If one commits his or herself to their trade, if they toil and tinker and persevere, then good things are bound to happen. Persistence and hard work, we are told, is the one constant to success. The Avett Brothers once said, in one of their early, honest and energy-laden tracks, Please Pardon Yourself, to "do the best you can and that won't go unseen". Promotions take time, efforts are recognized over the long-haul. The universal guidelines to success do not apply to Dele Alli.
From his Football League Young Player of the Year performance at MK Dons, to his audacious nutmeg of Luka Modric in the Audi Cup, to that strike against France in an England kit, Dele Alli's rise has been meteoric. And according to The Evening Standard, Tottenham's wunderkind is going to get a raise, after just four months of service.
Dele Alli is reportedly set to be rewarded by Tottenham for his impressive start to the Premier League campaign with a new contract that could see the England international double his wages.
Alli has become an integral member of Mauricio Pochettino's squad this term despite only beginning training with the first-team in July, and his form for the north London side has resulted in the midfielder also being accelerated in England's set-up.
Alli won the man of the match award for his performance in the Three Lions' 2-0 friendly win over France on Tuesday night, and it now seems he could be about to start negotiations over a new deal at White Hart Lane as a result.
Reports have Alli's current wages hovering around £12K per week. A double of this figure seems more than reasonable for the shifts that Alli has put in. Already four months into the season, and Tottenham Hotspur are in a wonderful spot. They are challenging for the top four and the way that they have handled themselves against upper-echelon sides has been promising, if not swashbuckling. There is an abundance of fixtures left, but Spurs look to be legitimate contenders in the Premier League going forward.
Which leads us to retention. Spurs are not only in a good position for this year, but for the foreseeable future. This isn't the Gareth Bale dominated team of 2012-13 or even Harry Redknapp's era of star studded, yet shallow sides. Tottenham have a chance to bolster their future from within. If Levy can simply retain the roster he has, the need to risk tens of millions of pounds on unknown quantities becomes significantly less vital. Break the wage ceiling if need be. Double weekly wages at will. If Tottenham can provide Europe, the Premier League, and comparable payouts to its competition, then the majority of its core can be kept. With the new stadium just three years, the incentives are high to roll out a team that can play. For the health of both the product on the field and the financial aspects of the club, just pay the damn players, Levy.