David Pleat on Tottenham's bright future

[mawspurs]

The man who convinced Tottenham to sign Dele Alli was David Pleat - the club's longest-running servant who has been enjoying a consultancy and scouting role since 2011.

Read the full article at Sky Sports

 

[kaz Hirai]

So is he on the payroll proper, as he keeps saying team and they alot in regards to Tottenham.

Perhaps he's some kind of freelance

 

[Gassin's finest]

Good man.

 

[philip]

I've always been a massive fan of Pleat as head of scouting.

From the start he's always pushed the idea of buying young British talent

It's well known that Arnesen came in without any knowledge of the British lower leagues and bought a host of young Brits straight off Pleats list.

Pleat was the one who kickstarted the revolution by getting us

Robinson
Dawson
Davenport
Gardner
Huddlestone
Carrick
Jenas
Lennon
Reid
Davis
Davies
Etherington
Routledge
Defoe
Keane (1st time)

Amongst others. Most became first team stalwarts and the few others were sold for profit.

 

[DCSPUR]

years ago I would email Pleat scouting reports on young players in the US. Once I got a response and sent him a follow up on Bobby Convey - as some of you may remember we had an offer accepted but unfortunately the UK did not approve his work permit (which made no sense) - a couple of years later he did move to the UK (Reading maybe?). It was really disappointing as that was a moment in which I could have said I actually influenced the trajectory of our club in a small way. There is a letter I received from Pleat thanking me for the info - will dig it up and post it as it may be of interest

 

[Dave-F]

Pleat's one of those old guard who still claims it was all down to them. I'm sure he did mention that Alli was a talented player. But frankly anyone could have spotted that a mile off. Just watch that Man U game. The only surpirse was he did so well so soon. Otherwise he would have been another promising prospect waiting for his chance at the first team for a few seasons. Always worth a punt on one or two those types of players.

 

[philip]

Pleat's one of those old guard who still claims it was all down to them. I'm sure he did mention that Alli was a talented player. But frankly anyone could have spotted that a mile off. Just watch that Man U game. The only surpirse was he did so well so soon. Otherwise he would have been another promising prospect waiting for his chance at the first team for a few seasons. Always worth a punt on one or two those types of players.

Disagree. Pleat really really knows his stuff and has spent years scouting young talent.

According to reports we were tracking Ali for 3 years which is part of the reason he came here rather than Liverpool.

 

[Locotoro]

Disagree. Pleat really really knows his stuff and has spent years scouting young talent.

According to reports we were tracking Ali for 3 years which is part of the reason he came here rather than Liverpool.

Agree.

It's not just a case that we are tracking players like Alli when they hit the headlines. Yes, anyone could see he was talented when they played Man Utd. It's the tracking of players well in advance.of their moments in the limelight happen.

 

[Sweetsman]

Pleat has been known to slowly drive around tracking stuff. He scouts players too as well as giving sound bites to the media.

 

[bigspurs]

Pleat has been known to slowly drive around tracking stuff. He scouts players too as well as giving sound bites to the media.

Yes, he was originally sacked by the club for a well publicised curb crawling incident, around Kings Cross if I remember rightly.

I forgive him though. A man has certain needs after all. Lol

 

[Ironskullll]

Pleat's one of those old guard who still claims it was all down to them. I'm sure he did mention that Alli was a talented player. But frankly anyone could have spotted that a mile off. Just watch that Man U game. The only surpirse was he did so well so soon. Otherwise he would have been another promising prospect waiting for his chance at the first team for a few seasons. Always worth a punt on one or two those types of players.

I read an interview with the MK manager some time ago that said that Pleat had been a regular at games involving Alli for more than four years before he signed, that he was a huge fan of Alli and that MKD had an agreement with Pleat that should the time ever come to sell him that Spurs would be alerted. The interview also indicated a respect for Spurs' handling of young players that was in harmony with MKD's own feeling of responsibility towards the player. Pleat's own comments in this interview seem to echo that.

Besides the other names of players he's been instrumental in signing listed above, I'm thinking also of Davies, Etherington, Thelwell and others too. I'm also wondering to what extent he was involved in signing players such as Rose and Bale. Not so much in respect of spotting them but in the deeper assessment of them, behind the scenes.

 

[Sweetsman]

Yes, he was originally sacked by the club for a well publicised curb crawling incident, around Kings Cross if I remember rightly.

I forgive him though. A man has certain needs after all. Lol

I think getting sacked may have curbed his kerb-crawling. Then again, King's Cross was a different place and he may have been looking for a Costa (who in the end got signed by Chelsea).

 

[chinaman]

In North America, certainly in Canada, we just spell it as "curb".

 

[philip]

I read an interview with the MK manager some time ago that said that Pleat had been a regular at games involving Alli for more than four years before he signed, that he was a huge fan of Alli and that MKD had an agreement with Pleat that should the time ever come to sell him that Spurs would be alerted. The interview also indicated a respect for Spurs' handling of young players that was in harmony with MKD's own feeling of responsibility towards the player. Pleat's own comments in this interview seem to echo that.

Besides the other names of players he's been instrumental in signing listed above, I'm thinking also of Davies, Etherington, Thelwell and others too. I'm also wondering to what extent he was involved in signing players such as Rose and Bale. Not so much in respect of spotting them but in the deeper assessment of them, behind the scenes.

Thanks for reminding about Davies and Etherington. Gardner too.
Thelwell came through the academy.

 

[guiltyparty]

F365 recently named him best co-comms because of his exhaustive knowledge of football and players. The guy is a walking encyclopaedia of talent

 

[Mullers]

Itk stated this some years ago.Levy also consulted Comoli sometimes.

 

[garryparkerschest]

David Pleat seems to be someone you appreciate after the event.

He produced one of the best teams assembled by our great club.

Clemence, Hughton, Thomas, Gough, Mabbut, Hodge, Hoddle, Ardiles, Waddle, C. Allen and P. Allen.

One of the most thinking teams of it's times. Playing one upfront was something unheard of in those days.

Playing football reminiscence of a foreign team.

That team deserved to win a trophy that season and didn't get what it deserved.

If Pleat hadn't done what he did, I'm sure that team would have won something sooner or later.

 

[Delboy75]

I’ve not listened yet only heard a brief clip about Etete which was brilliant.

 

[Spursmatty87]

I’ve not listened yet only heard a brief clip about Etete which was brilliant.

It was a really good listen well worth a listen some good things about sugar, levy, his time as manager and youth in general not just spurs.

 

[Japhet]

Did he have any part in scouting Pascal Chibom, Chibobu, Chibama........Oh fuck it! Forget it.