Been thinking a bit on Alli.
I've been a bit skeptical about high profile signings of teenagers not yet good enough to slot straight into the first team for some time. Sure there are success stories, but for every one of those there are plenty of failures and I've been wondering why. I think getting a big money, big wage move to a big club can be such a big positive experience that it has a negative impact on determination and effort put in during training, perhaps even professionalism. A kind of "I made it" point, a time for celebration, at a key time in a player's development where the only thing it's really time for is a lot more hard work.
I think this is a very good time for Alli to sign for us though. We've shown that we can develop youngsters, and we've shown that we can turn a high profile teenage signing into a true superstar. But more than that right now we're at a point where youngsters are breaking through left right and centre, thanks to a boatload of hard work and what has been reported as continued hard work. We have a manager that demands nothing less than full dedication, and a squad that's perhaps a bit fractured, but where the majority are responding really well to that approach.
Alli will come into our club knowing how much hard work pays off, and seeing every day how hard the players that have made it are working. Exactly what's needed in that kind of situation I think.
We signed a 18 year old LB once and everyone said he'd never be good enough for us as well. Look how well that turned out