Don't want anymore plastic American fans. I started supporting Spurs because an English Man U fella I knew in college told me that I couldn't, because "they're just a bunch of Jews."
If my fellow countryman are going to support a team, let it be because they believe in their identity, not because Levy is pandering to the masses, saying "We're a big club, now! We've got a brand!"
At the very least let it be because Spurs play positive football or nothing. If we get our asses kicked it's usually because we said "fuck it, we're going to play entertaining, attacking football."
But I am rather partial to Levy. Hard headed businessman he may be, but English football would be better if more Chairmen were more like him. An interesting problem that I've been considering for a long time now is that fans complain that football has become too commercial, that the identity of the clubs are lost, etc.
(Full disclosure. I have a degree in Economics, and I am a committed Capitalist.)
But it has always struck me that the characteristics of the international footballing world today are likely anything but capitalist. There's this mass delusion that footballing clubs are immune from financial crises and bankruptcy/administration. The hubris in Football these days is infuriating and, if anything, it's my opinion that football needs more people like Daniel Levy, more hard headed businessmen, and less Roman Abramovii. The massive debts that footballing clubs run up are simply staggering, and it isn't in the best interest of the fans, or the club.
Is it painful that the management of clubs is simply looking for profits? YES! They don't have the same love for the club as we do, surely. But, the infuriating part is that profits don't even matter anymore to most footballing executives.
These continual deficits run by clubs like Chelsea and Man City hurt the clubs themselves the most. That's what has always disgusted me about those teams. Sure, they can buy some trophies, but they are seriously endangering the future of the very clubs they claim to support.
What kind of support is that? That you'd have a trophy in exchange for threatening the future existence of the club?