Football
Dan Kilpatrick, Tottenham Correspondent 8y

Vardy, Alli buys a wake-up call for Premier League - Peterborough chief

Jamie Vardy and Dele Alli's performances this season prove there is quality below the Premier League, according to Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony, who feels more clubs should follow the example of Tottenham and Leicester by giving such players a chance.

Leicester plucked Vardy from non-league obscurity in 2012 and the former Fleetwood Town forward currently tops the Premier League scoring charts with 15 goals, after netting in a record 11 consecutive games earlier this season.

Alli, meanwhile, has taken the Premier League by storm since joining Spurs from MK Dons and, like Vardy, the 19-year-old has been rewarded with an England call-up.

MacAnthony is not impressed by the Premier League's obsession with buying foreign players, but cited Tottenham as an exception, crediting the influence of former manager David Pleat, now a member of Spurs' five-man transfer committee.

"Premier League clubs need to get their heads out of their arses," MacAnthony told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. "Jamie Vardy and Dele Alli should have woken them up but they still want to go and buy the 'Van Winkels' of the world for £8.5 million and £50,000 per week.

"I'm sick of seeing 80-90 percent of Premier League clubs' transfer money leaving the country. It's ridiculous. It doesn't do the England team any good, it doesn't do the Premier League any good and it certainly doesn't do the Football League any good.

"In fairness to Tottenham Hotspur, they do [have faith in the Football League]. They bought Dele Alli and they also enquired about one of our players in November.

"The reason they are doing that is because they have David Pleat working under Daniel Levy, who is a great fan of the Football League. He made the Dele Alli deal happen and he would have made another deal happen, possibly, with one of ours.

"David Pleat is an old-school guy but he knows there's value in the Football League. I'm hoping that Vardy and Alli open these other clubs' eyes."

Spurs are currently closing in on the signing of Ebbsfleet youngster Shilow Tracey -- although sources have told ESPN FC that the 17-year-old will join the club's under-18s group and is not yet ready for the under-21s nor the first team.

Leicester, meanwhile, confirmed the signing of Birmingham winger Demarai Gray, 19, for £3.75m this week -- another piece of business praised by MacAnthony.

"Why aren't Liverpool trying to buy him? Why aren't Man United trying to buy him? Why aren't every top six club trying to buy that boy? £3.75m? In Liverpool's case, [they spent] £25m on [Lazar] Markovic, £25m on [Roberto] Firmino," MacAnthony said. "Two foreign wastes of space, who may never settle."

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