Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has launched a robust defence of his training methods, insisting Eric Dier was wide of the mark when he claimed the Australian lacks tactical focus in preparing to face opposition.
Dier, 30, initially joined Bayern on loan in January in a deal to the end of the season, reuniting with former team-mate Harry Kane, before the Bundesliga club made the move permanent in March when he completed the required number of appearances mentioned in his contract.
Having won the Bundesliga 11 years in a row, Bayern were deposed as champions last weekend when Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen were crowned winners of the German domestic title.
Dier slipped down the pecking order at Tottenham
Despite that disappointment, Dier is enjoying his new life in Bavaria under former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel – and the versatile defender recently passed judgment on former manager Postecoglou’s coaching methods.
“Interestingly, he really doesn’t do any tactical work (in training),” Dier said, speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet.
“What he does is, every single training drill from Monday to Friday is drawn up to represent the way that he wants to play.
Dier has featured regularly since making his January move
“[Antonio] Conte, I could do it blind, but that was a lot of tactical work Monday to Friday, a lot of 10 versus zero, walkthroughs. You were so well drilled, it would be engrained in you.”
When the player’s comments were put to Postecoglou, the Spurs boss said: “It’s probably something you’d have to ask Eric, I don’t know what you mean by tactical work. Everything we do is geared on how we are going to play our football, so for me by extension is tactical work.
Dier played four times in the Premier League this season
“Whether that’s on us, or whether it’s on the opposition. In fact I would probably say we don’t do anything apart from tactical work.
“That’s all we do every day. If we’re working on our fitness, we’re still trying to play our football.
“But I haven’t seen the interview so I’m not sure what he’s referencing. If you’re talking about do we do training where we’re standing around and working on how we’re going to stop an opposition, how we’re going to break down, no we don’t do that.
“But I don’t think that’s the only kind of tactical work that exists. I think anyone who trains with us will tell you that all we do is train the way we play. Maybe that’s not tactical work, I don’t know!”
Ange: Kane didn’t leave Spurs just to win titles
Dier has since been reunited with Harry Kane at Bayern
Dier made just four Premier League appearances this season under Postecoglou before he was allowed to leave in January following a decade at the club.
During his time there, Tottenham were twice runners-up in the EFL Cup, while they also lost the Champions League final to Liverpool in 2019.
Under Mauricio Pochettino in 2015/16 and 2016/17, Dier was also part of a Spurs squad that was in the title race before falling away late in the campaign.
In pursuit of silverware, he has teamed up with Kane once more at Bayern but the pair could again miss out of a major trophy this term. Postecoglou believes in Kane’s case it is premature to view his move to Germany as a failure based on Leverkusen’s domestic title.
Postecoglou says Kane has started well in Germany
“No, I don’t think that’s fair,” added the Spurs boss when asked if Kane will be judged on trophies.
“I’m not going to speak for Harry, for God’s sake. But I don’t think that’s the only reason he left. I think he was pretty clear that he wanted a different experience and I think there’s nothing wrong with that.
“That’s been my whole career. He was at one club for a very long time. He was at a point where he either makes a decision to stay and become a one-club man, which is fair enough.
“Or he can experience something different as a footballer, maybe as a person. I don’t know. These are questions for him. But I don’t get this notion that he just moved just to win things.
“I don’t think if he had stayed here he didn’t think he was going to win things. I just think he wanted a different experience and he’s getting that.
“I’m sure at the end of his career, if that was his reasoning behind it, he’ll find that it does. It gives you a real broad experience about what football is about, what life is about.
“I don’t think that’s fair on him. Ultimately all these decisions you make about your personal career… I know every decision I’ve made in my career, it’s very hard for other people sometimes to understand because they’re not living my life. They’re not with my family or with the people around me to know why you come to these decisions.
“They’re very rarely around too many simplistic things. Most of the time there’s a whole range of factors that you put into it.”
Ad content | Stream Sky Sports on NOW
Stream Sky Sports live with no contract on a Month or Day membership on NOW. Instant access to live action from the Premier League, EFL, F1, England Cricket and so much more.
