Jamie Redknapp says Tottenham deserve better than Levy and claims chairman’s penny-pinching is why players want to quit

JAMIE REDKNAPP has ripped into Daniel Levy and accused the Tottenham chairman of trying to do things on the cheap.

The former Spurs star - whose dad Harry managed the club for nearly four years before being axed in 2012 - has slammed the way Levy treats players and staff.

And he claims the chairman’s penny-pinching is the reason why top stars, like Harry Kane now, always want to leave and why the North Londoners have never kicked on to the next level and become a top club.

It is not the first time ex-England ace Redknapp - now a Sky Sports pundit - has criticised Levy.

But he said: “He gives me a lot of opportunities to do so, having been there.

“I have nothing against him personally. People say it’s because he sacked my dad. That was such a long time ago and a lot has happened since then.

“I just feel at times Tottenham don’t act like a big club like they should do.

“The way they acted with furloughing, other clubs have done it like Newcastle and Norwich, I get that, but I know full well Tottenham’s finances and they have plenty of money behind them. It just didn’t sit right with me.

“The way they looked after players and the way they looked after staff when I was there, it was very disappointing - and unfortunately it’s arisen again.

"I think Daniel’s a really good businessman, but in terms of negotiations it’s very disappointing at times.

"That’s why you get a lot of players unhappy there, a lot of players wanting to leave. And I just feel the club and the fans deserve better at times.

"Yes he has spent a lot of money on the stadium and training ground but I feel if they really want to push on...they have the ability and opportunity to do that and Daniel Levy hasn’t wanted to press the button because he doesn’t really want to spend the money to push on to the next level. He wants to do things on the cheap sometimes.”

Redknapp joined Tottenham from Liverpool on a free transfer in July 2002 and made 49 appearances before switching to Southampton in January 2005.

And he believes England captain Kane could also be on his way after the striker’s admission to him in an Instagram chat last month that he would leave Spurs if they failed to keep progressing.

Redknapp reckons the way Levy has acted in the coronavirus - by furloughing 40 per cent of the club’s 550 non-playing staff - would not have gone down well with the straight-laced star.

Redknapp, speaking on The Football Show on Sky Sports, said: “He would have been extremely disappointed with how Tottenham have acted but having been around Tottenham in past and played for them for a while it didn’t surprise me how Daniel Levy acted in this situation.

“You learn a lot about someone in difficult times and he was one of the first to furlough staff. No doubt Harry would have been disappointed by that, but I certainly wasn’t surprised.

“Harry also wants to win trophies. Golden Boots are great and he has a lot of individual accolades but he will want to win trophies with his team.

“And if he doesn’t feel they are progressing as he wants I have no doubt he wouldn't push for a move or do anything too desperate, but he would want to explore other avenues.

"Tottenham may have a new stadium and great fanbase, but he will want to see them challenging for trophies.

"And there are other clubs obviously Manchester United have been spoken about, that would love Harry Kane.

"He’s an incredible player, a good guy and the sort of person you would want around your dressing room.”