‘Play better’: 28-year-old shares what Tottenham boss Conte told him before World Cup recall

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Eric Dier has shared that Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte told him to ‘play better’ when he was trying to claw his way back into the England set-up.

Prior to Euro 2020, Dier was dropped by Gareth Southgate and he wasn’t part of the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2020.

That would have motivated the versatile defender to try and pick his game up again in order to reach the goal of making the final cut for Qatar.

Well, fast forward to the present and that’s exactly what has happened with the 28-year-old, who could be in line to start England’s opener against Iran on Monday.

Dier spoke about how he only focused on himself in order to get back to the top again and the simple words Conte shared with him, as he told his pre-match press conference. 

“Not being in the team for a while after the Euros was tough for me and I was extremely motivated to try and get back in,” said Dier. “To try and be here at the World Cup.

“That was an objective of mine. But at the same time, I was just really trying to focus on Tottenham and playing well for Tottenham. Trying to improve myself individually. I knew I could only control the things that are controllable to me. Being fit. Playing well. I try to control those as best I could. 

“Play well (to get back in). We complicate things sometimes and it’s that simple really. Just to play well. I remember my club manager, at the beginning of the season, said to me, because I hadn’t been in the squad in the summer, he said ‘you have to play better’. And that’s what I tried to do.”

DIER IN A BACK THREE

Southgate likes to play a back three, and if he does so during this tournament, then it increases Dier’s chances of earning minutes.

If it’s a flat back four, which could be the case against Iran, then it’s probably a space on the bench for the Spurs man.

One way or another, Southgate will play that three, but will he do it straightaway against Iran? Or wait until England face one of the big boys in the knockout stages?