Nonsense claims on Amanda Staveley and Eddie Howe - 2+2=5?
The opening track to Radiohead’s album Hail to the Thief ‘2+2=5’, itself a reference to the dystopian George Orwell novel 1984, is an apt reference for this ‘exclusive’ piece of ‘sports journalism’ coming from the ***’s Alan Nixon.
Published in the 21:00 Saturday evening dead zone of an international break, Nixon claims that Eddie Howe is the favourite to takeover at Spurs if Amanda Staveley invests into the club. In what is frankly nonsense the article points out the extremely obvious:
‘Former Toon co-owner Staveley and her mega-rich backers are keen to take a stake in Spurs and she is a massive fan of former Bournemouth boss Howe.’
Groundbreaking stuff from Nixon as he points out that Staveley is a ‘massive fan’ of the manager who she appointed, who took United from relegation candidates to Champions League in just 18 months, who has shown a propensity for improving players, speaks well, and has been touted for the poison chalice of the England job - which he has said on multiple occasions he doesn’t want.
Whilst, in my opinion, Postecoglou is still relatively unproven at the highest level he has improved Spurs as a football project, so even with external minor investment coming in from Staveley, it would be hard to see her wielding huge influence over the managerial role. Besides, Newcastle wouldn’t let Howe go on the cheap and the story is as about as reliable as a story from the Ministry of Truth.
The Radiohead song 2+2=5 has an alternative title of ‘The Lukewarm’, a reference to Dante’s Inferno, and that’s exactly where this story belongs – the 9th circle of hell.
