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Eric Dier has opened up on his regrets (Image: The Overlap)
Bayern Munich star Eric Dier has spoken out about how he wishes he ‘did more’ to help Dele Alli with his mental health struggles. The duo came through at Tottenham together and have remained in contact since their respective moves elsewhere.
Alli bared all in a hard-hitting interview with Manchester United legend Gary Neville last summer, with plenty of tears shed between the pair as the ex-England international opened up on the struggles he has faced throughout his career.
The midfielder spoke of how he was molested at six years old, sold drugs aged eight and had recently attended rehab whilst on loan at Besiktas to address his addiction to painkillers. Alli also revealed that he had considered hanging up his boots and calling it quits on his football career.
The interview sparked plenty of positive mental health conversations within the wider sporting sphere, though it did leave ex-Tottenham star Dier with regrets. The England international spent several years with Alli at Spurs but was shocked to learn about the upbringing of his friend.
Dele Alli opened up on his challenging childhood last year (Image: The Overlap)
Dier told The Overlap: “It’s difficult for me to talk about Dele. I speak to him all the time, every week, obviously, it was just very difficult to watch. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the whole video, I’ve seen bits of it but it’s difficult for me to watch, he said some nice things about me, but it works both ways – he’s also been a great friend to me.
“It annoys me a little because people after that interview would talk to me, but he’s been a great friend to me as well – Dele is a special person. I remember, I was getting married and knew that he was in America, in rehab, and I spoke to him a few times and said that there would be no problem if he couldn’t come and he was almost insulted, he came and was there for me – that’s the type of friend he’s been to me.
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Dele Alli and Eric Dier became friends at Tottenham (Image: Getty)
“I’m disappointed that I didn’t do more, in many situations that I look back on I wasn’t aware of the full picture and there’s a lot of things – I was that annoying older person, I would always be on his case so he would hide things from me, or tell me something but give just 20% of it – I have a lot of regrets and there were certain times that I wish I did more.”
Alli is hoping to return to Premier League action with Everton before the end of the season, though clauses in his loan deal from Tottenham could prove an issue as the Toffees are reluctant to cough up a bigger fee for the 27-year-old – which will be required if he makes 20 appearances for the club.