'I was let go as a BBC pundit - I put the decision down to pure ageism'
David Pleat, who managed Tottenham, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday, has claimed he was the victim of ageism when he was axed as a BBC football pundit
David Pleat on duty for BBC Radio Five Live before being let go by the corporation (Image: Getty Images)
Ex-Tottenham boss David Pleat has claimed his time as a BBC pundit was cut short due to age discrimination. The seasoned manager, who took the helm at Luton, Leicester and Sheffield Wednesday, became a familiar voice on BBC Radio Five Live, earning plaudits for his insightful analysis and eloquent turn of phrase.
After his final spell managing Spurs in 2004 - though he would later return in a different capacity - Pleat juggled consultancy and scouting with his broadcasting career until the BBC abruptly let him go. Pleat, 79, put the decision down to "pure ageism" in an interview with The Telegraph. The BBC declined to comment when approached by the Express.
Pleat also felt he was the victim of changing times back at Tottenham, where he had been a consultant scout since 2010. Addressing his recent departure from the club he has had such a long connection with, he said: "I was called in and informed, 'It's all data-driven now we don't need eyes and ears'.
“What nonsense! Data is all well and good when it enhances eyes and ears, not replaces them. I didn’t argue.”
Reflecting on his managerial peak in the 1980s, Pleat was known for his hands-on approach and commitment to attractive, attacking play with Luton, Spurs and Leicester. Today's football landscape, however, favours head coaches who concentrate solely on the first team, supported by extensive backroom staff and hierarchies.
"There are so many processes," said Pleat. "You recommend a player and it has to go through a recruitment person, then the head of recruitment, then the director of football, then the manager, then the chairman.
David Pleat managed Tottenham in various spells, finishing third in the top-flight in 1986/87 (Image: Getty Images)
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“But do you know who has the last say? The bank manager. I think there’s too many voices now. Peter Taylor [the former Nottingham Forest assistant manager who worked alongside Brian Clough] once told me that when it comes to making a decision, two’s company three’s a crowd.”
Despite his advancing years, Pleat asserts he isn't done with the game, adding: "Two or three people have spoken to me about things. We'll see.
"But I'm not finished. How can I step away? When it comes to football, I'm afraid I'm a total obsessive."
