As the new season develops we continue to question the wisdom of Daniel Levy. It would be ridiculously unfair to write new Tottenham boss AVB off at this stage. He has only had a few games (albeit pretty easy ones on paper) to implement his style. He has also had to deal with the departures of two of last year’s best performers in Luka Modric and Rafa van der Vaart.
But many of us felt Daniel Levy saw something that we didn’t when he took on AVB. Our instincts told us that this was a bad move. It couldn’t have gone much worse for the man at Chelsea but he almost immediately got the chance to manage again at the top of The Premier League – in place of the mercurial Harry Redknapp. I have little time for people who think Harry did a bad job at Spurs. He raised the bar, brought in brilliant players and made Tottenham genuinely competitive again. Alas, something went on behind the scenes and Harry got the boot. But, when AVB was announced as his successor, many of us were thoroughly mystified.
When the Portuguese came to the club soccersweep couldn’t understand it and wrote accordingly. A month or so in and we have no reason to believe that Levy did the right thing sacking Harry and bringing in AVB. We genuinely wish the lad the best. Maybe the superb Moussa Dembele can make Spurs successful this year. But we just retain a niggling feeling that this ain’t gonna end well for Levy, AVB or Totters.
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Mark
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:05 am
Please remember that as well as Harry did when he joined Spurs he blew it badly in the last 3rd of the last years season. We were a few points behind Man. Utd and Man. City and at laest 10 points behind 4th team Arsenal and ended up 4th. Harry lost his concentration when Capello resigned as England Coach and Harry was a big favourite to take his place. This unfortunately was the main reason for our demise to 4th from a comfortable 3rd and we failed to qualify for the Champions league as Chelsea won it and automatically qualified. That is why Harry got the boot.
I.love.spuds
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:59 am
This ‘arry was to blame for all spurs ills is the biggest bollox of the lot. He was the most succesful manager we’ve had for years and under him finished 4th 5th 4th in the toughest league in the world. If levy had supported him with the players hes got avb recently then ‘arry could have rotated the squad. These same wallies that are supporting avb will soon turn on him just wait and see. I hope avb is a success as much as anyone, but I’m not a hypocrite who is going to turn on ‘arry.
Michael Niblett
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:09 am
Completely agree with this article. Problem is when it doesn’t work out it will be AVB who pays the price with his job, not Levy.
Until Levy goes can’t see our problems improving and the club moving on.
Daniel Levy
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:14 am
Yes
Kingdom of Sod
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:16 am
Your very last line says it all.
R.C.Aaron
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:25 am
Once again, any old excuse to get a few words in lights. Why can’t we mention AVB without following it with ‘failure at Chelsea’? Since when were our best performers Modric and Van der Vaart last season? Did they receive player of the month, or season awards… No. I seem to remember that fell to Kyle Walker, along with Gareth Bale and Younis Kabul were way ahead of the afore mentioned players who left Spurs.
So what are we talking about here? 3 games in, 5 new players in the squad and very little time to assess playing combinations. Give the AVB a rest and lets not adopt a spoilt brat attitude towards our bright future. We’ve made some interesting signings and with a little faith and a lot of SUPPORT (because that’s why we’re called supporters) they may just repay our faith in them.
Ray
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:27 am
What a load of old bollocks. Who did Harry bring in? The vast majority of players at Harry’s disposal were already at the club. He didnt bring in VDV, Levy did. Sure, he brought back Kaboul who has proved his worth but shouldnt have been sold to Portsmouth in the first place. Defoe also came back to the club as did Crouch but he’s gone as has all the Croatians. That fantastic manager Harry also burned his players out, no rotation and fuck all tactics. No wonder he only won one FA cup in 33 years of management. Top flight that. AVB has been at the club two minutes and you’re on his back like a monkey, following slavishly to every word that the Harry loving low class press print about AVB and Spurs. Remember how we started off last season. It will take time for any new manager to impliment his plans and Spurs didnt have a fully fit Ade in time to start the campign either. Give the man time before shooting off your mouth. I could understand it if we were mid way through the season but to start kicking the guy now is stupid to say the least.
HairyRoadmap
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:28 am
I think AVB will be a success once Dembele, Dempsey & Ade are fit, He is the 1st manager who has a clear plan of how to play and the type of player required since “El Tel” , True he does not have the motivation skills of Redknapp, but unlike Redknapp he will rotate, and build a balanced squad as opposed to relying on star players.
silverman
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:45 am
all you armchair fans are getting too hyped after 3 games, do you not remember the years of heartache finishing mid table season after season?.. think about our terrible start last season and the potential for amazing attacking options we now have. we’ve signed world class players for the first time in a lot of seasons, even if it doesn’t quite work out this season you have to admit the future is bright.
SimYid
Sep 12, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Remember them? Mid table will be back I fear……..
Spurls
Sep 12, 2012 at 10:51 am
Couldn’t agree more Ray. This “Harry was brilliant” rubbish needs to stop. He did his usual, brought in a load of overpaid, overaged players who he doesn’t have to manage and let them get on with it. His wonderful man management skills are a total myth. Anyone can “man manage” players that are constantly playing, it’s the ones that aren’t that require man management and look what they all had to say about him. And he didn’t just drop off last season, he did it the season before too, when there was no England distraction. Then you add all the personal issues (as opposed to the football ones), such as being a criminal, renta-gob, etc. and you paint a very different picture to the man some seem to remember so fondly. He did a good job but it was always limited and given the money we spent and the squad we had we should’ve been coming 4th/5th/4th. Give AVB time and go and do some real work rather than fueling a fire that the press can fuel perfectly well themselves
john hickey
Sep 12, 2012 at 11:11 am
i don’t like saying it but i think avb is the wrong man for the job i would love to be proved wrong .Mr Levy must have a reason it will be money
i just hope he has a good backup plain if he is wrong on this it will be very expensive . in lots of ways we have good players but should of got in 2moor in the last window .I think by jan we will no how it is going to go
i just hope it gos the right way .And avb can do the job and do it good
VW
Sep 12, 2012 at 11:47 am
No time for those that dissed Harry? Im sorry, but as exciting as Harry games were – they were a mess and had no future benefits. Young players not being trained; players rotated in and out the door (Crouch, Keane, Piennar, Chimbonda etc). One striker on our books thanks for loan deals for Ade and Saha. We would have ended up with a squad of players on loan and at the end of their careers in a couple of years with no resale value and, therefore, no funds to buy further players. The team currently sitting with 2 points this season has been playing badly since February and has had VDV, Modric, Parker and King ripped out of it – ie: its spine! Give the man time – at least he has an eye on the future.
Francis
Sep 12, 2012 at 12:58 pm
AVB has just started as a Spurs manager and three games into the season he is pushed out of the door by the so called Harry fan club. It’s it about time that AVB is left alone to concentrate on the job he is employed to do