It’s always Levy’s fault - but why?

One thing we can all agree on - even the most ardent Tottenham fan - Spurs were awful at Newcastle. No - woeful. That performance was right up there as one of the most irresponsible and inept I’ve ever witnessed. Shocking.

A lot of noisy, inaccurate comment followed - and, as usual, the target for most of the anger was Daniel Levy.

Levy is always to blame - whether it’s for a performance like we saw at St James’ - defeat in a CL final - the north London weather - even Arsenal’s title bid.

I’m not suggesting that he hasn’t got it wrong at times. Firing Mourinho in the week of a cup final was ridiculous. Appointing Nuno as manager equally so - although he quickly rectified that mistake. But come on - which of us hasn’t occasionally dropped a bollock?

No. Levy was not to blame for that pathetic Spurs performance. Nor was Cristian Stellini. Although he was miles from it - skulking about somewhere in Italy - Antonio Conte was.

Conte was the one who walked out on Tottenham after deciding he’d had enough of everyone and everything at the club. His retreat after those damaging press conferences was pathetic - all the more so because he was the one calling for more ‘fight’ from his team when he flipped and walked away. And make no mistake - it was his team.

Conte spent £235.8m while he was in charge at Spurs. £235.8m. Astounding isn’t it? On what? I’m sure Levy has asked himself that question many times since the pint-pot former dictator walked out. Conte is responsible for the mess that we see at Spurs right now.

‘Ah,’ Spurs fans will say ‘but the rot goes much deeper and look at what we’ve achieved during Levy’s time in charge’. Yea. One trophy. Agreed. Not enough - but how many times has Levy picked the team since that solitary League Cup win in 2008?

Did he shit it in 2016 at Chelsea - allowing Leicester to go on and win the title? No. That expert in failure Pochettino did. Pochettino lost the CL final in 2019 - eventually leaving the club with nothing - having signed 27 players for a total of £350m. Did Levy pick the reserve team that lost in the FA Cup at Sheffield United this season? No. Of course he didn’t. Conte did - letting another wonderful chance of a cup run slip away.

Every manager you can name has been backed by Levy. Who wouldn’t have appointed Mourinho or Conte when they were available? Levy has tried everything to find the right man - whilst delivering a magnificent stadium and a world class training complex. Do Spurs fans believe Levy wilfully tries to stop Tottenham from winning trophies?

One or two ‘experts’ were screaming at him again this past weekend - demanding that he appoints a new manager ‘now’. Why? Why would he do that if the one he really wants is currently employed - De Zerbi for instance? Or Frank? No - it’s better to wait. And please - don’t anybody think that ‘Arry is the short term answer. Having had his fingers burnt once by that wheeler and dealer (I’m being nice - other descriptions were available) there is no way in the world that Levy would be daft enough to volunteer for ‘Arry’s circus again.

I understand why the Tottenham faithful get frustrated - but they target the wrong man. As football fans we all believe that owners have got it wrong - and that we could do better. Except that ‘we’ aren’t prepared to commit anything like the means required to own a club. I’m as guilty (but thank goodness SISU are gone at Coventry!).

Think about it. Utd fans want the Glazers gone. Liverpool fans want FSG out. Spurs fans want Levy and Joe Lewis gone. I’m sure Chelsea fans would welcome Abramovich back in place of Todd Boehly. Arsenal fans will want rid of Kroenke again when they miss out of the title this season - suffocated by their own over-zealous emotion. Where are we going to find the replacements from? It’s an impossible scenario.

Spurs haven’t won a title since 1961. In recent seasons they’ve been nearer than any Tottenham team in any previous era - they were eventually third in 2016 (of course they should’ve won it) and second in 2017.

Daniel Levy keeps his counsel - but believe me - he’s more frustrated than other Spurs fan that they haven’t won more. He’s the one spending the money.

It was good to see that United stuck to the ‘game plan’ at Wembley. What was it I wonder - be second best again and bore the arse off us for 120 minutes before nicking a win on pens? Genius.

They won’t beat City playing like that. If Guardiola doesn’t win the lot now there will be questions. It’s all falling into his lap.

I’m pleased for David Moyes. West Ham aren’t going down. I don’t believe Leicester are either. For me it’s Southampton - and two from Everton, (struggling) Forest, Leeds and Bournemouth. And it’s going to be fascinating. See you next week.