BBC Sport provided insight into Daniel Levy’s current stance on his leadership at Tottenham this week, and Spurs fans have not held back in their reactions. From wage concerns to ownership debates, supporters have made their frustrations clear.
Why are Tottenham fans angry with Daniel Levy?
The 2024/25 season has been one of Tottenham Hotspur’s most disappointing in recent years, with the club breaking unwanted records at home and suffering their worst injury crisis.
However, instead of blaming the manager this time, fans are directing much of their frustration at Daniel Levy and the club’s financial approach.
Despite being the ninth-highest revenue-generating club in world football in 2024, Spurs have the lowest turnover-to-wage ratio amongst the ‘money league clubs’, spending just 66% of their revenue on wages and amortisation. For context, Brighton and Brentford allocate 78%, while Arsenal spends 80%.
Spurs’ wage bill has also dropped to £220 million, only 42% of their annual revenue. This marks a 4% decrease from 2023.
Levy has defended the club’s financial model as sustainable, and even his harshest critics acknowledge this. Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has also backed Levy’s approach.
However, supporters believe modern football demands significant investment to compete for trophies. They argue that the club’s rigid wage structure makes it difficult to attract top talent.
Managers often voice frustrations over missed transfer opportunities. This, in turn, affects performances, league standings, and ultimately revenue. The cycle then repeats, further restricting recruitment power as seen in Tottenham’s most recent transfer window.
Tottenham fans react to Daniel Levy report
We took to X to see how Spurs fans reacted to the report.
Many responses simply repeated banners seen at matches: “24 YEARS, 16 MANAGERS, 1 TROPHY. TIME FOR CHANGE” and “LEVY/ENIC OUT.”
One fan summarised the general sentiment: “Always football first. Only then will success finally come to our beloved club.” Another questioned whether Levy truly feels the hurt he claims: “If it actually hurt him, he’d change his ways. Instead, his only concern is commercial deals.”
The club’s wage structure was another common complaint. One supporter stated: “WAGES!!!! Ok spending transfer fees that get paid off over multiple years. The huge amount of profit the club makes should be paying the top salaries, which amazingly attracts the best players.” Another highlighted: “15 semi-finals & 6 finals – that’s 1 additional quality player that would have made the difference”
A few fans questioned whether past managers were truly backed financially: “Backed financially is a relative concept (referring to Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure when the club didn’t sign a single player in 2018).” Another replied, “Going 500+ days without a signing before the biggest final in our history doesn’t scream ‘backing’ to me.”
Even expensive signings were scrutinised, with one supporter stating: “Every big deal has a catch; like £60m on Solanke just because his wages were low.”
While the majority of responses were critical, a few fans partly acknowledged Levy’s contributions. One said: “ENIC has taken Spurs as far as it can. Pushing on is going to require wealthier ownership.” Another mentioned, “Can’t argue with this assessment. Communication is perhaps Mr Levy’s biggest weakness as the purple & yellow brigade still don’t understand the profound progress Spurs have made under him. But it’s also nice to see our chairman’s bravery highlighted as well.”
Potential new ownership and Daniel Levy’s future
A key revelation from the BBC Sport report was that Daniel Levy will step aside when he feels it is the right time for Tottenham, with “every option open” regarding the club’s future ownership. While this suggests that a sale is not imminent, it does leave the door open for a potential change in leadership.
Rumours of ENIC selling Tottenham have gained traction in recent years, with reports suggesting the club is open to external investment. Earlier this season, financier Amanda Staveley was seen at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during an NFL game. However, nothing came of it.
Some sources have indicated that even if Spurs were sold, Levy could remain in a leadership role. Recent speculation, as reported by The Guardian, suggests that a Qatari-backed consortium interested in purchasing the club may offer Levy a long-term contract to continue as executive chairman.
This has further divided the fanbase. Some argue that increased financial backing, combined with Levy’s business acumen, could help attract top talent while maintaining profitability. Others fear that even with fresh investment, Levy’s conservative spending habits would persist, and nothing particularly would change.
In response to the continued unrest, Spurs fans have planned a ‘sit-in’ protest at the club’s next home fixture, showing that frustration with the current ownership is far from over.