Spurs Reveal Strong Finances, but Sherwood, Van Gaal & Squad Questions Abound
Admitting that Tottenham Hotspur have so far failed to meet expectations this season, club chairman Daniel Levy expressed optimism for the future as the Premier League outfit posted financial results and a stadium update to its official website Wednesday.
In its statement, Spurs also announced a five-year shirt deal with Pan-Asian life insurance company AIA, emphasising an “opportunity to further extend” its fan base in the region.
Levy did not, however, directly address the club’s managerial situation, offering only that fans should not expect a “summer of major upheaval.”
“We believe our squad has potential and it is important that we all now show commitment and teamwork to get the best possible finish to the season,” he added.
In other words, the current group of players can expect to be working under Tim Sherwood until May 11, when their campaign will wrap up at home to Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, rumours that Levy already has an agreement in place with Louis Van Gaal continue to swirl.
Last week, former Chelsea and Feyenoord manager Ruud Gullit suggested Van Gaal’s move to White Hart Lane was a “done deal,” as per ESPN FC, and on Tuesday, The Independent reported the 62-year-old—presently in charge of the Netherlands—was prepared to work with the existing Spurs squad.
Such a concession would help Levy save face, as his spending of the Gareth Bale windfall yielded few players to have so far made an impact on the first team.
The Independent has also noted Sherwood, who replaced Andre Villas-Boas back in December, would be willing to sell each of Etienne Capoue, Nacer Chadli, Vlad Chiriches, Erik Lamela, Paulinho and Roberto Soldado—acquired for a combined £93.5 million—less than a year after their arrivals.
Such a proposal would likely be a non-starter with Levy, who has staked his reputation on last summer’s overhaul.
But in Van Gaal, who is out of contract following the World Cup, he would be getting a manager with a reputation for stabilising chaotic situations, which is precisely what Spurs require at the moment.
The foundation for Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich side, for example, was largely put in place by the Dutchman, who was brought in by the Bavarian giants following the disastrous tenure of Jurgen Klinsmann.
Much like Sherwood, Klinsmann had taken a capable squad and imposed little more than a heart-on-your-sleeve approach—a naivety that necessitated Van Gaal’s organisational abilities to rectify.
If the former Bayern, Barcelona and Ajax manager has, indeed, agreed to take the reins of Tottenham, it can only be a good thing for a side that has underachieved despite significant investment.
To that end, Spurs also revealed a 2 percent increase in revenue in their Wednesday statement, and although there has been a delay in land acquisition, they insist their stadium project is on course and could be completed by the summer of 2017.
All of it is encouraging news.
But the matters most at hand involve club personnel, and to that end, Spurs could once again be about to embark on a formative few months.
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