Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Sexual Ealing]

So why did Spurs, Arsenal et al spend so much on new stadia?

[CT]

My opinion is that the domestic cup competition are extremely important, not just for entry into European competition and the finances it can generate but for us fans.  They break up the season and if your team is struggling; a good cup run can inspire confidence and a lift.  Sadly, we were all in with a chance of winning one once, now it's pretty much monopolised.

Our run to the league cup final last season didn't inspire confidence all that much, despite a decent display in the final against a much superior side.

There seems to be a lot of indifference to the Europa league these days too for most clubs. Leicester didn't play a particularly strong side when they went out, if I recall correctly.

It seemed an odd one for pundits to have a go at Pochetino, that he hasn't delivered a trophy at Spurs. I'm sure Levy was more than happy with regular CL football including a final appearance. Juande Ramos won a league cup for them but didn't last pissing time afterwards.

Read a good article about Levy today and the problems he faces.
The 800million + debt.
The future of Kane
Replacing the Manager.

He can help the debt by selling Kane but even that will not allow  huge spending on the squad.
Attracting a top manager with a limited Budget might not be that easy.

Feel sorry for him

Let’s help them out by buying Harry Kane and offering Neil Taylor as part of the deal.

[Monty]

Harry Kane is magnificent, but I think I'd prefer Son. Offer them £3m and Keinan Davis.

[TonyD]

If you read the Accounts thread you'll find we are far from one of the richest clubs in the world, we have incredibly wealthy owners but those two things are totally different whilst UEFA and FA FFP rules remain in place.

Precisely, which is why patience is the word of the day and any talk of Smith underachieving because he's not turned a team that survived relegation by the skin of its teeth less than a year ago in to challenging for Europe now is just daft.

But we are not currently challenging for Europe.  Our recent form without Jack is relegation form.   Players are underperforming and we look devoid of ideas. 

[Drummond]

Harry Kane is magnificent, but I think I'd prefer Son. Offer them £3m and Keinan Davis.

That's an insult, there's no way Davis is only worth that.

[eamonn]

So why did Spurs, Arsenal et al spend so much on new stadia?

Corporate boxes/sponsors.

[Drummond]

So why did Spurs, Arsenal et al spend so much on new stadia?

Corporate boxes/sponsors.

Exactly, it's all inextricably linked.

[paul_e]

So why did Spurs, Arsenal et al spend so much on new stadia?

Corporate boxes/sponsors.

Exactly, it's all inextricably linked.

Yep, for the future of the club that side off things is more important than increasing the capacity. We'll do both but expect to see plans for 50k-ish but doubling or trebling the available commercial facilities.

[Risso]

The prices at Spurs are mental. Got talking to a Spurs fan at their new place when we played them there last season. He'd paid £80K for two ten year season tickets for him and his son. It was in a nicer bit of the ground, but all you got extra for that was the opportunity to queue up in a slightly nicer bar. I think that's towards the cheaper end of the premium seats, of which there's something like 10,000 seats as well. They have their 'H' club or something similar, where it's £30K membership and £15K a season.  That sort of cash soon mounts up, well it will do when fans are allowed back.

[chrisw1]

The prices at Spurs are mental. Got talking to a Spurs fan at their new place when we played them there last season. He'd paid £80K for two ten year season tickets for him and his son. It was in a nicer bit of the ground, but all you got extra for that was the opportunity to queue up in a slightly nicer bar. I think that's towards the cheaper end of the premium seats, of which there's something like 10,000 seats as well. They have their 'H' club or something similar, where it's £30K membership and £15K a season.  That sort of cash soon mounts up, well it will do when fans are allowed back.

That's crazy.  I can't help thinking we'd struggle to sell those type of exclusive packages.

[Villan82]

How did they re-invent bloody Spurs, of all clubs, as a big club?

[Ad@m]

How did they re-invent bloody Spurs, of all clubs, as a big club?

It is incredible, and I know it's a well trodden path, but being in London is a massive advantage when it comes to getting rich people and/or tourists to part with silly money to watch a game of football.

[dave.woodhall]

When the Emirates was built Arsenal had the biggest matchday income in the world and they still have supporters who will happily pay thousands for season tickets they'll use six times a year. That London is on another planet where football income is concerned.

[eamonn]

It is interesting. Clearly, the heft of London applies to the city as whole. Because the area around White Hart Lane is a lot closer to Aston/Witton in look, feel and under-investment than it is to Chelsea at Fulham Broadway, close to the King's Road. I've lived near both and they're night and day in terms of affluence. Even the Emirates has its fair share of "scuzziness" within a half mile radius.

[dave.woodhall]

It is interesting. Clearly, the heft of London applies to the city as whole. Because the area around White Hart Lane is a lot closer to Aston/Witton in look, feel and under-investment than it is to Chelsea at Fulham Broadway, close to the King's Road. I've lived near both and they're night and day in terms of affluence. Even the Emirates has its fair share of "scuzziness" within a half mile radius.

And like Villa Park the locals don't visit the ground because they've been priced out. One thing the Lerner ownership did well was to connect with the community (Paul Faulkner once said "We accept that we're noisy neighbours") and NSWE seem to be carrying this on.