LONDON: Daniel Levy has stepped down as Tottenham chairman, the club announced Thursday, ending the nearly 25-year tenure of a divisive figure known for keeping the Premier League team profitable but being unable to turn it into a trophy-winning force.
The 63-year-old Levy, who was the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League, said he has left his role with Tottenham now a “global heavyweight competing at the highest level.”
“It hasn’t always been an easy journey,” Levy said, “but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately.”
Levy’s departure comes several months after Tottenham ended a 17-year trophy drought by beating Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final. It was the first major title for Spurs since they won the English League Cup in 2008, and first European triumph since they won the UEFA Cup — the equivalent of the Europa League now — for the second time in 1984.
Known as a fierce and uncompromising negotiator in the transfer market, Levy also was accused by many Tottenham fans of chasing profits over silverware in failing to fully back some of the most high-profile managers in soccer that he employed in recent years, such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
There were protests against his tenure last season, when Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League — one place above the bottom three — despite the club being among the so-called “Big Six” in English soccer and owning one of the best stadiums in world soccer.
Levy oversaw the move from White Hart Lane to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, their home since 2019 and now a venue for concerts and other sporting events like boxing and NFL.
Tottenham said there would be “no changes to the ownership or shareholder structure of the club” in light of the departure of Levy, who reportedly owns around 30 percent of the share capital of ENIC, the club’s majority owner.
Peter Charrington has become non-executive chairman, and he thanked Levy and his family for “their commitment and loyalty to the club over so many years.”
Daniel Levy steps down as Tottenham chairman after divisive 25-year tenure
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Daniel Levy steps down as Tottenham chairman after divisive 25-year tenure
- The 63-year-old Levy was the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League
- He said he has left his role with Tottenham now a “global heavyweight competing at the highest level”
Alcaraz wins thriller with Fritz at ATP Finals, Musetti downs De Minaur
- Alcaraz needs one more victory to guarantee the year-ending world No. 1 spot
- Musetti’s 7-5 3-6 7-5 win means that all four players can still make the semifinals
TURIN, Italy: Carlos Alcaraz came under extreme pressure before overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-7(2) 7-5 6-3 in a thrilling match at the ATP Finals on Tuesday, before Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti beat Alex de Minaur in a dramatic encounter.
Musetti’s 7-5 3-6 7-5 win means that all four players can still make the semifinals, with the Italian facing Alcaraz, on two wins from two, and Fritz taking on De Minaur on Thursday to close out the Jimmy Connors Group, with the top two making the last four.
Last year’s finalist Fritz played the tennis of his life, as both men served up the best encounter of the season-ending championships so far, but the American ran out of steam as Alcaraz turned on the style and took the deciding set with ease.
Alcaraz and Fritz had won their opening group matches, and the Spaniard looked in real trouble when the American took the opening set in a tiebreak. Alcaraz faced break points in the second set but rallied back to draw level.
Fritz began to tire, and Alcaraz broke to lead 4-2 in the final set before wrapping up the win in two hours and 48 minutes by serving out to love.
“It was pretty tight, I was struggling more than him in the first set,” Alcaraz said. “I wasn’t serving well, and I think he was pretty comfortable from the baseline, from everywhere.”
Alcaraz needs one more victory to guarantee the year-ending world No. 1 spot.
Tuesday’s clash was a battle from the opening game, with Fritz taking nine minutes to hold after hitting three aces but also facing two break points. The American forced three break points in the next game before the pair traded breaks.
Fritz raced into a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak and smashed two aces to take the set. At 2-2 in the second, Alcaraz was rattled, his drop shots which earlier beat Fritz began to fall short but, after losing advantage five times, the Spaniard held on.
Alcaraz got lucky with a shot that hit the net but crept over in the final game of the second set and broke to take the match to a third, where the Spaniard outclassed an exhausted Fritz.
“I was really relieved after the win because of everything I went through during the match,” Alcaraz said.
“I wasn’t feeling the ball as well as I was in the first round, but I’m really happy that I found a way to come back.”
Magical Musetti
Musetti looked down and out with De Minaur serving for the match but those few who left early to beat the traffic missed out on a stunning comeback.
The Italian took the first set after breaking serve at 5-5, and De Minaur survived three break points in the second set opener before finding his first break points of the match at 4-4 and making them count.
De Minaur had control in the final set at 2-0 up, but when it came to the crunch Musetti found energy from somewhere to pull off a great escape, as defeat would have meant elimination.
After two spectators died from cardiac arrests on Monday, play was held up again for a medical emergency in the crowd in the final set of Musetti’s win. The match was suspended for several minutes before resuming. Local media reported a fan was transported to hospital in a serious but not life-threatening condition.
