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It was tough on me and my career when he left Spurs — Dele Alli
Could Dele Alli reunite with Pochettino again at Chelsea? The recent Overlap interview between Dele Alli and Gary Neville could prove a catalyst.
In a recent emotional interview on Gary Neville’s ‘The Overlap’, Dele Alli, the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder, candidly discussed his personal struggles and offered insights into the managers he has worked with throughout his career.
Dele Alli revealed his addiction to sleeping pills and his subsequent six-week stint in rehab following a challenging period in Turkey.
During the interview, the 27-year-old expressed his frustration with managers who followed Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham, while hailing the Argentine as the best manager he has ever had.
Alli shared his admiration for Pochettino and the close bond they developed, emphasizing that the relationship extended beyond the typical player-manager dynamic. He credited Pochettino and his coaching staff, including Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, and Tony Jimenez, for their understanding and support during his time at Spurs.
“Mauricio Pochettino was the best manager, and I couldn’t have asked for a better manager at the time,” Alli revealed to Neville.
“It was him and his team, you know, not just him. There was Jesus, Miguel, and Tony. They are amazing people, and they’re so understanding. It wasn’t like a footballer and a manager relationship. It was deeper than that, I felt.”
Alli further acknowledged the significant impact Pochettino had on his career, making it challenging for him when the manager eventually departed from Tottenham.
However, the midfielder expressed his disappointment with subsequent managers who took charge at the club. Alli admitted that he struggled to develop a similar level of trust and openness with these managers, describing the conversations as feeling “fake.”
“It’s hard to explain. It’s something like it was more, it was probably more me and in my own head and my own ego,” Alli reflected.
“You know, I weren’t open to let anyone in, and I didn’t feel like any of them wanted to really know me on a personal level, which is then tough for me to fully commit and give my everything for them, which obviously had a negative impact on me in the long run.”
Following his departure from Tottenham, Alli joined Everton after a loan spell at Besiktas. However, he has struggled to replicate his previous form under Pochettino, which has led to concerns about his ability to fulfill his immense potential.
In an intriguing development, Pochettino, now the manager of Chelsea, intends to reach out to Dele Alli in an effort to “help” revive his career.
It remains to be seen how their potential reunion may impact Alli’s trajectory and whether Pochettino’s guidance can reignite the midfielder’s potential and rejuvenate his performances on the pitch.
