There are too many strands in Dele Alli’s interview to pull at in one go: the tabloid intrusion that forced the timing ahead of his intended schedule; the worrying warning on the prevalence of sleeping tablet addiction amongst footballers; the trauma of his childhood, including sexual abuse; the wonder of his adopted family, who seem to be the best of us; the spotlight’s glare on a young player and the suffocation it can provoke.
But then the point of this interview, and our reaction to it, should not be to pull at all. Dele did not do this to start a discussion about any of these topics, per se. This was simply his explanation, a brutally courageous 45 minutes in which he detailed his self-learning gained through rehabilitation and the moments in his life that caused everything else that followed. His only aim, other than to aid his own recovery, is to help others. For that, he is stronger than he will ever know.
Let this be a reminder to us all on the outside of the club experience: media and supporters. We must be better at understanding what players might be going through in their personal lives.
It is not easy; privacy is understandably craved. But these are not performing circus animals caged up and then released for our entertainment. They are not robots. They are handsomely paid, of course, but if you are using that as your weapon of choice you’ve got it all wrong. Wealth is no foolproof comfort blanket against mental health issues. And when your life is played out in the public eye and you lack the tools to process it, it can exacerbate them.
Dele’s experience also lays bare the unique role that managers have as the direct line managers of their players.
In the interview, he discusses the need for stability as a support mechanism and how Mauricio Pochettino became a mentor and guide for him on and off the pitch. The importance of those appointed to coach footballers, and the responsibility they hold beyond that remit, cannot be overstated.
Dele speaks of Pochettino learning about Dele as a person before the footballer, and the gratitude is immediately evident. On the flipside, this must be the end of the one-dimensional sergeant major manager. Their players deserve better.
One widespread reaction to Dele’s interview is to declare hope that he gets back to his best as a footballer again. It is a well-meaning thought, no doubt. But it also misses the point.
What matters now is not Dele’s form or future at Everton, any potential transfer rumours nor whether he best fits into a midfield three or four. It is that he can continue his recovery and find peace. He will be a person for far longer than he is a footballer. Thriving at the latter is meaningless compared to surviving as the former.
The hope is that, in time, Dele is able to look back and appreciate the magnitude of his achievement. Which includes football, for sure: the rise through academies to the Premier League, the majesty under Pochettino, breaking into the England team.
But more than that is what came before. We underestimate just how hard it is to reach even the status of a mid-ranking footballer, let alone one who scores for their country in a World Cup quarter-final and even without any extra baggage. For Dele to have managed that despite no stability in his life until the age of 12 is frankly a miraculous display of personal strength through adversity.
The only way to react here is with love, patience and support. Most of us cannot know what Dele has been through, years ago and still now. We should consider ourselves fortunate as a result. Where empathy is impossible, sympathy should be doubled.
If being a football supporter outside the prism of our club and national loyalty is to mean anything at all, it is in supporting those who were celebrated on the pitch when they open up to us at a time of need.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/nAcyiwG
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