For far too long now Dele Alli has been looking like a forlorn figure off the pitch and not anywhere close to his best on it, but the reasons for the same are now a matter of public record after the player’s interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap.
The current Everton and former Tottenham star took the brave decision to sit down with Neville, one of his former England coaches, and open up on some childhood trauma which had authored the destructive life he has been living over the past few years.
Admitting to being molested by one of his alcoholic mum’s friends, dealing drugs at eight years of age and more, it was an insight into Alli’s life which has totally changed the narrative around him.
Football supporters can be a cruel bunch at the best of times, and one can only hope that they don’t pounce on the player’s revelations to try and destroy him further.
It’s time to get off his case.
What Dele Alli’s openness has shown is the human side of the game once again. The side that’s always there but that most turn a blind eye to including the media.
With the monkey off his back now, he can work towards getting back to full fitness, and if he can hit anywhere near the heights of a few years ago, Everton will have some player on their hands.