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Enic out!? No – just do their job. The state of Spurs we’re in

11 min read
by Adam Powley
If the people being hired keep on getting it wrong, Adam Powley believes questions need asked of who is doing the hiring.

Lewis LevyAnother weekend, another Spurs-in-crisis post-mortem on the following Monday. Look at the papers this morning and you’d be forgiven for thinking this is some member of the serially successful European elite that’s being probed and dissected, instead of a well-supported but perennially under-achieving also-ran. Such is the extent of the focus. For all Tottenham’s travails and persistent mediocrity, the club still has a gift for giving great copy.

The coverage has helped fuel a flurry of debate and navel gazing from fans and journalists. Depending on the take of individuals and some hard-to-ignore agendas, responsibility for the current chaos is distributed across the cast of managers, players, and directors of football (all past and present), and to varying degrees of culpability. But there isn’t enough focus on the ones really in charge – the owners.

Enic have controlled Spurs for 13 years. Critics of the Conservative governments of the mid-20th century described their reign as ’13 wasted years’ and there’s a forlorn sense that is what we are seeing with the regime of chairman Daniel Levy and his patron, Joe Lewis.

In that time Enic have signed and sold a cast of thousands, appointed or sacked nine managers (or ‘head coaches’), and brought in four Directors of Football. The owners have enjoyed the benefit of capacity crowds paying top dollar, and drawn on unprecedented TV revenues. In those 13 years Spurs have won precisely one devalued trophy and qualified for the Champions League once. Average league position has improved by roughly five places. By their own measure of not tolerating failure in their managers, Enic would have sacked themselves long ago.

They won’t of course. They run the show and, having taken the club off the stock market and gained full control thanks to an ingenious share scheme, are accountable to no-one but themselves. Levy long ago made it clear what the English National Investment Company is about, and aside from directors’ fees, the proper return on that investment will come with a sale. But with no buyer on the horizon, it appears Enic are here to stay. An immovable object.

The same cannot be said for their managers, who are moved on with unerring haste. Actually, ‘manager’ is a misnomer. Enic managers do not manage in the accepted sense. They pick the team (we can assume) and have a say in who is bought and sold (we assume) but do not have the kind of freedom to operate that Arsene Wenger, as an example, enjoys.

They are however the fall guy if things go wrong. Tim Sherwood, like all his predecessors, is now acting as a lightning rod for the growing disaffection. There are calls for his sacking, outrage at his press conferences, and mockery for his tactics, character, and in keeping with modern superficial ways, his dress sense.

[linequote]By their own measure of not tolerating failure in their managers, Enic would have sacked themselves long ago.[/linequote]Many fans have little time for him, and with good reason. He was an average player for Tottenham, labouring in the middle of the park and busy pointing fingers while the modern breed of mobile midfielders exemplified by Patrick Vieira showed him how it was really done. Since becoming a backroom operator at White Hart Lane and the training ground, he has been viewed with interest but also suspicion. Many Spurs fans haven’t forgotten his spiteful and damaging undermining of then boss Glenn Hoddle when Sherwood was ousted from the playing staff. Rumours of childhood loyalty to Arsenal might be superfluous in modern football’s disloyal world, but hardly endear him to Tottenham supporters.

Yet without anyone knowing quite how, Sherwood has since established himself as a major figure at the club, under the mentoring of Harry Redknapp and with the apparent blessing of Levy. It is said Sherwood has long had his chairman’s ear, whispering advice and guidance on football matters and more besides. His work with the academy and coaches is, by common consent, something to be applauded, but seemingly there is an unmistakeable whiff around Sherwood that he’s a sharp and manipulative operator looking for the main chance.

I say ‘seemingly’ because few really know. That’s the point about Spurs. The club has always been political and opaque in the way it functions but those characteristics have been magnified in the 21st century. Who signs the players? The manager or head coach? The Dof? Or the Chairman? Are managers instructed to pick certain players? Who dictates strategy, tactics, and implements long term planning?

Which begs the question: what is the long-term plan? It would be a nice idea. Whatever it is, it appears Sherwood won’t be around to work on it, at least as manager. He is already eyeing up a future role as Technical Director, publically voicing his ambition for another man’s job. It doesn’t make for petty viewing.

But if it’s hard to defend Sherwood it’s pointless to get too animated about him, either. He is a symptom, not a cause – a consequence of a culture created by others. No one at Spurs takes real responsibility. It’s the ‘not me guv’ school of business, whereby everyone from chairman to players deflect and shift blame for any failures. And it comes from the top. Whatever happens at Spurs, Enic always have a ready excuse to be absolved from wrong doing.

It is no surprise that their latest coach, with next-to-no management experience, and saddled with an ill-fitting squad not of his choosing, should be struggling. Andre Villas Boas, like so many before him, was not given nearly enough time over 18 months, so it is harsh to now condemn a rookie barely a third of a season into his shaky tenure. Sherwood’s 18-month deal that so enraged many was more a reflection of his canny grasp of how things work at Tottenham: see out the rest of the season as expected and the move on with compo in hand, or work out its full term. Either way, it was 18 months money, guaranteed.

[linequote]Whatever happens at Spurs, Enic always have a ready excuse to be absolved from wrong doing.[/linequote]Can anyone blame him? He has seen what has happened to his predecessors and reacted accordingly. When it comes to Spurs bosses it’s an interesting but minor diversion to argue about transfers, tactics, team selection, man-management, PR and all the other components a modern manager/head coach has to get to grips with, because Enic’s managers fare roughly the same. They enjoy an initial upturn in form and last on average about 18 months before, at the first sign of a wobble, being shown the door, departing with a generous payoff. Great work if you can get it, but no way to foster stability and build for the future.

Enic’s defence is that it is the DoF system that provides real continuity. In theory and in practice at other clubs, that has been the case. At Spurs, it’s just another example of the churn. There have been four DoFs since 2001. In fairness to Enic the most promising one, Frank Arnesen, left of his own accord, but none have been firmly established, nor had the scope to do fully execute their role. To compound the upheaval, in between these appointments it’s rumoured the board have held sway over player recruitment.

The response to all this turmoil is to suggest that the managers and DoFs simply weren’t good enough at their job. To which the counter is simple and valid enough: who appointed them? If the people being hired keep on getting it wrong, then maybe questions need to be more appropriately asked of who is doing the hiring. The two most successful managers of the Enic years have been ones the owners didn’t really want (Martin Jol and Redknapp). What does that say about Enic’s judgement?

This environment of instability and short-termism is pre-destined to create uncertainty and the risk of chaos. Chelsea have bought their way out it; Spurs can’t or won’t. So now the club is going through another dose of feverish uncertainty. The result is another unseemly mess of various factions jostling for position, influence, or compensation.

Where do Sherwood and Baldini, stand? Either way they’ll be quids in. The scout Ian Bloomfield is now back in the frame providing another potential challenge to Baldini’s position. Various Dutch candidates are letting it be known they are ‘interested’ in the job – and who wouldn’t be? Managing Spurs is a sure-fire way to be handsomely paid, succeed or fail.

While in the job, much of what these here-today, gone tomorrow managers have to say is irrelevant. But in Sherwood’s latest quote-friendly performance, there was one line that hit home, and hard. Asked if a new manager would be arriving in the summer, the stand-in said “The silence is deafening, isn’t it? It’s up to Daniel.”

It really is up to Daniel. And not forgetting Joe Lewis. When it is said that Spurs need a billionaire in order to compete, it’s easy to forget that they already have one. But one who hasn’t – and probably never will – put his hand in his own pocket to bankroll the club’s fortunes.

That is to be admired in many respects. The advent of the oligarchs and petro-billionaires who now own a number of clubs have made the task of self-sustaining clubs that much harder. It’s been a tough ask for Spurs to compete. Teams invariably finish where their wage bill dictates and Tottenham, operating around sixth in that domestic ranking, are doing well to hover around fourth or fifth place in the actual league.

Indeed fans of other clubs might be wondering quite what it is that’s exactly wrong here. Spurs are in good financial health, lie fifth in the table with an outside chance of securing a qualifying position for the Champions League, and are still in contention in this season’s Europa League.

There have been a series of humiliating domestic thrashings, chiefly against the wealthier sides Spurs have been trying to compete with in recent campaigns, but it could be worse. ‘Just look at Leeds’, runs the narrative of the fearful and timid, holding up the bogeyman of Peter Ridsdale while thanking Enic for their prudent management of Tottenham’s comparatively weak resources.

There is something to be said for that. Enic have performed well in some respects. In the era of FFP, being solvent is no bad thing. The sumptuous new training ground has been built without a penny required from some generous benefactor. But progress where it matters – on the pitch – remains elusive.

So much for recent history. The question now is about what to do now. The call from many is to sack the latest manager. That will probably happen, but in all likelihood only temporarily staunch the blood letting and rancour. Others want to press the nuclear button and get rid of Enic altogether, albeit without a realistic suggestion for replacements.

[linequote]The sumptuous new training ground has been built without a penny required from some generous benefactor. But progress where it matters – on the pitch – remains elusive.[/linequote]

There is another way, however, and that’s for a quite revolutionary plan that will shake not just Spurs but football as a whole to its foundations. It’s for people who are very well rewarded to do a job to do it better.

One criticism of Enic is that they have been too risk averse, too unwilling to speculate to accumulate. They could show a bit more financial ambition without straying from the strictly assessed balance sheet. Tottenham’s transfer dealings over the last five windows show net transfer outlay that is small to the point of being negligible in the context of PL finances.

With the new TV deal in place, Spurs could spend that little bit bigger and not have to sell the star assets first. It might even enable them to hang on to the likes of Gareth Bale without the apparent fait accompli that they have to be sold. The mistakes of 2010, when the hesitancy to fully exploit the fleeting opportunity provided by Champions League qualification meant a frustrating season that ran out of steam, is looking more and more like a wonderful chance lamentably spurned. The owners apparently did not have faith in their own manager (Redknapp) to sanction substantial investment and it has come back to bite them.

But perhaps more important than the spending is a plan. Spurs can improve without the need for Lewis to dip into some of his billions. Bridging the gap to the elite is far from easy, but with the right people in place and given time, it can be done. Appoint a Director of Football if that’s the way they really want to go. Let him pick a manager. And leave them to get on with their jobs over an adequate period. When things aren’t going quite so well, don’t panic, or pay heed to the calls for another cull. Have the courage of your convictions, stick by your decisions and make sure everyone knows you’re in it for the long haul.

Are Enic in it for the long haul? It’s a debatable point, as is what they really want for the club beyond an eventual return on their own investment. But this haphazard, short-term approach Spurs have now appears to be not just hindering progress of the team but constraining that potential profit.

‘To dare is to do’ runs the English translation of the club motto Audere est Facere, plastered around White Hart Lane and the spanking new training ground in Enfield. ‘To dare is too dear’, might be the more accurate modern definition, but that’s no excuse for Enic letting things slide the way they have. It really doesn’t have to be like this.

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.

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16 Comments

  1. Johnty
    10/03/2014 @ 3:11 pm

    Very well articulated my friend. I think, ultimately, the lack of any form of true success on the pitch (with constant high expenditure) will be the cause of the ENIC castle to crumble. The club is for sale and the sooner we get in a benefactor with even deeper pockets to that of Joe Lewis the better. Abramovich hasn’t done too much harm to Chelsea now has he? (fit and proper persons test is there for us now).

    Over and out – just like our season and sherwood’s reign.

  2. JOHNNY
    10/03/2014 @ 3:26 pm

    I AM NOT SURE GETTING RID OF ENIC IS THE ANSWER BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO LOOK AT CHELSEA , MAN CITY , WERE BIG MONEY HAS BROUGHT IN THE VERY BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD , MOST IF NOT NEAR ALL OF THE PLAYERS AT THESE CLUBS ARE WORLD CLASS HUGH FEES PAID FOR THEIR SERVICES AND NOT A CHEAP FROM ANY OF THESE GUYS ABOUT MOVING TO BIGGER CLUBS BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THEY ARE AT THE BIGGEST CLUBS A HAPPY PLAYER MAKES A GREAT PLAYER THIS IS THE SECRET , WHICH MAKES ENIC UNABLE TO COPE WITH THE BIG PLAYER DEMANDS SO WE SPURS MUST BE LOOKING FOR A BIGGER FISH INFACT NOT A FISH A WHALE IS WHAT WE WANT , SPURS TO THEM ARE SPENDING BIG BUT THEY ARE GETTING MINNOWS WHO CAN`T ADOPT TO THE PREMIERSHIP AND PEOPLE AT THE CLUB WHO CAN`T DO THEIR JOB IE SPOTTING THE TALENT THAT CAN TAKE SPURS COMFORTABLY TO THE NEXT STEP WHICH IS TOP FOUR OR INDEED TO WIN THE PREMIERSHIP AND STAY THEIR YEAR IN YEAR OUT LIKE MAN UTD , CHELSEA , MAN CITY , AND DARE I SAY IT ARSENAL , WE NEED SOMEONE LIKE BILL GATES WHO COULD CHALLENGE THE BIG RED ONE AT THE BRIDGE , AT THE ETIHAD , AT OLD TRAFFORD , AND THE GUNNERS .

    • ultrapunch
      10/03/2014 @ 7:30 pm

      You left your caps lock on!!

  3. Druif
    10/03/2014 @ 3:27 pm

    Excellent prose sir and hits the points very well. I dont see ENIC going anywhere any time fast . Its all a bit headless chickens really . The next manager/ coach will be Dutch, of that there is no doubt. He will last 18 months either because he hasnt been given enough time or he does well and someone bigger and badder will take him away.

  4. jon
    10/03/2014 @ 3:42 pm

    SO MANY YEARS SAME OLD STORY THE YOUNG FANS OF TODAY ARE LOOKING TO OTHER TEAMS NOW THE TEAM IS POOR THE GROUND IS OLD AND THE CHAIRMAN IS A JOKE LETS FORGET THIS SEASON AND PREY WE GET A NEW CHAIRMAN THEN MANAGER, THEN A GOOD TEAM …..PRETTY PLEASE

    • ultrapunch
      10/03/2014 @ 7:31 pm

      Another one who left his caps lock on.

  5. HEYBRIDGERSPUR
    10/03/2014 @ 3:52 pm

    I think you’ve hit the nail on the head, we’re the 6th biggest payers & for the past few years at least, have finished 4th to 6th.
    Do we really expect more?
    What i would like to see are players signed that have a hunger to succeed at spurs & not just use us as a stepping stone.
    Players will not stay at spurs becuase to do so would mean they really have to put the effort in, week in week out, & i’m afraid to say we never sign those types of players, ones that have the correct mental attitude.
    I also think it doesn’t matter too much who is sitting in the managers seat or the boardroom.
    We are spurs, you can always rely on us to f*ck things up.

  6. hahahahaaaa
    10/03/2014 @ 4:35 pm

    Personally I laugh at all of these so called spurs fans having a good moan up at our current plight because most of them are the same short sighted ignoramuses that were agitating for AVB to get the chop. Well they got what they wanted and now they are crying because they don’t want what they got boo-hoo. I think it must have something to do with living in Chesthunt and neighbouring areas ;-)

  7. Spurgatso
    10/03/2014 @ 4:57 pm

    Im afraid you get what you deserve and from most of the comments I’ve read lately you’ve got it,stop the whinging,moaning and bloody well support the team .COYS

    • hahahahaaaa
      10/03/2014 @ 5:10 pm

      just laughing now…..

  8. TMWNN
    10/03/2014 @ 6:00 pm

    Nothing new here.

    Just how many more chances do you want to give these clowns that run our club? Their incompetence is staggering. Not only do they keep making a mess of choosing the manager, they’re not even capable of selecting a caretaker manager without making a meal out of it. Levy, in his infinite wisdom, foolishly tried to convince everyone that Sherwood isn’t just a caretaker. He has fooled no one, just wasted more of the club’s money. Hiring AVB was stupid, but putting Sherwood in charge was even more daft. Hoddle made it as clear as day that he would have unconditionally taken over until the end of the season, but the great Daniel Levy, as always, knew better. We now have a maverick managing the team who has been in the position of football manager for all of about five minutes, yet feels the need to grandstand live on TV as though he’s been in charge for a decade or so. IT IS PITIFUL! Ticket prices, Stubhub, Loyalty points, ‘Yid’ fiasco, stewarding, ground capacity……..the list goes on and on why Levy is not fit to chair Spurs.

    Levy has even less credibility than Sherwood (zero in fact), and those who feel he needs more time, or praise the lord, is doing a good job, seriously need a head doctor. A coup d’etat is what’s needed here, with Levy being marched out of his office, shot and thrown into hole, never to meddle with Spurs again.

  9. east stand dave
    10/03/2014 @ 7:03 pm

    Nice to see an article that has some thought behind it instead of the normal article I see which runs along the lines that if we got rid of this player or manger (previously Jenas now Dawson prior to that it was John Pratt) we would improve overnight particularly if we also bought this player who looks wonderful on the 30 second you tube clip I have seen. It’s team game and the main problems that Tottenham have had for some time is a lack of balance together with a lack of ability to grind out a victory partly due to a lack of leadership on the field. To be fair we have also had particular issues with lack of choice for instance at at centre half with Dawson playing almost every match because we have no alternative.
    More importantly Sherwood emphasises commitment and that, above all else, is what has let Spurs down time after time. I believe that he really cares about the club and wants to see it back at the top rather than just seeing it as a job something that isn’t the case with a foreign manager. That in itself is no good unless he can bring a tactical knowledge to win games but from what I can see he is willing to take a chance e.g. playing Walker in a midfield role rather than not try anything at all.
    My grandson is a Spurs supporter having being given no choice by me from an early age (he’s now 8) and that perhaps sums up the problem best. Support is often about family and upbringing and ENRIC have benefited from family tradition but unless they build the stadium they run a real risk of losing the economic benefits and the continuing support that go with it.

  10. Joe
    10/03/2014 @ 7:29 pm

    Or our support ha – ha- ha are the worst in the Premier League and a section undermine any approach and any manager and his tactics ,
    Boring football, not Spurs way, not good enough for Spurs etc, A barrage of criticism undermines the manager and players.
    But I do doubt Tim Sherwood, his comments smack of desperation. If its true that Ian Broomfield Harrys ex mate is back as a chief scout it is likely Tim of the same play it off the cuff football school was involved in the appointment.

  11. ultrapunch
    10/03/2014 @ 7:32 pm

    Nice article.

  12. Nicky kruse
    10/03/2014 @ 11:39 pm

    Remember it was gooner Sherwood who leaked a false story to Paul jiggins from the sun about unrest at spurs the day we beat Man utd at old Trafford 3-2. But you are right…how can a team like spurs end up with a manager like sherwood?

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