A rash of Daniel Levy mistakes have caused Tottenham regression

Leicester City's chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (L) greets Tottenham Hotspur's English chairman Daniel Levy (R) ahead of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 23, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by MIKE EGERTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

4 of 5

Firing Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino was struggling mightily at the time of his dismissal. Spurs were reeling in the bottom half of the table, unable to string a few good results together. But firing Pochettino was still the wrong call. Just when the situation demanded patience, Levy acted viscerally, even impetuously.

When he needs to use patience, he acts with conviction. Contrastingly, when conviction is required, Levy sits on his thumbs, waiting idly by as the moment for decisiveness passes. Levy has in the last week admitted his decision to fire Pochettino was a mistake. Which is why he’s now clamouring to re-hire Pochettino in attempt to make amends for his original folly.

Hiring Jose Mourinho

Less than 24 hours after Pochettino was shown the door, Jose Mourinho was redecorating the Argentine’s office. Signing Mourinho provided initially the illusion of a Levy masterstroke. It was thought, albeit fleetingly, that he had pulled off an epic coup.

But under the sensational headlines, Mourinho’s philosophy belied everything Tottenham had been working toward. Spurs played on the front foot, with high intensity and enterprise. Pochettino instilled an exciting brand of football, which Mourinho, in one fell swoop, abolished.

Mourinho completely altered Tottenham’s identity and, for a time, it worked. And while the initial response was positive and promising, Tottenham eventually lost their way under Mourinho’s stewardship. Blame it on a subpar set of individuals at his disposal or his dogged, defensive, risk-averse philosophy. The result was the same, as Spurs’ decline and regression was on display for everyone to see.

Now Levy admits that Mourinho was the wrong hire. Too little too late. Surely Levy knew what to expect of Mourinho. Surely he knew the Portuguese wasn’t going to perpetuate Pochettino’s high-tempo philosophy.

So now we’re back at square one, waiting with bated breath to see who Levy employs to lead Spurs’ quasi rebuild.

Home/Tottenham News