Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson has said that Mauricio Pochettino “harmed” Eric Dier by limiting his game time, in an interview with Football Insider.
What did he say?
Dier struggled for game time under Pochettino towards the end of the Argentine’s spell at Spurs, managing just 20 Premier League appearances last season.
However, he has become a key part of new boss Jose Mourinho’s plans and is set to be offered a new contract that will keep him at the club beyond 2021.
Asked why Dier has been struggling for game time in recent years, Robinson said the England man had been harmed by Pochettino.
“He had a lack of game time under Pochettino and that has harmed his season,” Robinson told Football Insider.
“Also if anyone was going to get moved about it was Eric Dier due to his versatility but maybe that works to his detriment.
“As he gets older I see him more as a centre-half. I think Dier is best deployed in a back-three.
“There was a time under Pochettino where you thought he was going to be leaving because he was not even in the squad. I hope he can get back to that and kick on after the new contract.”
Quick turnaround
There has been a quick turnaround in fortunes for Dier, who is now back in favour and looks set to earn a new deal.
The England international is versatile and has proven himself as a quality player when given the trust of his manager, and this appears to be what he has with Mourinho.
With Spurs now willing to offer him a new deal it shows how much he is valued and perhaps the fact that Pochettino was willing to phase him out shows why his time at Spurs came to an end.