2020 DELE: NEWAND IMPROVED
Rejuvenated Alli buzzing again under Jose and ready to shine for England this summer
DELE ALLI went to the last World Cup as England’s biggest star.
Two years on he is back on course to spearhead Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 campaign.
It is a testament to hard work, unshakeable belief and brilliant man-management from Jose Mourinho, whose arrival at Spurs has coincided with a return to form for the 23-year-old midfielder.
The England star has changed his diet to ensure protein helps with muscle injuries, taken up yoga, and cut back on commercial ties.
Alli’s talent has never been in doubt, but the last 18 months have been a frustrating story of injuries and setbacks which saw him lose his place in Southgate’s squad.
A fully fit Alli gives England an extra dimension and is why Southgate seems certain to recall him for next month’s friendlies against Italy and Denmark.
Alli is always at his best as an attacking midfielder, almost playing as an auxiliary striker.
But Mourinho’s first move after arriving at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was to realise that getting the best out of Alli was the key to reviving the club’s season.
His joke comment – as to whether Alli was the real Dele or “Dele’s brother” – was a masterstroke that challenged the real Dele Alli to stand up. And he has done exactly that.
Mourinho embraces hardworking players, as he did at Chelsea with Frank Lampard,
Didier Drogba, John Terry and Petr Cech. He makes them feel special so they are ready to run through walls for him.
Egos do not sit easily with Mourinho and perhaps that is why things never worked out with Paul Pogba at Old Trafford, and no-one should doubt Alli’s commitment and work rate.
Alli clocked 13.5km in the
Spurs game with Liverpool last month and, in Premier League terms, that is off the scale. It was at least 2km more any other Spurs player ran that day.
His will to win is also key because he hates losing, flies into tackles and detests missing games – highlighted by his volunteering to play against Southampton on
If I have a bad game I know it. I’m not one of those people who tries to hide from it
Wednesday night despite nursing an ankle injury suffered against Manchester City three days earlier.
Alli’s introduction from the bench against Saints changed the game, as he played a part in the last two goals which put Spurs into the fifth round of the FA Cup.
His star quality does make him a target though, with Sky pundit Graeme Souness savaging him earlier this season, but the Tottenham star joked, “2020 Dele is new and improved”.
Alli added: “If I have a bad game then – and you can ask my friends – I will know. I’m not one of these people who tries to hide from it. “A lot of people will give you criticism. Bad news sells and a lot of people listen to the negative stuff.
“And you have to listen to the people who actually say it for the right reasons.
“I can do better. It’s about finding consistency, because I had a slow start to the season with injuries, but I’m picking up again now as it’s about steady growth.”
Southgate has a wealth of options to choose from, with James Maddison (left, top) and Jack Grealish (left, bottom) staking their claims.
Leicester’s Maddison is more a No.10 though, with Grealish often deployed for Aston Villa playing wide of a front three.
But with Alli back, the Spurs man is sure to be a central part of England’s Euro 2020 plans.