Former Premier League club owner Simon Jordan is backing Daniel Levy to solve Tottenham Hotspur’s managerial problems despite missing out on Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui, speaking to talkSPORT (24 June, 11.45am).
It seems barely a day goes by without someone missing out on the Spurs job. Or, more accurately, Spurs missing out on them.
After talks with Antonio Conte, Gennaro Gattuso and Paulo Fonseca collapsed, it emerged the north London giants came calling for a former Real Madrid and Spain boss who has rebuilt his reputation at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
While the football hasn’t always been sparkling, the results speak for themselves.
In his two years in charge of Sevilla, Lopetegui lifted a Europa League trophy and secured the club’s greatest ever points haul in La Liga – a highly impressive 77, just two fewer than Barcelona.
Tottenham made ‘dizzying’ offer to Julen Lopetegui
On Tuesday, Sevilla president Jose Castro told AS Tottenham had made a “dizzying” offer for the 54-year-old only for Lopetegui to spurn their advances and commit his immediate future to a club that – for once – looks set to keep a talented crop of players together and challenge again next season.
But, according to a man who has been in Levy’s shoes, Lopetegui’s rejection isn’t the end of the world.
“Sevilla are a good side. They finished fourth in La Liga last year. It’s a nice place to live and work. It’s a beautiful part of the world. So you can understand why (Lopetegui) wouldn’t be overly enthused to come to London,” said the former Crystal Palace chairman, who empathises with the monumental task the under-fire Levy faces.
“Daniel is going after top managers. There isn’t an issue about what they want to pay. If (Castro) is suggesting it’s a ‘dizzying’ offer then there’s something else not fitting the bill.
“I’m assuming (Castro) must have given (Lopetegui) permission to speak to Tottenham for them to make him an offer. The fact he has come back to Seville tells you he doesn’t want to go to Spurs.
“I don’t look at this as a monumental failure on Tottenham’s part. In any line of work you have to interview people. The difference in football is that hundreds of people go for a job and only one gets it.
“There’s an immediate assumption that just because you need a manager, you will automatically go and get one.”
Jordan: ‘Tottenham will be fine’
With Spurs in no position to splash the cash – and with star man Harry Kane pushing for an exit – it’s no real surprise some of Europe’s top managers aren’t exactly queuing up to take over in north London.
“It must be incredibly difficult to negotiate a deal with Antonio Conte and do some of the deals they’re trying to do. (Tottenham) are going after managers who were always going to be a difficult nut to crack,” Jordan adds.
“I think Tottenham will be fine. I think they will surprise us by who they appoint. This situation will resolve itself.
“If anyone understands what’s required of Tottenham, it’s Daniel.”
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