THE OLDEN GENERATION
Dier will not play age card as his excuse if these young Lions fold
ERIC DIER has no time for the notion that Gareth Southgate’s England crop are a squad for the future.
Especially when the midfielder has challenged for the Premier League title with Tottenham, who boast the youngest squad in the top flight, for the last two seasons.
While some may want to use age as a ready-made excuse, Dier has introduced his steely club mentality, fostered under Mauricio Pochettino, to Southgate’s brave new world.
Last year Spurs defied expectations to finish ahead of both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool after running Leicester close.
They are on course to finish high again with only Chelsea ahead of them and the rest of the pack trailing Pochettino’s squad.
If it can happen at club level, Dier sees no reason why it can’t happen with Southgate’s reinvigorated England at next year’s World Cup.
Dier, 23, said: “Last season, maybe we proved the age thing not to be too much of a factor.
“There were teams that were a lot more experienced than us then – a lot more.
“We seemed to do OK and we are doing OK again this season. It’s more of an attitude, a mentality, than anything to do with age. I don’t want it to be an excuse.
“You can only use that card for so long and I am not planning on using it. I have never used age as an excuse.
“I don’t really care how old someone is, to be honest.
“If they are good enough they are old enough. That’s the saying and I believe in that.
“I think that coming from the club that I am at, that is the belief at the moment and I strongly share that.
“It’s a matter of experience, experience in games. You can be 21 and have played more games that someone who is 23 at a higher level.
“Someone like Raheem Sterling, for example, has probably played loads of games at a very high level, so he is extremely experienced. Age isn’t everything. We just have to work hard to try and improve and get where we want to.”
How refreshing to hear an England player relishing the challenge of fulfilling potential now, rather than in the distant future.
If Lithuania, England’s World Cup qualifying opponents at Wembley tomorrow, try to park the bus, Dier reckons he and his team-mates can move through the gears to shift them.
With the majority of the players drawn from the top clubs, the Three Lions are well-versed in breaking down teams set up to frustrate them.
“I think most of the players in this squad will be used to it in the Premier League and playing for England.” Dier said. “It is not an excuse for anyone.
“We are used to it and we know what we have to do to get past that.
“When teams set up like that it is more of a collective thing. It is a case of playing quickly, being decisive and also patient at the same time.”
Key to unpicking the lock at Wembley will be Dele Alli. The Spurs playmaker goes into the match dealing with the blow of being suspended for the first three Champions League games of next season should Spurs qualify.
It follows his red card for a horror foul on Gent’s Brecht Dejaegere. While fears have been expressed about Alli’s temperament, Dier laughed them off.
“How many 20-year-olds have made mistakes?” he said. “I am sure he will learn from it. I don’t want to see him lose that edge, I don’t think he should. That’s what makes him great.”