DELE: I WON’T SEE RED IN RUSSIA
Dele Alli has moved from rich potential into maturity under the clever coaching of Mauricio Pochettino and his assistant Jesus Perez at Tottenham. Now he faces the ultimate test as, in all probability, england’s youngest outfield player in Russia.
Recently I have found it fascinating to revisit my reports of this young man and see how regular games playing in league football at such a young age for MK Dons improved his game and supported my view that we should bring him to Spurs.
On his Football league debut against Coventry in league One on December 29, 2012, I wrote: ‘He looked nervous but at only 17 he has a lovely build and has a potential that we must follow.
‘In this game he played in a midfield twosome with Darren Potter and Alan Smith — the former leeds and Manchester United striker — played just ahead of them to form a triangle. Sadly, the Dons lost 3-2.’
Over the subsequent months I watched Alli develop. My reports would usually be submitted to Tottenham on a piece of A4 paper, dated, handwritten and signed at the bottom. There would occasionally be verbal feedback too.
I watched him play in a 1-0 win over Crewe in August 2013 when he operated behind front man Patrick Bamford, who was on loan from Chelsea. I suggested: ‘He needs to come from deeper and does not know the game yet. But he has a wonderful chance of a good career in the game. He is 6ft 2in and an easy mover. He is not electric but he can cover ground easily. He has good passing skills and is not selfish. He is a forceful player with a touch of arrogance.’
I added: ‘ The chairman at MK Dons feels that he will develop better with more games before they even think about a sale. We must monitor when and if he is available at the right price. We must be ready’.
At Tottenham there was some understandable scepticism as people wanted to be assured of Alli’s quality. He was a third-tier player but over time what I reported held sway. No player of his age will perform well every time you watch him and, for example, there was one game at Stevenage on a poor pitch when I left feeling underwhelmed. He was inconsistent that day and was also not always used in what may have been his best position.
On February 1, 2014, I watched him come on as a substitute against Tranmere and wrote: ‘He looked strong, unfazed but showed little guile. However, coming on in a wide left position he clearly needs to play centrally.’
Fast forward half a year and I was not the only one tracking Alli’s progress. There would regularly be other representatives from clubs present at MK Dons games.
On September 27, 2014, Alli played in a 3-2 defeat at Bristol City and I wrote: ‘He had a quiet game but still showed positive characteristics, Unselfish as a team player. Two years ago I would have gambled between £1million and £1.5m but now I feel he will eventually cost more than £3.5m.’
By January 2015, Alli had improved further and after a 2-0 home win over Barnsley I wrote: ‘Playing in midfield, he showed athleticism and timing to get into the opponents’ box and was not lazy on recovery. He passes simply but can also play a clever one. He is not outstanding in the air but will compete. I like the way he runs off the ball to open up space for colleagues and I don’t doubt his bravery. There is no doubt in my mind he can crack it but he will need to be assured of a pathway. I think it is a no- brainer. He compares favourably with Paulinho already and has shades of Frank lampard in him.’ In the end the MK Dons chairman Peter Winkelman came to the day when he had to satisfy the boy’s ambitions and of course the club’s need to sell. He sold him to Tottenham for £5m later that month. Other clubs were vying for his signature, most prominently Aston Villa and Newcastle. That did not surprise me but that was never an option and I thought Winkelman was excellent throughout. He did not play the clubs off against each other and that is to his credit. I think over time my consistent, positive reports and my constant verbal batterings held sway when Tottenham chairman Daniel levy sought assurances over value. It was the last day of the January window when Tottenham bought him and the deal included an immediate loan back. It was to Tottenham’s credit that they moved quickly and the chairman admirably agreed to pay all the fee on the nose. Nothing has given me more subsequent pleasure than seeing how Pochettino has improved Alli’s natural qualities to become so integral to Tottenham’s attractive team football. On occasion, other highprofile managers have said to me that they cannot believe that their own club missed him. It is also interesting that I saw him at his most effective in his early days when coming from deeper. At Wembley against Nigeria he reminded me of that. Now 22, I hope he can help england roar in Russia.