‘No disrespect’: £72k-a-week Spurs ace says they should be playing ‘above’ their current level

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Eric Dier believes that Tottenham should be playing above their current level, particularly in Europe.

Speaking to the Mirror, the Spurs defender claimed that the north London side should be aiming higher in both the Premier League and Europe. Tottenham currently sit eighth in the league standings.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are also competing in the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League. The tournament aims to improve the quality and reputation of teams from smaller nations across Europe.

Spurs are the only English side competing in the newly-formed European competition after pipping Arsenal to eighth place in the Premier League last season. Yet according to Dier, Tottenham should be aiming higher than Europa Conference League football.

After all, Spurs were in the UEFA Champions League final in 2019 and have competed in Europe’s elite competition on multiple occasions over the past few years. And for Dier, this fall from grace is not acceptable.

The £72k-a-week star said: “We need to be challenging for European football. There has to be European football in this stadium.

“With no disrespect to the [Europa] Conference League, we need to be playing above that. That’s what we should be striving towards.”

Dier should view UECL as a big opportunity for Tottenham

Indeed, it is a damming comment on the current state of Tottenham. Yet whilst the Europa Conference League can be viewed as a great opportunity for Spurs to both guarantee European football for next season and develop players in need of first-team football.

Nuno’s side are easily one of the favourites to win the entire competition.

And with some promising talents at the club such as Dane Scarlett and Alfie Devine, the Europa Conference League should be used as a platform to give youngsters regular senior football and a pathway to playing in Europe next year.