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The man who convinced Tottenham to sign Dele Alli was David Pleat - the clubs longest-running servant who has been enjoying a consultancy and scouting role since 2011. His affinity with Spurs stretches back over four decades to 1986 and includes spells as manager and director of football, and he was so determined regarding Allis ability, and his expertise so highly regarded, that the club was persuaded to spend £5m on a 19-year-old from League One MK Dons.Allis subsequent season needs no reminders, and Pleat says he has been pleasantly surprised by the youngsters rise to England star, but it is the rise of the club itself, citing manager Mauricio Pochettinos methods and the Argentines great relationship with chairman Daniel Levy as a key factor, that Pleat is even more encouraged by. Pleat believes Tottenham have had the best season for many, many years and the future looks good - and, speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, he insists Alli was never close to signing for Liverpool, as reports have suggested. They met him and had talks but Milton Keynes werent selling him at the time. he said. There was nothing agreed with the clubs and they said he wasnt for sale at that point.When the chairman at MK Dons was ready to sell him I was informed by their manager, because he knew wed be interested, and we did the deal. The rest is history. It was David Pleat who persuaded Tottenham to sign Dele Alli from MK Dons Alli is a great lad and Im pleasantly surprised with how well he has done. I was fortunate to watch him and Im fortunate to look over a broad spectrum for Spurs, from youth football to the highest level.Ive enjoyed my attachment with Tottenham whatever Ive done. I enjoy watching young players and good players in all teams, and that can continue. The club is on a great footing. Despite a gloomy end, that does not mask what I consider to be one the best seasons the club has had for many, many years.The team have broken all sorts of records and are a truism of those great sides of the past. All the greats - the Linekers, Hoddles, Perrymans, Jennings - I think they have all said this is one of the best teams for many years.The chairman has recognised the qualities of the Argentinian manager, knows the type of football he plays, and that its the type that Tottenham fans appreciate. I dont think there is any doubt about it; Daniel has an excellent relationship with his manager. He lets him get on with the football and has provided funds for players. Alli waiting to wake up from Spurs dream Dele Alli says he is still waiting to wake up after his stunning rise at Spurs Those players have been identified and brought in by Tottenhams revamped recruitment department, of which Pleat is an integral part, which is now widely considered among the best in Europe. Pleats expertise is regarded as crucial, having watched scouting methods evolve over four decades both at Spurs and across world football, and he believes Tottenham are building both this and the rest of the club in the right way.Where they have done brilliantly, everyone at Tottenham, is giving the youngsters the opportunity to play, Pleat said. They cant just go out and buy £50m-£60m players.It isnt easy but Tottenham have been building slowly and the signs are good. Its a better way of doing things if you feel youve got longevity with certain players, and young players, and if staff are making the commitment for a long time. Pleat has had four spells as Tottenham manager including three as caretaker In the past you look maybe four or five times at a player and certainly the manager himself will have had a look himself, unless he is really inept. Now its more modern, tracking players.I went to Kiev many years ago and saw their unbelievable scouting system, where three guys, almost 24 hours a day, were watching almost every game going on around the world. That was in Ukraine and now this country is getting along the same lines. The scouting is getting more sophisticated.But its very difficult to compare Tottenhams with other clubs, unless youre inside those four walls. People say, Oh this clubs all over the place, that club is bad at this. All I can say is that Tottenhams is being run very smoothly and theyre happy with it. Allis key moments Key moments in Dele Allis memorable first season at Tottenham So what will Tottenham do in the transfer market this summer? Are they still in a position to take gambles on lower-league players like Alli after competing for the Premier League title and returning to Europes top club competition?Next year they will continue to improve, and theyll add a couple of players to it, he said.Its a balance. If they feel they can get the right player to do a certain job they will look at all sorts of things. They wont say, Well because hes this age, we cant possibly sign him, but they will still look for young, hungry players with a good attitude because that is what the manager likes. They can take a gamble. They did because they backed me with Dele Alli. So they will do if they can find one thats very good value. But, generally speaking, theyve got to find players that have got some pedigree and already proven themselves at a decent level. Also See: Tottenham season review Pochettinos five-year plan? Dele Alli: Key moments Son dismisses exit rumours Nike Air Max Soldes . PETERSBURG, Fla. Air Max 97 Blanche Pas Cher . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. http://www.maxnikepascher.fr/ . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Vente En Gros Nike Air Max . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Vapormax Plus Soldes . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Back in January, Alex Gordon signed a four-year, $72 million contract to remain with the Kansas City Royals.The Royals, who entertain the Chicago White Sox in a series finale Thursday, are certainly not getting their moneys worth this season from the four-time left field Gold Glover winner and three-time All-Star.Gordon, 32, is hitting .203 with eight home runs and 18 RBI in 82 games, having struck out 95 times in 281 at-bats. His double Wednesday was his second extra-base hit in 16 games.You know guys have good years and you know guys have bad years, Royals manager Ned Yost said. In my mind, Alex is going to have a really, really good year next year. We know what type of player he is. We know what type of work ethic he has. He never quits. Hes continuing to work.Hes continuing to stay strong in his conditioning routine and his work ethic. Its just one of those years where its been a struggle for him.Yost said he is unable to detect in Gordons demeanor what kind of season the outfielder is having.Hes hard to read, Yost said. Hes just very businesslike in everything that he does. And you cant tell if hes gone 10-for-10 or 0-for-20.Gordon missed more than a month with a fractured right wrist after a May 22 collision with third baseman Mike Moustakas, who sustained a season-ending knee injury on the play.Is the injury play contributing to Gordons poor offensive year?He was having a down year before he got hurt, Yost said. Its just one of those crazy weird years for him.Gordon at least pulled his batting average back over .200 on Wednesday when he went 2-for-5 in the Royals 3-2, 14-inning win over Chicago.The White Sox have alternated losses with wins throughout the past seven games. They began the season 23-10, a run that third baseman Todd Frazier said the club could duplicate.We still have an opportunity to be in it, Frazier said regarding a poostseason berth.dddddddddddd I know nobodys giving up right now. We go in there and do that 23-10 stretch, well have a bigger opportunity, starting now. I think we have a big run in us. I still believe that a lot. I still believe that we do. Just got to keep fighting and find ways to win games.White Sox manager Robin Ventura keeps his view more focused on game-to-game issues than Fraziers extended-run picture.I keep it small, Ventura said. They can look as big as they want. But, for us, we look at how were getting through this series, how youre matching up with those guys. Injuries take on a certain part of it, but we have some guys that are untested with some of it, so you dont really know what youre going to get.I like where his heads at, the way theyre thinking. Again, were going to match up with who weve got and go get em, but I like the fact that we have that feeling, that he does.The White Sox will start right-hander Miguel Gonzalez in the series finale. Gonzalez is 2-6 with a 4.09 ERA in 18 games, 17 of them starts. He is coming off a loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, when he allowed four runs, three earned, on 10 hits over six innings.Gonzalez is 0-2 with a 3.65 ERA in two starts against the Royals this season. Jarrod Dyson is 8-for-10 off Gonzalez, while Gordon is 1-for-10 against him.The Royals will counter with left-hander Danny Duffy, who is 8-1 with a 2.97 ERA. He has won his past seven decisions.Duffy is 4-0 in nine starts this season at Kauffman Stadium, where he has not lost since Sept. 5, 2015, against the White Sox.In three starts vs. Chicago this year, Duffy is 1-0 with a 2.87 ERA. On June 3 at U.S. Cellular Field, he threw six shutout innings of three-hit ball, striking out 10 and walking three in a 4-1 win. ' ' '