Sports
Tottenham not for sale after Levy exit says chief executive | The Express Tribune
LONDON:
Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham insists the club’s owners intend to continue their “firm backing” of the Premier League side after Daniel Levy’s shock exit.
The north Londoners released a statement on Sunday to make clear the club is not for sale after reported interest from Amanda Staveley, with two approaches “unequivocally rejected”.
Tottenham’s ownership situation has become a hot topic since executive chairman Levy stepped down on Thursday after majority owners ENIC reportedly told him it was time to leave.
But Venkatesham, who has taken the reins after Levy’s departure, said: “The Lewis family are really clear. They see their involvement in Tottenham as being long term. They see it continuing through the generations.
“We made a statement which I hope was unambiguously clear, that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale.”
Levy’s 25-year stay at the club ended following a season in which Tottenham finally won a trophy for the first time in 17 years after lifting the Europa League, but also recorded their worst top-flight finish since 1976-77.
Under Levy, the club underwent heavy infrastructure changes including the financing and construction of a new 60,000-capacity stadium and state of the art training ground.
Venkatesham said that the succession, which involves board member Peter Charrington taking over as non-executive chairman, is in hand as they seek to build on victory in the Europa League final in Bilbao in May.
“The club is well organised for succession,” he said. “We have a very strong executive team in place. Whilst it might seem like a slightly strange thing to say to the external world, though it’s big news, inside the club it really is business as usual.
“This is a new era for the club, under new leadership, completely backed by our majority shareholder the Lewis family. We can feel optimistic and ambitious for the future as well.
“We saw in May in Bilbao what the next step is. It’s competing for and winning major trophies. We’ve had a taste of that.”
One of the principal frustrations felt by supporters towards Levy was a perceived lack of investment in the squad, something Venkatesham said is high amongst the club’s priorities moving forward.
“It is fair to say we have firm backing from the Lewis family against our ambitions to be successful,” he said. “They know that’s going to require investment. But like all 20 Premier League clubs we need to make sure we are cognisant of financial fair play rules.
“That means we need to continue to grow our revenues, we need to continue to develop players from the candy and players we buy, we need to make sure we’re selling players at the right time, and we need to make sure we’re making smart decisions.”
Alexander Isak has said people don’t have the “full picture” on the details of his move from Newcastle United to Liverpool.
Isak joined Liverpool in a British-record £125 million ($170 million) deal on transfer deadline day following a long-running battle with Newcastle to let him leave.
He was not involved in preseason with Eddie Howe’s side. In August, he released a statement saying promises had been broken and his trust in Newcastle had been lost.
Speaking while on international duty with Sweden this week, Isak said people did not have the full story.
“Not everyone has the full picture, but that’s something for another day,” Isak told Swedish media.
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“That’s part of football. I can’t control everything that is said or written but I’m glad I became a Liverpool player. That’s what I wanted and I’m happy about that.
“There is a lot to discuss, and it can be discussed for a long time. It has been educational, and I’m happy with the final result.
“I’m happy and proud to be a Liverpool player. I don’t want to go into details or talk about that situation too much. It is a closed chapter, but I have never had any problems.”
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi unveiled the Asia Cup 2025 trophy at a ceremony in Dubai on Tuesday, with captains of all eight participating teams including Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha posing for the traditional photographs alongside the glittering trophy.
The event brought together cricket leaders from across the continent: Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Oman, UAE, and Hong Kong, marking the start of what promises to be a highly competitive tournament.
After the ceremonial trophy unveiling, all eight captains took part in a media session, sharing their ambitions and highlighting the significance of the Asia Cup.
With the trophy now revealed and the schedule finalized, focus shifts to the opening matches, where Asia’s top teams will battle not only for regional supremacy but also to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The 2025 Asia Cup, played in the T20 format, features Pakistan, India, Oman, UAE, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.
Before addressing the media, all captains shook hands with ACC President Mohsin Naqvi, who also serves as PCB chairman.
Following the trophy unveiling and meet-and-greet, the captains attended a joint press conference, expressing their determination to give their best in pursuit of the continental title, which begins later today with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong.
Speaking to reporters, Salman Ali Agha said, “Winning the tournament is a challenge, as I believe no team is a clear favourite in this format.”
The Pakistan captain also expressed satisfaction with his team’s recent form, noting their triumph in the tri-series held in the UAE.
He said the Pakistan team is ready for the big challenge.
Responding to the question about facing India, Salman Agha said, “Adopting an aggressive approach is the natural strength of fast bowlers.
I will not have a special message for this team. These conditions are not new to us, and we will try to give our best,” he added.
Suryakumar Yadav acknowledged that it has been a while since the Indian team played together in the shortest format but hopes to gel together in the T20 format.
“We have not played a game together since June, but as a team, we have to accept this challenge.
We’ve been preparing here for the last four days and are confident about adapting quickly,” he stated.
Suryakumar Yadav was asked about his hairstyle, leading to a light-hearted moment.
The India captain said his team has had a few training sessions since arriving in the UAE last week.
He said playing against the best Asian teams will be challenging.
- Skippers of all eight teams attend trophy unveiling ceremony.
- Fans across Asia are abuzz with excitement for tournament.
- Indian captain says Twenty20 format as highly challenging.
The trophy of the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 has been unveiled, adding to the anticipation surrounding the eight-nation tournament set to kick off in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today (Tuesday).
Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief, performed the unveiling ceremony.
The event saw the representation of the captains of all the teams participating in the tournament.
Cricket fans across Asia are abuzz with excitement as final squads are confirmed and preparations near completion, setting the stage for three weeks of top-flight cricket.
Asia Cup 2025 will kick off with Afghanistan taking on minnows Hong Kong at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The tournament will be played across two venues — Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium — with Abu Dhabi hosting eight matches, including a Super Four clash on September 23, and Dubai staging the majority of games, including both high-profile Pakistan-India encounters, should the arch-rivals qualify beyond the group stage.
Pakistan, fresh from their tri-nation series victory, have been placed in Group A alongside India, Oman, and hosts UAE. The Green Shirts will open their campaign on September 12 against Oman in Dubai, followed by the much-awaited clash with India on September 14, before concluding their group stage on September 17 against the UAE.
Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said during the trophy unveiling ceremony that his side was “equally excited” for the Asia Cup, describing the Twenty20 format as highly challenging, where “any team can deliver an extraordinary performance”.
Group B features Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. The top two sides from each group will advance to the Super Four stage, with the final scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.
All matches will start at 6pm Gulf Standard Time (7 PST), except for the September 15 fixture between the UAE and Oman.
Former Pakistan fast-bowling great Wasim Akram has urged players and fans from both sides to remain disciplined and not cross the line during the high-voltage Pakistan-India matches.
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