OPINION
Tottenham recruitment expert David Pleat has twice watched Watford in action as he runs the rule over their rising stars, according to a report.
Scouts in Attendance, a reliable Twitter account that breaks and accumulates recruitment news, reported on Wednesday afternoon that the former Spurs manager was at the Under-23s clash between the Hornets and Leeds on Monday.
This comes after he kept tabs on Watford forward Ryan Cassidy during an FA Youth Cup last month.
#thfc scout David Pleat watched #watford U23 0-3 #lufc U23 on Mon…Pleat also saw 17yo Watford FW Ryan Cassidy (contract to 2020) impress in FA Youth Cup last month, although he came off the bench late in this one pic.twitter.com/be1lglb3Kw
— Scouts in Attendance (@scoutsattending) March 6, 2019
OPINION
Former Tottenham manager and director of football Pleat is 74 now but he remains in demand as a consultant specialising in the recruitment side of the game, specifically youth players. His fabled eye for talent means chairmen, directors and managers regard him highly, not least Spurs chief Daniel Levy, who continues to lean on Pleat when he wants a judgement on a player his club are keen on signing. The veteran pushed strongly for the north Londoners to sign Dele Alli, among others, and Levy knows that when Pleat vouches for a young player, it usually means he has immense potential. Can Cassidy follow the same path as Alli and company? Aged 18, he has yet to break into the Watford first team, but he has been capped by Ireland at Under-17 level and is earning a reputation as a rising star in the set-up of Spurs’ Premier League rivals. Should Pleat give the thumbs-up, a concerted push from Tottenham could be on the cards.