Tottenham have had top-six revenues and wage bills for a quarter of a century but still only won one trophy, the 2008 League Cup, during that time.
Where they have led the way, though, is on executive pay.
Year after year, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy tops that ranking. The
62-year-old, who joined the board in December 2000, gave himself a pay
package worth £6.5million ($7.9m) last season, including a £3m bonus.
OK, during his reign, Tottenham have built a new training
ground and the best stadium in the country, and the club now boast soaring
revenues (mainly thanks to that stadium). But he has also burned through 11
permanent managers, run up record levels of debt, posted financial losses for
the last four years and sparked rows with his most loyal customers about
ticket prices and concessions.
Maybe the problem is not whoever is in the dugout, it’s the
bloke who keeps hiring and firing them?
Chairmen do not sack themselves, of course, particularly
when they own big stakes in the business. But Levy had a front-row seat in the
directors’ box at Goodison Park so he cannot have missed the “Levy Out” chants
from the away end.
Levy runs Tottenham because he owns a third of the
investment firm, ENIC, which owns the club. But Joe Lewis, his
partner at ENIC, is now 87 and has passed his shares in the business to a
family trust. And, for the last year, the Lewis family, who have always been
open to offers, have actively been looking for a buyer for their stake.
Perhaps it is time for Levy to realise it is time for him to
cash in his chips and let someone else have a go, too.
Passionate take on the Spurs situation! Fans' frustration with Levy is understandable given the club's struggles. While financial stability is important, ambition on the pitch matters just as much. It’ll be interesting to see if leadership listens to supporters and takes steps toward real progress. Great read Plus Size Clubwear
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