Eric Dier: 'Mauricio Pochettino gives youth a chance'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 18 November 2015

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier heaps praise on Mauricio Pochettino for giving young English players a chance in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier has praised manager Mauricio Pochettino for giving young English players a chance in the Premier League.

Spurs contributed five members of the England squad during the recent international break, with Dier and Dele Alli both being handed their full debuts during the 2-0 victory over France.

Dier played in a defensive midfield role for the Three Lions having switched to that position from defence at club level this season, and he believes that Pochettino deserves the credit for how successful that change has been.

"If you'd told me that in the summer that I would make my debut as a midfielder, I'd have thought you were crazy. I think the manager was probably the only one who believed it at the beginning of the year and hopefully I have proved a lot of people wrong," Dier is quoted as saying by PA.

"I am really pleased [Roy Hodgson] gave me a chance and hopefully I took it. That's what you've got to do when you get chances. Our club manager is giving young English players a chance and if you take it then I guess that's where you can end up. I think that's what all us young Spurs boys have been doing.

"I think maybe he just doesn't have the fear that other managers have in giving people a chance. I think if we then didn't take our chance, then we probably wouldn't be where we are now. He has no fear in giving you a chance, but then it is obviously up to the player to take it."

In addition to Dier and Alli, Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and Kyle Walker, all of whom are under 26 years old, featured in the last England squad.