I think Jermain Defoe's talent level was good enough that transported to 2018/19 he could theoretically start for pretty much any EPL team outside the top six - on condition they wanted to play to his strengths. I'd describe Defoe as more 'talented' than Vardy or Chris Wood, but none of that trio play the exact same styles and I doubt Dyche would want to depart from having a big target man, for instance.
It wasn't lack of money that caused the negativity (while Italian and German football had gone though cash crises around 2001, the EPL was growing as a financial force), rather that the league was packed with British coaches - O'Leary, Bruce, Allardyce, Hughes, Curbishley, Dowie, Moyes, Coleman, McClaren, Souness, Redknapp, Bryan Robson.
You point us towards an interesting question, though. What would happen if one of the richest clubs on the planet employed Sir David Moyes? Someone should try that. Bet he'd reintroduce the W formation and his team would score 160 goals in a season.
Bet if some Middle Eastern chancers were to throw a big heap of money at Mark Hughes it'd be a sight to see. The wave of incredibly innovative football would sweep the competition aside.
