy has attracted the ire of some Tottenham fans in recent weeks

Spurred into action: Daniel Levy has attracted the ire of some Tottenham fans in recent weeks

Sign of the times: A couple of supporters held up protest banners before Sunday's north London derby

Sign of the times: A couple of supporters held up protest banners before Sunday's north London derby

Rage: Tim Sherwood is animated during the north London derby
I don't believe it: Emmanuel Adebayor walks off after missing a chance

Anger and frustration: Tim Sherwood (left) and Emmanuel Adebayor show their emotion during Sunday's loss

 
   

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Last season, for example, Tottenham had the sixth biggest budget (£90m) for salaries in the league behind Manchester City (£202m), Chelsea (£173m), Manchester United (£162m), Arsenal (£143m) and Liverpool (£119m).

On that basis you could argue that Tottenham’s fifth-placed finish under Andre Villas-Boas was an over-achievement.

The season before, when Harry Redknapp was sacked after finishing fourth, Spurs once again had the sixth biggest wage bill in the Premier League.

Chelsea (£190m), City (£174m), United (£153m), Liverpool (£121m) and Arsenal (£120m) were all out in front of Tottenham (£91m).

On those figures alone, Redknapp also performed beyond expectations, even if his team missed out on the Champions League because of Chelsea’s triumph against Bayern Munich in 2012.

Putting Tottenham’s history to one side for a moment, the club punches above their weight in the modern era of the Premier League.

They are the 10th best supported club in the division, behind Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Sunderland, Everton and Aston Villa.

To put that into context West Ham, in danger of being sucked back into the relegation scrap, are the 11th best supported team in the league.

The supporting restrictions at White Hart Lane are just one of the reasons why Levy has mapped out a multi-million pound regeneration project in the area.

He knows that to compete at the highest level, to qualify for the Champions League on a regular basis they need a 60,000 stadium to do it.

Flinging himself: Danny Rose (right) gets his head on the ball during the north London derby defeat

Flinging himself: Danny Rose (right) gets his head on the ball during the north London derby defeat

It's all falling down: Christian Eriksen and Tottenham are going through a difficult spell

It's all falling down: Christian Eriksen and Tottenham are going through a difficult spell

Spurs are a club with Champions League ambitions operating on a Europa League budget

Levy also knows that if this project ever gets underway, Tottenham’s worldwide fanbase will ensure that they fill it practically every week. 

According to the annual Deloitte Money List they are the 14th biggest club in Europe, but they will need a bigger stadium to move ahead of Schalke, Borussia Dortmund or Liverpool.

It is only when the have the stadium and the increased matchday revenues, plus the ability to pay bigger salaries for better players, that Tottenham can count themselves among the big boys.

To put that into context, Manchester United’s revenue last season was £363m, City (£271m), Chelsea (£260m), Arsenal (£243m), Liverpool (£206m) and Tottenham’s was £147m. They are miles behind.

This is a club with Champions League ambitions operating on a Europa League budget.

This season, if Tottenham’s coach Tim Sherwood finishes fifth, where they are currently positioned in the Premier League, that would be about right based on their current wage structure.

They have loftier ambitions (and who doesn’t in the Premier League), but finishing fourth or higher is tough on these terms.

Overachieved: Harry Redknapp finished fourth with Spurs in 2012
Above expectation: Under Andre Villas-Boas Tottenham finished fifth last season

High achievers: Harry Redknapp (left) and Andre Villas-Boas both performed above expectations at Spurs

Spurs need a bigger home: The new 60,000-seater stadium, being built here, will give Tottenham more revenue and more chance of competing

Spurs need a bigger home: The new 60,000-seater stadium, being built here, will give Tottenham more revenue and more chance of competing

 

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Liverpool have made their move on the top four, giving Brendan Rodgers the time to assemble his squad and ingrain his philosophy into the club. It has probably come quicker than he expected.

Tottenham’s transfer activity last summer created expectation, but it is unrealistic to expect Paulinho, Nacer Chadli, Roberto Soldado, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela to settle in straight away.

All of them were overseas imports and between they had never played a game in the Premier League until they arrived at Tottenham. They need time.

Tottenham’s board accept that they brought into too many players last summer in anticipation of Gareth Bale’s world record move to Real Madrid, but the principal owner Joe Lewis believed they could win the title. He called that wrong.

Too much too soon: Spurs brought in Paulinho, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela during the summer but they have failed to gel

Too much too soon: Spurs brought in Paulinho, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela during the summer but they have failed to gel

Bale out: The Wales winger left Tottenham in a world-record move in the close season

Bale out: The Wales winger left Tottenham in a world-record move in the close season

There have been some unacceptable defeats, notably against Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal this season, and it is obvious that factions are developing within the existing technical set up. 

That requires a swift resolution because it comes to something when Sherwood was unaware of Ian Broomfield’s return to the club as Tottenham’s chief scout.

That move was masterminded by Levy, associating Broomfield with the positive impact his recommendations made when he was at the club during Redknapp’s spell between October 2008 and June 2012.

Levy’s ambition for the club cannot be underestimated, which explains why he has been through so many managers since ENIC bought the club in 2001. He is a ruthless man.

 
Don't let him go: Spurs fans would be wrong to try to get rid of Levy

Don't let him go: Spurs fans would be wrong to try to get rid of Levy

Tottenham’s historical significance in English football creates great conflict, particularly when there is talk of the Glory, Glory Nights.

It is something Levy addressed himself when the club were about to celebrate their 125th anniversary in 2007.

At the time he told supporters: ‘As this club celebrates its 125th anniversary and we look back at our great past, we must also seize the opportunity to look ahead with confidence and ensure that glory is not a term used only to recall events in nostalgic terms.’

By getting rid of Levy, they won’t get there any quicker.

 

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Ashton out.

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Realistically Spurs should be finishing 5th/6th in Premier League. They just don't have the resources of the likes of Chelsea,Arsenal,Man City, United or Liverpool. The Spurs fans need to realize this and accept it.

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Neither Arsenal or Liverpool are big spenders. Spurs have spent more than both together even if not very well. City, Utd & Chelsea are the only money boys. There are a few clubs who could grab that 4th spot next season.

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Problem is, is that long gone are the days that you can build a team of decent players and coach them to win the title. If you want to win the league you have to pay the stupid £250k a week wages along with a mind blowing purchase fee. Levy will never do that so you feel the club are just a business, happy with 5th year in year out with a steady profit coming in for Joe Lewis. To me, top level foot all is all very predictable, same clubs year in year out winning the league. Boring isn't the word. They need a wage and purchase cap immediately but of course that will never happen.

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The beautiful thing about Levy is his wife...

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Levi bought Bale. Levy got us into the Champions League. Levy's stewardship has raised the bar and that is why a bunch of brainless Spurs fans are now calling for his head - because he has led them to expect more than they could have ever dreamed of under Sugar. Suddenly the UEFA Cup and 5th place isn't good enough; Before Levy we could only dream of that.

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you will always be in arsenal shadows...haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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@illegal. Never a truer word spoken - have 100 green arrows!

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illegal, what a brilliant contribution to this article, it must have taken you ages to come up with that!

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Biggest transfer spenders in Premier League history. 5. Man Utd £576 million, 4.Spurs £577 million, 3. Liverpool £650 million, 2. Man City £806 million, 1. Chelsea £904 million, That tells you that Spurs are under achievers.

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It's going to take a Gooner "Tim Sherwood" to rescue tiny totts. lol.

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Couldn't disagree more. Levi wasn't responsible for the 100 million spent, Joe Levi was. Levi either appoints the wrong man, or on the rare occasion he gets it right, doesn't back him when things go wrong. He thinks too short term. His obsession with a European style coach has stopped several top managers coming here. It looks like he's made another blunder with Baldini, the Chairman should never bring in players without consulting the manager, yet he does it regularly. We need to bring in a top young manager and support him, looking to the long term. I don't see us ever breaking into the top four unless-until Levi replaces him

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On the contrary, I think they're underachieving. Hugely.

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