Former Tottenham owner Lord Sugar has blasted the club as “useless,” insisting the entire squad should be shown the door.

Former Tottenham chairman Lord Sugar has labelled the current Spurs squad “useless” and claimed the “entire team should be sacked” following their struggles this season.

The ex-owner, who ran the club between 1991 and 2001 before selling his remaining shares in 2007, gave a blunt verdict on Tottenham’s campaign while drawing comparisons with his BBC show The Apprentice. Despite now spending part of the year in Florida, Sugar remains a supporter and continues to follow the club closely.

Speaking after Spurs’ FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa and a run of inconsistent Premier League results that has put head coach Thomas Frank under pressure, Sugar was asked whether the manager should be treated like one of his TV candidates. He replied that he had little sympathy, arguing instead that the players were to blame.

“I’ve no real comment on that poor guy,” Sugar said. “I think the whole team should be fired. They’re useless — absolutely useless. They’re edging towards the relegation places, and it’ll be interesting to see what the new ownership does now Daniel Levy has gone. These days clubs seem to think the only solution is spending £100 million on players.”

Sugar made the remarks while speaking to The Mirror at the launch of the anniversary series of The Apprentice, which marks 20 years on television. He has signed an agreement that will keep the show on air for another three years.

Joking about the longevity of the programme, Sugar said he would continue as long as the BBC wanted him, adding that he remains fit and enthusiastic. The milestone series begins later this week, featuring 20 new candidates and opening with a task in Hong Kong, before challenges ranging from children’s publishing to live TV selling and organising a corporate retreat in Egypt.

Baroness Brady, one of Sugar’s advisers on the show, praised the energy and ambition of the latest contestants, highlighting the programme’s evolution and continued relevance two decades on.