Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he hopes to find the time to reach out and speak with Dele Alli about what is going on with his career.
Former Spurs boss David Pleat played an instrumental role in bringing the midfielder to North London when he persuaded chairman Daniel Levy to part with £5million to bring from League One outfit MK Dons, which proved to be a bargain in February 2015 while Pochettino was in charge of the first team (Football.London).
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Not only that, but Dele took to Premier League football like a duck to water and immediately earned a spot in Pochettino’s starting XI.
The Englishman became a key linchpin in the Spurs set-up, serving as the connection between midfield and Harry Kane in attack.
Dele managed an impressive 67 goals and 61 assists in 269 games for Tottenham (TransferMarkt), but his form dropped off a cliff once Pochettino left the club, and the midfielder was offloaded to Everton in a deal worth a potential £40million with add-ons but has failed to impress on Merseyside and also struggled on loan at Besiktas (The Sun).
Pochettino wants to have a phone call with Dele Alli
Although he definitely did not hint at signing Dele for Chelsea, Pochettino did admit that he wanted to have a phone call with his former player to see if he can help him.
Pochettino said (The Sun): “I hope to have some time to call and see because he is a great guy and I want to talk a bit with him. I want to help him and see what is going on.”
“He’s still young. For sure, he has the mentality.”
Jose Mourinho, who took over from Pochettino warned the England international of a potential demise during his time in charge at Tottenham, which has unfortunately proven to be true.
Speaking to Dele in Tottenham’s All or Nothing docuseries on Amazon Prime during the 2019/20 season, he said: “So what I want to tell you basically is this. I think you feel that I like you.
“You feel I like you as a player and I like you also as a kid, I think you are a nice kid. I don’t want to be your father because you have a father.
“I don’t want to be your uncle or your old brother. I just want to be your coach, but with a good connection. So, I have to tell you always what I think.
“Inside of you, maybe you tell me to f*** off, but I have to tell you exactly what I’ve seen. And for me, since the beginning, I had no doubts about your potential.
“I saw you do incredible matches and incredible things. But I always felt that you had ups and downs.
“There is a huge difference between a player that keeps consistency and the player that has moments. And that is what makes the difference between a top, top player and a player with top potential.
“It’s something that you don’t have to share with me, I think it’s just for you to analyse yourself and to realise why my career is being… MK Dons, top, national team, bang! And then you reach the top and then [up and down gestures].
“Why you have in your career these little ups and downs, I don’t know.
“I don’t know if it has to do with your lifestyle, if in one period you are an amazing professional, if in another period you become a party boy going out, I don’t know. I have no idea, only you can know that.
“I am 56 now, and yesterday, yesterday I was 20. Know what I mean? And today I’m 56, time flies.
“Time flies and I think one day, I think you will regret if you don’t reach what you can reach.
“I’m not expecting you to be the man of the match every game, I’m not expecting you to score goals every game. I want just to tell you that I think you will regret.
“You should demand more from you, not me demanding more from you. Not me, nobody, you. I think you should demand more from you.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
Dele Alli‘s career drop-off will unfortunately go down in history. He was a generational talent, and that really is not overhyping him. His numbers are rarely seen from a midfielder/number ten, especially at such a young age, there is still time for him to rescue his career, he just has to want it.
Hopefully, for his own sake, he can take on board the advice that Pochettino gives him better than what Mourinho warned him about.
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