Daniel Levy branded his decision to hire top tacticians Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte for Tottenham Hotspur as a mistake.
The English billionaire expressed that the desperation to win, and the “pressure” from some of the players and fan base was what led him to appoint big-name managers like Mourinho and Conte.
Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte at Tottenham Hotspur
Jose Mourinho was appointed as manager of Tottenham Hotspur on November 20, 2019, replacing Mauricio Pochettino, who had a remarkable time at the club.
Mourinho was dismissed on April 19, 2021, 6 days before the EFL Cup final, in which Spurs lost 1-0 to Manchester City.
Another Premier League winner, Antonio Conte was appointed on November 2, 2021, replacing Nuno Espirito Santo, who had an abysmal start to the season with Tottenham Hotspur.
Conte was dismissed on March 26, 2023, after his comments on the handling of the club and the performances of the players.
Tottenham Hotspur have had to endure a horrible phase in the past few years, with the North London club missing out on the Champions League thrice in the last 4 seasons (including 2023/24).
Daniel Levy on why he appointed Mourinho and Conte?
Speaking at a forum for Tottenham Hotspur supporters, Daniel Levy revealed the reason behind appointing Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
He said: “The frustration of not winning and the pressure from maybe some players and from a large element of the fanbase, that we need to win, we need to spend money, we need to have a big manager, we need to have a big name, it affected me.”
Levy expressed that Conte has taken Spurs close to success, and they wanted to take it to the next level by bringing a trophy-winning manager.
The Englishman added: “We didn’t quite get there but we came very close and we had a change in strategy. The strategy was ‘let’s bring in a trophy manager”.
Daniel Levy also noted that both managers are great, but they might not be the right fit for Spurs.
He added: “We did it twice and look, you have to learn from your mistakes. They’re great managers but maybe not for this club.”
Postecoglou is the right manager for Spurs – Daniel Levy?
Additionally, the 61-year-old emphasized that Tottenham Hotspur wants to play in a certain way, and as such bringing in Ange Postecoglou was the right decision for him.
Levy said: “For what we want, we want to play in a certain way, and if that means it has to take a little bit longer to win maybe it’s the right thing for us. That’s why bringing Ange in was from my point of view the right decision.”
Ange Postecoglou was appointed as Spurs manager on July 1, 2023, and he is contracted to the club until June 30, 2027.
Postecoglou has had a remarkable start to life as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, as his side remain unbeaten after 5 Premier League matches.
They have recorded 4 victories and 1 draw, and they sit 2nd on the Premier League table behind Manchester City.
Are Tottenham Hotspur back to winning ways?
It isn’t certain if this renaissance from Spurs is for a lengthy period, or if this is just a purple patch that the club is experiencing.
However, there are positive signs to pick out from their outstanding form, which has been achieved even without Harry Kane, who left the club for Bayern Munich this summer.
Players like James Maddison who joined the club from Leicester City for a fee of £45 million have been sublime this season, alongside several other names including; Son Heung-Min and Yves Bissouma.
Daniel Levy also jokingly had his say on James Madison, speaking on the color of the Englishman’s car and its affiliation with Arsenal.
He said: “James needs to learn that he can’t come to the training ground in a red car. I’ve told him. He’ll learn.”
Tottenham Hotspur in the European Super League?
Meanwhile, Levy was quizzed on the involvement of Tottenham Hotspur in the European Super League which generated fierce reactions, and he answered by saying:
“All I would say to you is that we always act in the best interests of this club and I stand by the decision that we made, that we were prepared to have a conversation regarding the European Super League.”
He said that Spurs can’t leave the Premier League without needing permission from the authorities.
Daniel Levy also maintained that he was acting in the best interest of Tottenham Hotspur, but the club felt that the Super League was a disaster for many reasons.
Tottenham Hotspur take a trip to the Emirates Stadium to play Arsenal on Sunday, September 14, 2023, in what should be a keenly contested North London derby.
Both clubs have had a great start to the 2023/24 season, and they are expected to put on a great show for the fans.
