Ryan Mason has suggested that Dele Alli has really impessed him in Tottenham Hotspur training since taking over from Jose Mourinho a couple of weeks ago.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy placed Mason in charge of the senior side on an interim basis following Mourinho’s sacking last month.
And a number of Spurs players have improved under the 29-year-old, with Eric Dier impressing in defence and Gareth Bale – someone who the Portuguese used sparingly – scoring a hat-trick last weekend.
Another player who has gotten a look-in under Mason has been Alli, who was unfavoured by Mourinho and almost left the club during the January transfer window.
But the Tottenham caretaker boss has told a press conference before Saturday’s clash with Leeds that the 25-year-old is doing his bit behind the scenes at Hotspur Way and it’s resulting in places in the first XI.
He said: “I can only take Dele from what I’ve seen in the last two weeks. I said last week Dele trained himself into the team last weekend and he did do that. Whatever has happened in the past has to remain in the past with Dele. Dele along with the rest of the group has shown me that he wants to work. Dele’s been excellent.”
Nobody doubts Alli’s ability as a footballer but consistency has been his major problem.
Interestingly, he was the one player who looked to improve immediately when Mourinho took over from Mauricio Pochettino in November of 2019.
But he wasn’t able to sustain it and in the end, the former MK Dons gem was the one who probably suffered most under Mourinho, in terms of not playing.
But he has earned a clean slate under Mason and the same will be true for whoever Levy hires on a longer-term basis.
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