S.O.S. - Save Our Spurs

So, Spurs need help. It's quite easy to diagnose the problem, the only issue is, it's seemingly impossible to treat. At least that's what Daniel Levy would like for us to believe, I'm sure. He would rather make a good deal financially than actually improve the club, that much is evident. Why else would you wait until the end of the window to throw the squad together? It's not as if it is convenient...

Article by Cam Lessard

Everyone in the world knows Pochettino loves having players available early to gain trust and familiarity in the pre-season. One doesn't have to look further than Clinton N'Jie. It took Levy until August 15th to sign Clinton.

Great, we got the player, but when will he actually play? Could we have given Lyon a bump in fee to get Clinton in two or three weeks earlier? Knowing your manager loves the player and plans to use him, wouldn't it have been worth the additional cost to get him in sooner? So, maybe Spurs saved a few pounds...well, Spurs have also only picked up 2 points in three matches using a squad that would look a lot better if Clinton were included. What is the value in losing, though? Is it worth the money saved tinkering over add-ons and trying to fleece opposing chairmen? No way.

I'm not suggesting Spurs would be at the top of the table with Clinton starting all three matches. That's not the point. The point is that Levy's lack of urgency to move on clear targets is not "shrewd business," it's irresponsible. Spurs are incomplete and probably, in many ways, will be for the remainder of the season.

Now, it appears Spurs are going to miss out on Saido Berahino, a mark for at least the past year. There was interest and rumors during the winter window this past season, so, it should come as no surprise that Levy would be submitting offers. My only question is, why did it take until the end of August, to figure out that West Brom would not sell at £21m? You mean to tell me that Levy could not have presented offers close to this in the beginning of July? Hell, he could not have figured that out this past January? Who cares if we didn't have bodies off the books! Tottenham is a big club; there's money available, so don't even try to sell me on that. It's irresponsible to have waited so long to do such shabby business.

Say Levy found out that West Brom would not take £21m for Saido Berahino in early July, one may say, "Wow, if Berahino is not available at £21m, but Benteke can be had at £32.5m, why wouldn't I spend the extra to get a star player to pair with Harry Kane?"

Relatively speaking Benteke at £32.5m is a steal compared to the price West Brom would force Spurs to pay for Berahino. Rumors now indicate West Brom's fee request has climbed to £30m! That's the price you pay for attempting to be the smartest man in the room? In this case, I'm fine with Spurs not paying £30m for Berahino, but I'm not fine with eternal resistance to aggressiveness.

Sure, Levy is a ruthless businessman who has done well by Spurs in many facets. Overall, I am pleased with the progress of the club. There are times, however, mostly during transfer windows, during which I can't stand him. There is no perfect model for navigating the tricky seas of transfers, but the model Levy lives by is substandard and borderline idiotic. It so clear that Levy and Pochettino are at different ends of the operational spectrum. Right now, I can only wonder if Pochettino will stay for another transfer window like this one. Give Pochettino the tools to carry out the plan you hired him to pursue.

Levy is not the man for the transfer window job. The saddest part about that is, it may never prove whether Pochettino is the man for his. Who knows, maybe Son Heung-min will be all Spurs need. I'm not holding my breath on that, though.

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