GLENN HODDLE has told Dele Alli that quitting Tottenham would be a “cop out”.
Dele’s future at the club is in doubt because of his struggle for form and the arrival of Gareth Bale.
Dele Alli might not be as suited to counter-attacking play as Gareth Bale and needs to focus more on keeping the ballCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Defender Sergio Reguilon has joined Spurs old boy Gareth Bale in arriving from Real MadridCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Spurs legend Hoddle admits Jose Mourinho’s counter-attacking style does not suit Dele but insisted leaving is not the answer.
Hoddle, 62, said: “That is the easy way out. That’s a cop out. He and Jose have to talk about it and he needs to adjust his game.
“The manager picks the teams and the way you are going to play. You have to adjust to that.
“I think he is capable of that but don’t down tools, pick up your tools and add to them.
“Become a better player in a different way. I think that’s what he will do.”
Dele was one of the first names on the team sheet under former boss Mauricio Pochettino.
But after initially impressing Mourinho, he has fallen out of favour and was struggling for game time even before the signing of Bale.
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Hoddle said: “The way Spurs are looking to play doesn’t quite suit him.
“If you are going to counter, you are going to be deep in the pitch and you break from there.
“When Poch had the team, it was more a team that had possession, pressed high up and got crosses in and possession in wide areas, so he could time his runs.
“When you are playing on the counter, you haven’t got a chance to time it, you have to go from a deep position.
“He is going to have to adjust his game quite a bit. He has got to retain the ball better.
We forget how young he still is. This is a tough spell he’s in, he’s just got to dig deep.
Glenn Hoddle on Dele Alli
“I think he loses his confidence when he loses the ball.
“You have got to keep it simple but he has got to tell himself ‘I am a goal machine’, get in the box and score.”
Hoddle believes it is far too early to write off Dele, who is still only 24.
He added: “We forget how young he still is.
“This is a tough spell he’s going through, he’s just got to dig deep.
Glen Hoddle believes Gareth Bale could transform Spurs but still hopes Dele Alli does not leaveCredit: Rex Features
“I hope he comes through it and comes out of it a better player.”
Hoddle reckons Bale is ideally suited to Mourinho’s tactics and could be the X factor that brings a long-awaited trophy to Tottenham.
Former playmaker Hodd said: “Jose is getting a great player, if he can keep him fit.
“And I think he wants to counter, to bank up and defend quite deep and counter teams.
“There’s no better player than Bale in the side to do that.
“Hopefully, if we get enough football out of him and keep his body right, it will turn into silverware as well.”
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Gareth Bale vows to end Tottenham’s trophy drought after returning from Spain with ‘winning mentality’-
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
