Former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has spoken for the primary time about his outdated facet’s relegation combat.
The 64-year-old left the membership abruptly final September after practically 25 years in cost and their Premier League season has fully unravelled.
With Spurs scrapping tooth and nail to outlive within the Premier League this season below new boss Roberto de Zerbi, Levy gave his tackle the abject state of affairs.
After receiving a CBE at Buckingham Palace, he instructed Sky Sports: ‘All I am centered on is ensuring Tottenham stays within the Premier League.
‘I may by no means have envisaged this initially of the season. Clearly it’s extremely disillusioned however let’s look ahead and really a lot hope we’ll see them within the Premier League.
‘I am feeling the ache. However I am optimistic we are going to get by way of it.
Daniel Levy stated he couldn’t have imagined Tottenham could be in a relegation combat
‘It has been a really, very troublesome (watch). However Spurs is in my blood and I am hopeful that we are going to be okay ultimately.’
Spurs are two factors forward of relegation rivals West Ham with two video games to play and face a difficult journey to Stamford Bridge of their subsequent encounter.
On that Chelsea showdown, Levy stated: ‘All the time robust, by no means place for us however hopefully this yr it is going to be completely different.’
When requested about his extra fond reminiscences throughout his lengthy tenure at Spurs, throughout which he oversaw the transfer to their state-of-the-art stadium, Levy added: ‘Over that time period so many issues occurred. Stepping into the Champions League closing, opening the stadium, attaining Europe quite a few instances, having some nice gamers, making a contribution to the area people and impacting folks’s lives. There’s so many, there is not one merchandise, a lot of issues. It is about successful on the pitch.
‘I have been honoured that I’ve labored with a lot of improbable managers, it might be unfair of me to call one particular person supervisor. I simply labored with a lot of nice folks.’
And on Ange Postecoglou he continued: ‘Ange, endlessly grateful and he might be within the historical past of Tottenham for permitting us to win a European trophy. It was a tremendous night time.’
Spurs introduced that Levy could be leaving final September and he was a controversial determine, attracting loads of criticism from followers, notably in direction of the top.
Beneath his tenure, Tottenham established themselves as certainly one of English soccer’s massive six. They certified for Europe in 18 of the final 20 seasons and reached the Champions League closing in 2019.
Roberto de Zerbi is making an attempt to rescue Spurs’ season with simply two video games remaining
Supporters annoyed with an absence of Premier League success and a perceived lack of spending protested towards Levy and chants had been commonplace at matches.
Whereas no element on his wage was made public, in 2023 Spurs listed their highest-paid director, assumed to be Levy, as receiving £6.6m.
Many noticed him as a shrewd operator who saved Spurs aggressive within the fashionable recreation. Others criticised his cautious method within the switch market, with failed pursuits of high-profile targets typically leaving followers annoyed.
He labored with 16 everlasting bosses, from Glenn Hoddle to Antonio Conte.
Many Tottenham followers had been happy to see Levy depart however absolutely they too couldn’t have envisaged the stunning deterioration this season.
Thomas Frank was sacked and the disastrous Igor Tudor interim spell lower brief earlier than the membership landed De Zerbi.
With Chelsea after which Everton to return, there are not any ensures Spurs will stay within the English high flight this season however they continue to be within the stronger place than the Hammers for now.
