The Sun

JAMIE REDKNAPP has slammed Tottenham Hotspur's ownership in a brutal rant on live TV.

The former Spurs midfielder has been left unimpressed with the club's shambolic performance this season.

The North London outfit have lost 13 games in the Premier League and are slumped in 15th place ahead of Sunday's game against Manchester United.

Manager Ange Postecoglou has come under huge pressure due to the poor form and FA Cup and Carabao Cup exits.

Spurs have had to deal with the most injuries in the league but are still way off their usual standards.

The club has boosted revenue streams off the pitch as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a widely used venue.

The stadium will play host again to pop star Beyonce and NFL matches this year.

Tottenham recently extended their partnership with the NFL through to the 2029/30 season.

Redknapp however believes this has taken attention away from the team's performances on the pitch.

He has claimed that the club's board are happy as long as there is a "successful" business rather than football team.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "As long as they've got the American Football and they've got Beyonce in the summer, they're happy, the owners are happy.

"It looks like a business model that everyone can be happy with that can be successful.

"But does that breed a winning environment?

"No it does not because something is fundamentally wrong.

"They have tried to do both, but it has not worked and it has not worked the way Daniel Levy wants it to."

Spurs fans are staging a massive protest against club chairman Daniel Levy during the match against United.

The demo has been organised by fed-up season-ticket holders named Change for Tottenham.

Protesters are marching ahead of the game and staging a sit-in protest at full-time in the South Stand.

WHEREVER that old saying about the darkest nights making the brightest stars comes from, it certainly isn’t Tottenham.

But if you had to pin it to a Premier League club, it’d be Ange Postecoglou’s side every day of the week.

Ange would probably be glad of it, to be honest, as there’s been little else to light up the place this season.

Last summer, the thought that today’s game against Manchester United would be a meeting of two mid-table teams was unbelievable. But that’s exactly what it is.

I do think Ruben Amorim is the right man to turn United around but there is so much work that it will take years.

If I had the choice of who I’d like to manage, it is Spurs every time as Postecoglou has so many stars in his squad.

But it doesn’t count for much when they’re in the treatment room rather than the dressing room — and loads are.

At times Postecoglou has been without a whole team of injured players, which is where that stuff about dark nights and bright stars comes in.

And with so many key men missing, Ange has had to rely on some of his kids at a time he needs players AND leaders.

But in Archie Gray he has a young man who ticks both boxes despite only making his full Premier League debut in December. And if everyone was available he may still be waiting.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

Gray’s dad Andy had a long playing career, his grandad Frank is a Leeds legend, and his uncle Eddie an all-time great.

So although he’s only 18, Archie has had more experience of football life than many senior players before he joined Spurs from Leeds last year.

And while all the lads who’ve been thrown in have done well, Gray has been an absolute diamond — and I have to say it doesn’t surprise me.

Everything I’ve seen about him has been positive from day one, wherever he’s played, which is three different defensive positions and midfield already.

The way the teenager strolls around at the back reminds me of Franz Beckenbauer or Alan Hansen, which is some comparison.

I’m not saying he will ever be that good, of course, as not many got within a mile of those two legends.

Last summer, the thought that today’s game against Manchester United would be a meeting of two mid-table teams was unbelievable. But that’s exactly what it is.

But there is a real style and elegance in everything he does.

There was a moment at Aston Villa last week when Marcus Rashford tried to run at him one-on-one, but Archie got his body across, won the ball and shut down the danger. It was class.

From what I hear, he is a good talker too, despite being so young. He’s confident, says the right things, and is not afraid to put his message across in the dressing room.

So you can forget his age as he is already a natural leader — and Ange certainly needs one with his team in this position.

Closer to the bottom three than the top six in the Prem — like United — out of both domestic cups and just the Europa League left with just over three months of the campaign to go.

Spurs may have a team with no inspiring voice on the pitch but at least Amorim has a couple in Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes.

Even with a fully fit squad, Ange has no obvious choice for the armband. As much as I love Son, who has it now, he’s never struck me as a captain.

In my book Ange should be brave and give Archie the armband now as he won’t be handing it back for a decade if he does.

There’s more to it than just calling heads or tails, believe me. As a manager, the skipper is someone you can rely on.

You will pick his brains, he will be the link with the rest of the team and almost your right arm in many ways. So it is a vital role.

I have said for ages that Gray is a captain of the future — and maybe even an England one — but up to the job at Tottenham already.

In my book Ange should be brave and give Archie the armband now as he won’t be handing it back for a decade if he does.

AMAD DIALLO's season could be over after suffering an injury in training before Manchester United's clash with Tottenham.

Ruben Amorim warned a number of stars had suffered setbacks in training this week.

It was revealed earlier today that Manuel Ugarte, Toby Collyer and Kobbie Mainoo were all doubtful for the Sunday trip to London, with Mainoo set for more than a couple of weeks out.

But the news has now gone from bad to worse with Amad now said to be the next star in the treatment room.

According to the Daily Mail, Amad has suffered an ankle ligament injury which could see him sidelined for the rest of the season.

Amad has been a key star for the Red Devils this season, with a number of match-winning displays.

He is the club's joint top goalscorer alongside Bruno Fernandes with nine goals in all competitions, while only the club captain (12) has provided more assists than Amad (7).

His versatility in being able to play at either wing-back or in the front three, as well as his impressive intelligence in pressing, made him incredibly important.

Reacting to the news on social media, one fan said: "It feels like last season repeating itself…. maybe worse!"

A second said: "So that's Amad, Mainoo, Ugarte, Collyer out. What is going on?"

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

A third added: "I'm just taking a few breathes. This is gut-wrenching."

Another said: "United could get relegated."

A fifth said: "Yep, that's the season over…"

The quadruple blow has now left Amorim with only three recognised attackers in his squad; Joshua Zirkzee, Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho.

The lack of options both in attack and in the engine room has seen Amorim promote a number of academy stars to first-team training this week.

According to AcademyScoop, five Carrington stars - Chido Obi, Sékou Koné, Harry Amass, Jack Moorhouse and Elyh Harrison - are travelling with the first team squad to face Tottenham.

Moorhouse, 19, has been included after impressing in the Under-21s.

Amorim, 40, personally watched the midfielder during a 5-1 win over Southampton in December, in which the Manchester-born star scored twice.

Striker Chido Obi and winger James Scanlon were not included with the Under-18 squad on Saturday following their participation in first-team training this week.

Asked specifically about 17-year-old Obi, Amorim said: "I don’t want to say names.

“We have to be careful on that. We have problems this week, we called some young players to be in our training.

"We have some data evaluation. He is one of them.”

Amorim was forced to name 21-year-old goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk on the Man Utd bench for the first time in the FA Cup triumph over Leicester with both Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton out injured.

Graczyk is effectively seventh-choice at Old Trafford, but fifth and eighth-choice players Harrison and William Murdock have been included in first-team training this week.

RUBEN AMORIM has promoted Manchester United whizkid Jack Moorhouse to the travelling squad for the clash at Tottenham, reports suggest.

The 19-year-old has impressed for the Under-21s this season after scoring three times in seven Premier League 2 appearances.

Amorim, 40, personally watched the midfielder during a 5-1 win over Southampton in December alongside Darren Fletcher and Jason Wilcox.

Moorhouse scored twice in the game and has now been rewarded for his fine form with a call-up to the first team, according to the Daily Mail.

The Manchester-born star is favoured for his exceptional ball-carrying ability, a trait perfectly suited to Amorim's system.

And now he has been included in the travelling squad for the Sunday clash at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it is unclear whether he will be named in the 20-player matchday squad.

While Moorhouse might have been introduced into the team as the season progressed anyway, his sudden draft into the travelling senior team comes amid an injury crisis.

This week Amorim indicated there had been problems for a number of players.

And it has now been reported by The Athletic that all of the injuries affect the engine room.

Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer are all said to have been struck down in training.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

Ugarte and Collyer are both major doubts for the Tottenham game.

Meanwhile, Mainoo's injury is said to be more serious and could see the Carrington graduate sidelined for more than a couple of weeks.

Injuries across the board have seen Amorim promote a number of youngsters into first-team training.

Striker Chido Obi and winger James Scanlon were not included with the Under-18 squad on Saturday following their participation in first-team training this week.

Asked specifically about 17-year-old Obi, Amorim said: "I don’t want to say names.

“We have to be careful on that. We have problems this week, we called some young players to be in our training. We have some data evaluation. He is one of them.”

Amorim was forced to name 21-year-old goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk on the Man Utd bench for the first time in the FA Cup triumph over Leicester with both Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton out injured.

Graczyk is effectively seventh-choice at Old Trafford, but fifth and eighth-choice players Elyh Harrison and William Murdock have been included in first-team training this week.

TYRANT Kim Jong-un has banned Tottenham Hotspur matches from being shown in North Korea.

His madcap regime insists no games involving teams with players from his hated neighbours are broadcast there — and Spurs are captained by South Korean icon Son Heung-min.

It means impoverished citizens allowed to watch Premier League games before the 5pm news do not get to see the erratic North London club on their screens.

But Jong-un may come to regret his ban on 32-year-old Son and his Spurs side as they take on the tubby despot’s favourite team Manchester United tomorrow.

A report also revealed coverage in North Korea of last year’s Premier League did not include Wolverhampton Wanderers because of their South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan, or Brentford, who have his countryman, defender Kim Ji-soo.

Match coverage in the secretive state is shortened from 90 minutes to 60 and games are shown before news bulletins — and about four months after they are played.

With his team languishing 14th in the league, Tottenham fan Tom Bell said: “The way this season has gone for Spurs, North Koreans can count themselves lucky not being subjected to their games.”

The findings come in a report by the independent US think tank Stimson Center’s probe into North Korea.

State TV is rife with propaganda but sport is “one of the few moments each day when state TV is not trying to send an overt or underlying message to its viewers,” analysis found.

The Center’s Martyn Williams said: “We thought it was interesting.

"We just saw a lot of football on KCTV. It’s the main international sport they broadcast.”

The report says that in 2022, North Korean telly carried coverage of England’s top flight plus Germany’s Bundesliga, Spain’s La Liga, France’s Ligue 1 and Italy’s Serie A.

But the following year, KCTV settled the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and the World Cup.

English football has also found fans among other dictators.

Late Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro was an Arsenal fan and Zimbabwe tyrant Robert Mugabe, who died in 2019, supported Chelsea.

DANIEL LEVY is facing the biggest fan backlash of his 24-year Spurs reign with another protest planned on Sunday.

The demo, organised by fed-up season-ticket holders named Change for Tottenham, will take place before and after the Prem fixture against Manchester United.

Protesters plan to march ahead of the game and then stage a sit-in protest at full-time in the South Stand.

The aim is to put pressure on majority owners ENIC to sell the club — and for chairman Levy to go.

Levy has faced calls for him to leave in recent matches, with injury-decimated Spurs 14th in the table and out of both domestic cups.

Anger has reached boiling point over a lack of silverware — with no trophies won since 2008.

Asked if the anti-Levy feeling is the worst it has ever been, Change for Tottenham’s Jamie Coughlan said: “By far. We’ve had the promises broken every single time.

“It’s by far the most vigilant fans have been on the way the club acts.

“If you look at 2019, we were battling to win a Champions League final.

"Fast forward five years and realistically we’re in a relegation fight."

BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS

Spurs are the world’s ninth-richest team under Levy’s control, according to Deloitte’s latest findings.

But that report also showed the club’s wages-to-turnover ratio is just 42 per cent, the lowest of all Premier League clubs.

Coughlan is hopeful the unrest could tempt a potential buyer to make an offer for the £4billion-valued club.

He added: “It will show that the fans are unhappy with the ownership which could then force somebody into saying, ‘Do you know what, I’m going to try, I’m going to test the waters and see if Tottenham would be interested in selling’.”

IT IS the worst ‘big match’ in Premier League history.

The first time that two of English football’s so-called elite have met at such an advanced stage of the season with both clubs languishing in the bottom half of the table.

Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur, anyone? Or glory, glory, Man Utd for that matter?

Not when the two clubs contesting this underachievers derby head into the weekend in 13th and 14th positions. And by kick-off at 4.30pm on Sunday, that could even read 15th against 16th.

If Sky are billing this as Super Sunday, they will be doing so with tongue firmly in cheek. And neutrals tuning in will feel like rubber-neckers at a car-crash site.

Not since both clubs were relegated from the top flight in the 1970s have either experienced quite such a dire campaign.

In the Big Six era, we have never seen the like. Only Chelsea’s meltdown in 2015-16 compares to the season either Spurs or the Red Devils are suffering.

And this is no sudden implosion like the one which ended Jose Mourinho’s second Stamford Bridge reign. For United and Spurs, this represents a reckoning after years of flawed decision-making and chronic mismanagement.

Losing has become a bad habit for both, seeing them overtaken by smaller clubs such as Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Fulham, as well as a resurgent Nottingham Forest under former Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Ange Postecoglou’s injury-ravaged Spurs ended a horror run of one point from seven games with victory at Brentford in their last league outing.

BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS

But they have been dumped out of both domestic cups since.

United have lost five of their last six league games at Old Trafford, and even though their away form has been better under Ruben Amorim, this has been a shocking season even by the dismal standards of the post-Ferguson era.

The similarities are glaring.

Two tactically-dogmatic managers wedded to their philosophies, intransigent in the face of defeat — Postecoglou’s compulsion for playing out from the back, Amorim’s adamance that his 3-4-3 is non-negotiable.

Two rare English overlords in the boardrooms, both giving foreign owners a good name.

Spurs fans will protest against Daniel Levy, yet his reputation for penny-pinching looks absurd when held up against Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s cost-cutting since he became a minority owner at Old Trafford — where another raft of demoralising backroom redundancies is in the offing.

Two squads bereft of confidence, both lacking effective on-field leadership, where senior players have failed to grasp the nettle, meaning promising youngsters are unable to thrive.

Is there any way out of this death spiral for either club? And just how low could they fall?

At least the bottom four are so distant that relegation should not be a serious concern. It is easier to argue the case for a swift turnaround in fortunes at Spurs and Big Ange has been doing so in every media appearance.

Tottenham’s injury list has been extreme — losing a first-choice keeper, an entire back four and a quartet of attacking players would send most teams into a nosedive.

Not that this excuses home defeats by Ipswich and Leicester, nor the manner of their gutless capitulation at Anfield in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg as Liverpool cruised to a 4-0 win.

But United’s early struggles under Amorim are a positive for Postecoglou — proof that changing managers in mid-season doesn’t necessarily provide a bounce.

Spurs have the modern infrastructure which United crave.

Yet their magnificent stadium suggests a shiny new Wembley of the North at Old Trafford is unlikely to have any positive impact on United's long-term playing prospects either.

The struggling North London club have also recruited promising young players in the last two windows, a path Ratcliffe intends to follow.

Everyone wants a long-term plan but in the knee-jerk ‘now culture’ of the Premier League, how soon is the future?

Tottenham have already defeated United twice this season — a 3-0 drubbing at Old Trafford and a crazy 4-3 victory in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.

With some fit-again reinforcements expected, a third success over their fellow crisis club could be mood-altering.

For United, the picture is more bleak.

There is no battalion ready to rise off the treatment table.

Indeed, after loaning out Marcus Rashford and Antony in January, without recruiting any replacements, there is a serious dearth of attacking players in Amorim’s squad.

The Portuguese boss must limp through to the end of the season, hoping for another miraculous Cup run like the one which gave Erik ten Hag a reprieve last year.

And then perhaps a major summer revamp — not that several similar revamps have worked at United in recent years.

Could the Europa League represent a lifeline for either club?

Earlier this season, Mourinho — who managed both — declared that the Red Devils and Tottenham were the two firm favourites to win the Europa League, due to the Premier League’s economic clout.

This ought to be true but the reality is different. No English club has won Uefa’s second-tier competition in the last five seasons, with only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s United reaching the final during that time.

For now, though, we have a meeting of glum and glummer — a macabre circus, with the losers sentenced to further humiliation and ridicule.

Roll up, roll up, for the greatest sewage show on Earth.

THIS is the awkward moment King Charles asks Son Heung-Min if Spurs are “in good order” in front of Daniel Levy.

The unlikely meeting occurred as the King visited the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday.

His Majesty arrived at the north London arena to great fanfare.

And he was met by Spurs chief Levy before getting a tour of the stadium.

On his travels, King Charles bumped into Tottenham captain Son.

The South Korean star and teammates are enduring a woeful season under manager Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs lie 14th in the table after winning just eight of their 24 league matches.

And last week saw them dumped out of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup within the space of several days.

Tottenham are now preparing to face Manchester United at home on Sunday.

And speaking to Son, King Charles asked whether Tottenham felt confident about their chances.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

But the encounter was made all the more awkward by the fact that Son was being watched by Spurs supremo Levy in the background.

King Charles initiated the conversation by asking: “So who are you playing this weekend then?”

Son answered: “We are going to play against Manchester United on Sunday.”

The King then asked: “Have you got a good chance?”

Son replied: “I hope so!”

His Majesty continued: “Is the team in good order at the moment?”

Son pondered the question before answering: “We are in a difficult moment but we are working hard.”

The King quickly asked: “Are you?”

Son replied simply: “Yes.”

Fans responded to the awkward moment on social media.

One said: “Levy at the back.”

Another declared: “I hope this guy lifts a trophy before he leaves.”

One noted: “At least he’s honest.”

Another added: “King Charles is too funny.”

TOTTENHAM are the subject of takeover interest from a consortium of Qatari investors, according to reports.

But the new potential owners could give chairman Daniel Levy a controversial role.

The investors are reported to want complete control of the North London club.

However, according to The Guardian, they are willing to hand Levy a long-term contract to continue running Spurs as executive chairman.

Levy, 63, has come under heavy scrutiny from fans after a dismal season has left Spurs down in 14th in the Premier League table, with fans chanting "Levy out" in the stadium.

He has been the man steering the ship at the club since 2001, when current majority owners Enic bought 29.9 per cent of the club from Alan Sugar before gaining full control six years later.

Following the construction of a new £1billion stadium, Spurs' annual income has been boosted to more than £500m, making them one of the richest clubs on the planet.

It is this expertise the new investors are seeking to retain.

That means Levy's job would remain effectively unchanged even if Enic, who now own 86.91 per cent of the club, become a minority shareholder.

The proposed buyout has a number of model plans for how it could take place.

JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS

One of these is a phased takeover.

Spurs are valued at around £3.75bn.

Tottenham have been openly seeking outside investment for some time, with suitors in America and the Middle East taking particular notice of the opportunity.

Levy himself has held talks with several Qatari parties without closing a deal.

The identity of the Qatari-bidders is unclear, but the report adds the group are private investors rather than the government-backed Qatar Sports Investment (QSI) or Sheikh Jassim who tried to buy Manchester United.

QSI discussed a naming-rights deal with Tottenham for their new stadium before approaching them for talks about a minority ownership share.

In 2023 the Financial Times reported how Iranian-American billionaire Jahm Najafi was preparing a bid.

FAIR to say Tottenham fans are conflicted about Ange Postecoglou right now.

Alarmed by the team’s slide down the league and last week’s exit from the cups, some are beginning to question whether he is the right man for the job.

Most understand that his crippling crock crisis has decimated his season, and many feel it is only fair to judge him properly when he has his key men back.

Numbers crunched by SunSport have shown Spurs have had it far worse with injuries this term than any English club competing in Europe.

Though others feel it is not enough to explain away the awful league form and have serious reservations about how open the team can be, particularly in midfield.

Ultimately, the only person’s opinion that really matters is that of the man who does the hiring and firing - chairman Daniel Levy.

The supremo, who turned 63 on Saturday, has never had a problem dismissing bosses before, having axed 12 permanent managers previously in his 25-year tenure.

Yet he has resisted the urge to make a change this season despite Spurs plummeting to 14th and exiting the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

Levy himself is believed to have sympathy for the severity of the injury situation, with ELEVEN first-team players sidelined against Aston Villa on Sunday.

It is a big factor as to why Postecoglou is still in a job and expected to remain so going into Manchester United at home on Sunday.

CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

But there is a good argument to be had to believe Spurs will likely keep faith with Postecoglou for the remainder of the campaign at the very least - barring an absolute disaster.

Beyond the hierarchy’s understanding regarding injuries, there is the fact that the club are still in the Europa League, which, when they have their stars back, they have a genuine chance of winning.

That would not only provide them a route back into the Champions League but also end their 17-year trophy drought.

Victory last weekend at Brentford has allayed any fears of being sucked into a relegation fight.

The gap to the drop zone is ten points and given the big-hitters are returning, it is fair to expect the dire league form only to improve from here.

Crucially, Postecoglou is believed still to have the players behind him.

Star player Dejan Kulusevski was emphatic in his response as to why the 59-year-old was still the right man for Spurs when speaking to the media a fortnight ago.

The Swede replied: “Because we had games when we showed perfect football.

“Football that not many teams can play in the world. We played beautiful games against United, against City 4-0 so I think he is the right man.

“We play for him. We want to win for him and to be honest we have similar ideas.

“I am very positive as a guy and I always want to play that football he wants.

“I have to fight for him because I believe in that football too. Yes, I think he’s the right man.”

As difficult as the last ten days have been, victories over Elfsborg and Brentford proved Postecoglou can still get results even with his absentee list being in double figures.

Making a change before the end of the season would likely result in the embarrassing scenario of a caretaker having to be put in charge again.

That potentially could be Ryan Mason for a third time, after short stints following Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte’s exits.

That is because to lure a permanent successor, such as Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth or Kieran McKenna from Ipswich, two bosses understood to be appreciated by the Spurs’ higher-ups, mid-season is viewed as very difficult to pull off.

There would also be the factor of having to pay off yet another manager, with Postecoglou contracted until 2027 and believed to be on £6million a year.

Levy in particular has found himself to be Public Enemy No1 in recent weeks with fans relentlessly calling for him to go during the Villa game.

The heat is already mainly on him but it would be on him and him alone if he axes yet another manager.

All of this is not to say that Postecoglou is bullet-proof between now and the end of the season, by any stretch.

Lose the players or see his relationship with Levy break down and it would likely be terminal for the Aussie.

While the pressure to deliver will crank up when his players return and absentees can no longer be an excuse, as legitimate a one as it has been these past few months.

But there has been a desire from the Spurs’ hierarchy to give Postecoglou time - perhaps more time than his predecessors - to prove he is the man for the task.

So for the Spurs fans who have had enough already and are calling for change before the season is out, Levy’s uncharacteristic resolve so far would suggest they should not bank on it happening.