The previous Tottenham supervisor discusses Levy’s Spurs departure, his working relationship with the ex-chairman and the way new signing Xavi Simons will match into the facet.
Martin Jol says Daniel Levy did ‘a incredible job’ throughout his time at Tottenham, however was let down every so often by the folks he entrusted on recruitment.
Levy stepped down as Spurs’ government chairman on 4 September, and in our unique interview Jol has revealed what their working relationship was like in the course of the Dutchman’s White Hart Lane tenure.
Spurs are at present 7/2 within the Premier League betting to complete within the high 4, and Jol has additionally revealed what he feels it might take for his former membership to say a Champions League place, in addition to how he believes new signing Xavi Simons will combine into the facet.
What was your speedy response to Daniel Levy leaving Spurs?
It was two-fold. The primary one was disbelief, however however, I believe it was six or seven weeks in the past when Donna Cullen left, his proper hand, his media skilled. She left, and I believed there was one thing within the pipeline, there should be one thing taking place there within the background. So it was not a shock, however I nonetheless thought that Daniel would keep there for the following 5 years. After all, they received the Europa League however however they have been seventeenth within the league. He most likely thought they must do higher. That’s Daniel, he desires to win, that’s the reason he eliminates numerous managers early, as a result of he desires to be within the Champions League. Possibly he’s proper, however there’s a couple of contradictions there.
What was your working relationship like with Daniel Levy at Spurs, in comparison with the opposite chairmen you’ve labored with?
They’re completely different. I used to be there with Frank Arnesen, and Frank stated, “you’re the chief coach and I’m the supervisor, the technical director.” And that construction works in case you are associates and also you get alongside properly. However in case you don’t, I believe it’s not the most effective of buildings. Daniel wished this construction to achieve success.
You want excellent folks to do properly on the business facet and naturally, Daniel might be the most effective, and so they did properly on the business facet. With economics, it was wonderful. However within the first place you must do properly on the technical facet, since you want a great workforce, however at Spurs it’s a bit completely different. They constructed an unbelievable stadium, their services are high and that might be Daniel’s legacy sooner or later. Every part is high as a result of this man is so trendy, even while you go and pick a automobile with him, it’s all the time a bit completely different. I went to the Ferrari manufacturing facility with him and he took a blue one! He’s so artistic – you see that within the stadium and the coaching floor.
I believe Daniel did incredible, however his recruitment workers let him down generally. Not on a regular basis, as a result of in 2016 or 2017 they need to have received the league. I keep in mind speaking to Daniel on the Amsterdam Enviornment after they have been within the semi-finals of the Champions League with Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Harry Kane, all these gamers. I all the time thought Spurs have been two or three gamers away from being the most effective in England. With Alderweireld and Vertonghen – my gamers, by the way in which, from Ajax – you had Dembele, who he stole from me with Dempsey on the final day of the switch window. They’d unbelievable gamers.
I believe Pochettino had a dream workforce by that point, but it surely was extra coincidence than nice recruitment. Vertonghen got here from Ajax and Alderweireld got here from Southampton, and it was not £30m or £40m, it was £13m or £14m. You don’t want all the cash on this planet to get a high workforce, and Daniel and Pochettino proved that, however you must be constant and keep on the degree, and so they didn’t do this.
Was Levy hands-off when it got here to footballing issues?
After I got here with Frank, that was good. After which Frank left and it was even higher, as a result of I used to be by myself working with Daniel and we had an excellent relationship, however then once more, he’s obsessed together with his construction. He wanted a technical director, and naturally you’ll be able to’t take dangers on a regular basis with managers, they bring about in about 10 gamers after which the following supervisor comes, so that you want stability in your membership.
However I believe in case you’ve bought an excellent supervisor, like Arsene Wenger with Arsenal, I believe he was concerned in all of the transfers. However at Spurs that wasn’t the case, and that’s troublesome as a result of if there is no such thing as a technical director, or there’s a technical director who can’t get together with the coach, they’ve bought an issue.
After all Daniel was concerned within the transfers as a result of he’s bought a small group of individuals round him who’re advising him, and I believe generally they did properly, however more often than not they didn’t do properly.
When Harry Redknapp got here to Spurs he took Crouch, Defoe, Kaboul, Modric and Kranjcar – that was their luck, that Harry knew these gamers. That was coincidence, and naturally they did properly.
We didn’t have the sources. I watched Aaron Lennon as soon as as a result of any individual suggested Daniel, and we took him for £1m. On the opposite facet, Reto Ziegler got here in due to Frank Arnesen. I promised Gareth Bale and his mum that he would play, so you must put your cash the place your mouth is and play them, as a result of in case you don’t then they’ll’t develop.
So I all the time thought that we did properly to be with all the highest golf equipment, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd. Metropolis have been creating then with Mark Hughes, however we have been nonetheless higher than them. That’s the reason I all the time say why decide on Spurs? There’s so many different golf equipment they don’t win prizes yearly. What number of finals do Spurs play? Six or seven within the final 15 or 20 years. So it’s not that unhealthy.
What was your greatest accomplishment with Daniel Levy at Spurs?
Spurs hadn’t completed within the high seven for years. They have been all speaking about glory nights – they hadn’t had any glory nights. They received the League Cup in 1999 and that was the one time they have been in Europe – they by no means bought into Europe by way of the league.
We have been in Europe twice in two seasons. That was an amazing accomplishment. However as a result of Daniel desires to be within the high 4, even when your identify is Mourinho or Conte or Pochettino, in case you don’t do this, he’ll eliminate you.
Possibly it was as a result of I used to be from Holland, I used to be a bit new, and naturally this Damien Comolli got here in. I had an excellent relationship from my facet with Daniel, I’m undecided about his facet as a result of he’s not like me, he hasn’t bought his coronary heart on his sleeve, however he’s a really sincere man.
The one factor is in case you’ve bought folks round you who will do the enterprise for you, like he did with this geezer Damien Comolli, he wished to eliminate me already in the summertime, as a result of I’ve heard from individuals who work there excessive up within the board. We had an excellent season, we have been the most effective of the remainder and performed within the high 4 for six or seven months, however on the ultimate day we missed out.
That’s what we achieved, and Daniel was completely satisfied however possibly he was a bit distracted as a result of he thought we might do higher, and so they received the League Cup one or two months after I left.
Vinai Venkatesham will take over the business facet from Daniel Levy, however do you suppose Spurs want a sporting director to steer the soccer facet of issues alongside Thomas Frank?
Nothing is because it appears in soccer. Nothing. So you might go for an excellent soccer man, Man Utd did that a few years in the past – I believe they bought three. You want the right man.
The standard of a great supervisor is your judgement on younger gamers, expertise, mentality, coaching strategies, which methods are used throughout video games and their normal intuition. Are you able to see a participant? Can this 18-year-old develop right into a incredible participant? And that’s what you want. That’s the massive controversy with Spurs, they spent over £600m during the last six years. I imply, it’s unbelievable. So there should be a contradiction there.
Possibly they don’t pay the wages, as a result of Spurs are paying massive transfers, however possibly you solely get the highest, high gamers like Eze in case you pay the wages. I don’t suppose it’s needed, however however in case you’ve bought unbelievable recruitment workers with excellent folks, you’ll be able to create the Lennon’s and Defoe’s of this world.
You discuss accomplishments, what do you consider Michael Carrick? We took him for £2m from West Ham. I believe he won’t solely be top-of-the-line coaches in England within the subsequent 5 years, however at the moment you wouldn’t discover a higher No. 6 than him. So that you don’t must pay £100m to discover a good participant, however you want good coaches who can get the utmost out of his workforce.
You’ve stated Daniel Levy was generally distant, do you suppose that has contributed in direction of Spurs going by way of so many managers over the previous 25 years?
When issues are going properly, it’s good. When Daniel’s happy and he’s completely satisfied, he’s a special man. I keep in mind we had a dinner within the metropolis, massive limousine, went to the Dorchester, it was good. However I can’t see him speaking to them after they want assist.
With Conte, I actually thought that they have to eliminate him as a result of he was so crucial. You may’t do this at Spurs. I completed fifth twice and I used to be fairly happy with the workforce, however Daniel stated “you realise that you must be within the high 4?”
After we had a press convention and so they stated you must be within the high 4 now. I stated “I believe with Arsenal, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man Metropolis and Chelsea, I believe fifth might be good once more,” and so they have been offended with me! So that’s not what you need.
In my scenario, with our sources, you wanted assist, and that’s not what they do. They didn’t do this with the opposite coaches as properly. Pochettino was Levy’s associate, he was on the very best wage ever at Spurs, 100 per cent, and 6 months after shedding the Champions League Ultimate he was sacked. His group of gamers was not pretty much as good anymore and he couldn’t win an away recreation for 11 or 12 months. So even in case you’re Daniel’s associate or his finest pal, he must be within the high 4. That isn’t what Pochettino did and so they sacked him, and that was actual disbelief.
Take Arne Slot for instance. Slot was 100 per cent going to Spurs, I used to be satisfied of that as a result of I do know him. And he didn’t go to Spurs, and a season later he went to Liverpool, as a result of he had a greater connection. It’s necessary that you simply’ve bought individuals who negotiate with you, or discuss to you, after which possibly you may give them a decrease wage.
What did you consider Spurs signing Xavi Simons and the way will he match into the Spurs workforce?
Hopefully Xavi, our Dutch boy, will get his place within the workforce as a result of I’ve bought my doubts. In case you take a look at Spurs now, I’m undecided the place they’ll play him. Xavi has performed on the left, however he’s not nice on the left. If you’d like Xavi as a No. 10, OK, he’ll do properly. They went for Eze on the left and the Savinho, however neither labored, after which the following day you get Xavi who’s a ten? I’m undecided that’s the method to do it and it appears like unusual recruitment, however possibly I’m a bit harsh. After all Xavi wished to go to Spurs, as a result of Spurs is an unbelievable membership for Xavi.
Xavi wants confidence, he wants a supervisor who will put his arm round him, and he must play within the No. 10 place. But when James Maddison comes again, if Sarr performs as he’s now, and with Bergvall who I believe is a correct No. 8, field to field participant, I’m undecided the place Xavi will play.
If Maddison doesn’t drop off on a regular basis then he’s an incredible 10. At Leicester you noticed him within the closing third on a regular basis, and at Spurs you see him in midfield and making an attempt to cross it. No, his model is to assist your striker. That’s the reason they don’t rating targets at Spurs. On the suitable Johnson was there, wonderful together with his tap-ins, however he received’t create, and he received’t cross the ball on the suitable.
I believe Johnson will play on the left this 12 months, as a result of in case you search for any individual to exchange Son, you don’t go for Xavi. He’s a correct No. 10. Johnson will rating targets and I consider in him, however he’s not like a Lennon who can beat folks 1 v 1. I might’ve taken Palmer for £40m from Metropolis. Everybody might have had him, and that’s what I imply with recruitment. Van de Ven was not £4m, he was £40m, when a 12 months and a half earlier than that he was £3.5m and went to Wolfsburg. So that’s what I imply with recruitment – you might be too late. Both you purchase them after they’re younger, otherwise you purchase the highest gamers after they’ve bought issues of their golf equipment.
What did you consider Spurs’ switch enterprise?
Possibly it’s an odd thought however I might have taken Eriksen this 12 months. Bergvall might be a high participant, however not now, as a result of with a brand new coach I’m undecided if he might be a daily. So put him on mortgage for one 12 months, Eriksen can play for one 12 months, after which take Bergvall again.
I might’ve taken De Bruyne if I used to be at Spurs – all these younger gamers, after which a participant who could make the distinction. He’s possibly the most effective midfield participant ever within the league. He went to Napoli and he scored a pair once more, so he’s nonetheless good. However I do know for a truth, Daniel wouldn’t do this. Daniel desires a return on funding, so he’ll purchase a participant who could be extra. De Bruyne received’t be extra, however he’ll ship immediately.
One participant I really like, and who I believe was good recruitment, is Djed Spence. I just like the man. He can play on the left or the suitable, he’s good on the ball, he’s fast. Now they’ve realised that they’ve bought an excellent, gifted younger gamers on their palms, and now he’s within the England workforce. If Spence is enjoying, you don’t want Porro, who was £40m by the way in which
I noticed Mikey Moore in coaching and thought, “what a participant”. However they wished one other participant on the left as a result of they thought we’d like a completed article. After which they purchase Xavi, and Xavi just isn’t the completed article on the left. Mikey Moore might be wonderful, however now he’s at Rangers. Hopefully he’ll do properly and are available again, as a result of that’s the potential Spurs have. They’ve unbelievable potential, however want two or three gamers who could make a distinction after which Spurs might be within the high 4.
How gifted is Jorrel Hato and might he earn a spot within the beginning line-up at Chelsea?
I wouldn’t have finished it if I used to be him, however Levi Colwill is injured now so hopefully they play him. I do know Maresca, he’s a terrific coach. I suggested Ajax to take him however they have been cussed, they didn’t take him. So I believe Hato’s in good palms. Don’t overlook he was a world when he was 17. He’s possibly the most important expertise in Holland during the last 5 years. De Ligt was an unbelievable expertise, however he ought to be additional down the road already, he ought to be a high, high participant.
I believe Hato will do properly. That’s the primary factor – once I had a younger participant, I performed him. You can say “that’s a great high quality, Martin” however I needed to play him as a result of generally I didn’t have one other participant!
Then you must give him confidence. It’s straightforward to get on with the Berbatov’s and King’s of this world, however you must get on with the younger gamers and provides them the assist and the backing.
Sunderland made a giant cash transfer for Brian Brobbey – what do you consider him as a participant?
In all probability the most effective purchase of the summer time. Sunderland have finished properly.
You need to purchase them after they’re unhealthy – that’s what I’ve realized. You need to purchase good gamers after they’re £20m. In any other case, , would’ve been £50m or £60m.
Don’t get me improper, Brobbey scored 4 league targets, he didn’t play all of the video games. He was allegedly blackmailed, there was one thing happening in Amsterdam, so it was not straightforward for him.
Take a look at his aim report. He’s younger, he nonetheless scored 50 targets in 140 matches. He received’t rating one in two as a result of that’s just for the Keane’s, the Berbatov’s, Suarez’, Isak’s, Kane’s and the Haaland’s of this world. However you’re nonetheless a great striker in case you rating one in three.
He was very younger when he went to Leipzig, after which his agent Mino Raiola was very completely satisfied to promote him again. He went on a free switch after which Ajax purchased him again for £16m. And now they’ve nonetheless bought £20m. He’s completely satisfied, Ajax is completely satisfied, however I believe there’s numerous high quality on this man and he’s a great boy. He’s not boastful and he desires to be taught.
It received’t be straightforward for him to get in as commonly, however give him a little bit of time. He’s sturdy as a horse, he’s not nice within the air however he’s an unbelievable anchor man. You may give him the ball and he can maintain it up. I believe he’ll do properly.