Dier: Up to the individual to deal their own cards
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ERIC DIER has revealed the Tottenham squad are addicted to playing the card game Uno together. But the England star admitted “every player has to look after themselves” when they make decisions about their own future deals.
The Spurs midfielder was courted by Jose Mourinho after Euro 2016 and Mauricio Pochettino claimed in his book his form dropped because he was “destabilised” last season. Now after Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld is the latest Spurs player linked with a move away.
Dier, 24, is part of a generation of young guns to come shooting through the ranks along with Kane, Dele Alli and Danny Rose.
“We get on very well on the field and off the field — I think there is fantastic chemistry,” said the Sporting Lisbon graduate. “There are great friendships and everyone likes each other which is a good thing.
“Uno is the game at the moment. It is addictive and now we are playing Uno more than anything else. Everyone is involved.”
Tottenham return home to a new 61,559-seat stadium at White Hart lane next season yet Dier said there had been no discussion of sticking together till then.
“We don’t really talk about that between ourselves,” he said. “I can’t speak for anyone else — it would be wrong of me if I see one thing one way that I expect everyone else to as well. Every player is different and every player has to look after themselves at the end of the day so I can’t say what each person wants, Toby or anyone else.
“All I can do is speak for myself and I think there is a fantastic group here, fantastic manager, fantastic set-up, fantastic project with the new stadium, so it is obviously a very exciting time for the club. So I think everyone is looking forward to that.”
Pochettino’s book “Brave New World” revealed the Argentine’s displeasure at Dier publically speaking to Mourinho after an Old Trafford defeat in December 2016. The Spurs manager (below), who said Dier was unhappy with the signing of midfielder Victor Wanyama, also wrote he needed a four-hour, heartto-heart with Dier to get him back on track. “That whole period is long gone,” Dier insisted. “It was water under the bridge when the book came out because the book came out 12 months after it had happened. It got highlighted again but it was long gone.”
With Tottenham unbeaten in 14 matches, Dier today faces Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson who gave him his England debut in 2015. The Tottenham star captained his country twice in November and wants to repeat the experience.
“I would be stupid to say I didn’t want to be,” he said. “I think everyone would put their hand up for it. It is a case of who the manager Gareth Southgate wants to be his captain, if he does want one — I have no idea if he does want a permanent captain or to keep rotating it as he has. It is definitely something I’d like to get the chance to do again.”