Ben Foster lifts lid on the ‘bonkers’ bonus system Daniel Levy created for Spurs players
The “bonkers” method that Daniel Levy employed at Tottenham that made it “almost impossible” for players to obtain the bonus payments stipulated in their contracts has been exposed by Ben Foster.
Over the years, Levy has earned a reputation for his direct approach to negotiating, with Harry Kane’s protracted transfer controversy serving as a prime example.
The 61-year-old has been dubbed “brutal” and “ruthless” by former England goalkeeper Foster after he revealed the bonus payments scheme he instituted at Tottenham.
The veteran goalkeeper, who recently announced his retirement after a brief stint with Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham, is said to have learned of the information via Danny Rose, a teammate of Foster’s at England and Watford.
Rose made almost 200 games for Spurs and spoke openly with Foster about the intriguing regulations governing bonus payouts.
Rose claimed that Tottenham players would only be eligible for their bonus if they defeated a top-six opponent by two goals or more, meaning that even a victory of just one goal over teams like Manchester City or Arsenal in north London would not be sufficient.
Foster said in an interview with The Fozcast that “one of the lads, Danny Rose, was at Tottenham and Daniel Levy is so famously known for being tight and for being an absolute businessman, brutal, ruthless businessman.”
Evidently, achieving their bonus schedule and receiving their bonus money was nearly impossible. You would only receive a bonus if you defeated one of the top six teams, the “big boys,” in order to truly receive payment. So, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool are mentioned.
I swear to God that this is what he told me, that you must defeat them by two goals as well. It’s not enough, buddy; you won’t be receiving that bonus. At Tottenham, it seems they want you to win games when you are the manager.
You must destroy your opponent in order to receive the bonus. To receive the bonus payout, you must defeat Man City 2-0 and 3-0, which is absurd. ‘Rosey, there’s no chance, that’s impossible,’ I was saying. He simply remarked, “I know Fozzy, I know.”
He recalled a situation in which they were up 2-0 and conceded a goal in stoppage time. Everyone looked at each other and said, “OK, come on lads, we’ve missed the bonus,” but they still managed to win the crucial match.
