Levy guarantees a safe future
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has said that he will not risk the future of the football club by chasing a Champions League place every year.
Spurs qualified for the Champions League last season for the first time in the club's history. Although European football has a number of benefits, Levy insists he will not break the bank to make sure it's a certainty each year.
Levy said: "I think it's a huge achievement for Harry [Redknapp], all his coaching staff and players and the fans as well. It's something special. I think we all want to stay there but we all have to be realistic. There are only four places in England and there are seven or eight clubs competing. There are probably two clubs you could say are guaranteed to be in that top four. The odds are stacked against you."
The club will be hoping that Champions League football creates a new era at Spurs that isn't determined by how much money the chairman lets manager Harry Redknapp spend each summer.
Champions League football creates a number of external pressures that can damage the future of a football club if not handled in the right way. It's important that everyone connected to Spurs takes nothing for granted and simply enjoys the European competition this season.
A safe future
Spurs will receive a great deal of extra revenue through the Champions League and it could be very tempting for the chairman to put that cash back into the team.
This would enable Spurs to build a team that would be capable of pushing for Europe each season. However, it would ignore other areas that are vital to the running of a football club. Areas that could cause real problems if the extra money is not handled in the right way.
Spurs is a business just like any other top-flight football club. The club will have debts and facilities that need extra funding before the team can be improved. The club cannot spend money when there is no certainty of Champions League football each season.
Improvements to players
The club is going to benefit hugely from playing in Europe. The players that Spurs currently have under contract will only improve if they are playing against the best teams in Europe. The Champions League will allow Spurs' players to increase in quality and ability.
This means the club will not have to rely on money being spent in the transfer market to guarantee European football. There should be enough quality over the next two or three seasons to ensure that the chairman can run the club efficiently while the team plays well.
Levy added: "What we won't do is jeopardise the club to challenge to be one of those two. You can't run the club on the basis of being in the Champions League. Often people say you just need an extra player. It doesn't work. It's about the team. I like to think it's important to run the club in the right way."
Betting advice
A few pundits have likened Spurs in the Champions League to Blackpool being in the Premier League. This is in the respect that Tottenham has nothing to lose and will enjoy the benefits of Champions League football because the club may not make fourth place domestically this year.
Spurs can beat any European team at White Hart Lane but will struggle to have a real impact away from home. Back the side on a match by match basis and look for players that will have an impact during European games.
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