He was never ''destined for greatness.'' He was never any better than Erik Lamela was. Scored a couple worldies in his youth and being young & English helped him be branded as having ''all the potential in the world,'' but it was just hype. The Dele Alli we are seeing right now IS the real Dele Alli. Always has been. He just had a freakish streak of form when he was young, which can happen to anyone, at any time, for any period of time. It's sort of like when Michu scored those 25 goals or something in the Premier League and then went back to being mediocre for the rest of his career. The difference with Dele is it happened for him when he was 19, so people assumed it was a sign of things to come, but it was just an illusion people believed more than they should.
Don't feel sorryfor him since he decided to be more like his dusty father than his mother. You have all that privelege and don't make the most of it .All you care about is posing in front the camera with these gold digging women who don't care if you win,lose or draw.
The quality of your videos doesn’t drop…excellent production value and really good football observations! Hope your channel really blows up! It deserves to 👍
Even Muller himself has said that a player of his type needs a world class environment (read: teammates) to thrive. The assessment that the conditions at Tottenham were ideal for Alli until they started to unravel during their way to the UCL final is probably the right idea.
After seeing a comparison with muller I think making a new video about Muller's career would also be a nice idea.. not that flashy not a prodigy but still a great player
Muller is in fact a football prodigy. Not flashy but his football IQ is far beyond most footballers which makes him a prodigy and with all he has won. The guy is a passing and space interpretation master. You make him seem like a normie when he is far from that.
Unlike many football talents who don't reach anywhere near their peak (read Freddy Adu or Zakaria Bakkali), Dele actually reached close to his peak. It's just that he didn't stay there much longer.
The manager who brought him through at MK Dons, Karl Robinson, when asked how good Dele could be back when he first broke through, said he could be as good as he wants to be. I think he also suffers from not having a best position. At MK, even at the age of 16 or 17, he was good enough to play almost anywhere and be better than his opponents. That Man Utd match he was played as a defensive midfielder, and he could mix it up and be nasty and niggly as the best of them. He’s incredibly instinctive, and I’m not sure that fits well into modern British football. It saddens me, but maybe Dele has done what he wanted to do. Maybe he just doesn’t have the drive anymore.
@@ayanbhattacharjee1076 idk man, cant really blame anyone for losing their passion, it just happens, sucks for football fans sure but if he finds that his real passion outside of football, well, i wish him luck for whatever he'll do after he's done from playing football lol.
I expected him to be a superstar in the upcoming years back in 2015, but what a downfall from such a talented prospect. TAA must take notes about this issue, too.
TAA has been on the upper hands of world class for nearly 4 years now and he's still only young. Bit different. Also a tad unfair, the whole team has been performing below par. Defensively VVD hasn't been out, robbo looks shattered and gomez has been alright til the napoli game. If you take his defensive stats (because there's no point offensive we all know he's class there) last year, he was one of the best defenders last season. He was very good against ajax, he won nearly every 1v1.
Nah taa is good, it's was never his duty too play def anyway, hendo have to cover for him, that was liverpool system in their ucl and epl winning years
This episode is a perfect example of why I love your videos, you are not some random dude trashing a footballer for no good reason, you do a proper investigation into the complex circumstances that can cause the issues and you never forget that these guys are human with very real and valid issues of their own. You do a great job every time. Thanks!
From tactical POV, he's very, very good in a very specific way (that's okay, many players are) and he's hardly been used that way since Poch. Once Poch left, different managers tried to use him in different ways and it just didn't work out. Also feel like him getting robbed and beaten by masked knife-wielding thieves affected him a lot mentally.
I also think because he was first team so early when he wanted to live his teen life he just got caught up in the sauce. His tik Tok era reminds me of Lingard
Not only just potch but the players also. At the time the likes of eriksen dembele, vertonghen, alderwilde, rose, walker, wanyama tripper were either gone or diminished and weren't replaced. Poor midfield and defensive system that was set up to counter attack. Dele had to adapt to new role to create with a lack of support behind him. He was set up to fail.
Subscribed about a week ago and almost 75% done with your videos bro. Your thorough research, humor & all round video quality is a breath of fresh air. You’re genuinely helping me get through a tough academic semester 😂
Thats why Muller is one of the all time German-Greats. He adapted his game so well to have played in many different generations. Golden boot 2010 to now, he always shines. He has been a starter of BAYERN MUNICH for 12 years now. He is definitely a strong contender for the 3rd best player of our generation.
I will always feel bad for Tottenham after their 16/17 season. That team had the world at their feet, they only lacked quality back-up options. But unfortunately the higher ups barely invested in the team (instead building their stadium) during the following 2 years. The consequence being Spurs’ golden generation didn’t get the success they might’ve deserved
@@peterking5537 Thank you! Even as a neutral I was frustrated for them. On one hand their stadium is state-of-the-art and is a worthy long term investment, but on the other it’s tragically sad that it came at the cost of the team’s success
@@silvesta5027 allthough I, as a spurs fan, wanted Levi to invest in the team and go for the juggular of those teams that were above us at the time, with such a good team and manager, only lacking in depth and maybe one quality signing. I can still see the logic of securing the foundations of the club going forwards. Levi built a stadium and put Spurs in a position financially to be able to try to compete with financially doped clubs, such as Chelsea and City and commercial giants such as Man utd and Liverpool
@@madMARTYNmarsh1981 no problem Martin, you can be an arse all you want. Still, obviously I was talking about Levi Strauss IV, the heir and current Ceo of Levi's Jeans company, one of the biggest shareholders in Spurs for the last 20 years
He is the most naturally talented player to come out of England in this generation, he just didn't seem like he himself wanted to be a great player for some reason, it's quite clear from that talk with jose
@@ammarharith5512 Foden is by far more talented. Plus way more successful. there's a reason he's the only academy player who gets consistent minutes at one of the best teams in the world
Great video and wonderfully broken down. I'm a Spurs fan who needed somebody to put into words what seems to have become a footballing tragedy. One ray of light that you touched on for Dele is the fact that he is still only 26. It's really up to him. Anyway I wish him the best of luck for what lays ahead in the future. He was brilliant for us for too short a time.
Unfortunately I think that releasing that media bite to the public really got him out of the game and created a negative image for him which he's never recovered from. Shame that.
Jose hang Dele out to dry. Used Dele to get some footage. Dele started well when Jose took over then Jose went full defending with just Kane and Son up top. There was no room for Dele. the last few seasons under Poch Dele was playing a deeper role. As Spurs no longer had midfielders who could break the line for Dele to then have space. So Dele dropped deeper to get on the ball more. His new style of play was not about getting goals it was now about starting play form deep. Fans and the media never gave him a chance in his new role.
Quite simply he fell into alot of injuries, a change of manager which brought a change of systems which he didn't fit into & he fell into a depression which affected his drive/ambition which is exactly what is required to continue at a high level
Love @Football Iconic. You're easily my favourite footie content creator because you'll spotlight players with stats and the pertinent cultural background surrounding them, *yet* remind us that they're *human* and maintain respect for their lives and circumstances outside of football. Very respectful and an excellent way of conveying their story. Mad props.❤️
Bruv when I was 13 back in 2016 Dele Ali was my fav player. He was a baller... that goal against Palace the megs he used to pull and strangely he just fell out of grace. Just shows how intense the mindset of footballers are.
Not everybody can be excellent in life. He's earnt enough money for 10 lifetimes and obviously isn't too worried about winning trophies or playing at world cups etc. And that's ok to be honest. He's in the sunshine having a kickabout and doing some gym work leading a great life.
Well said. He's already achieved the dream most of us mere mortals only imagine. If he retired today at 26 he has still made his mark and will be remembered.
havent watch your videos for quite sometimes and I'm just surprised how the channel is growing! Been subscribing since ages ago and I'm happy for you mate 👌
I player at Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United as a kid. Before that I was Captain of my school, club, inter league and County teams. At 16, before signing apprenticeship forms I had a mental breakdown, suffering horrifically with ocd, agoraphobia, severe anxiety and then ultimately deep depression. I literally thought I was going insane. I walked out of United and never played football again. Man City, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Bury, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd, and a few other teams wrote to my parents, asking me to sign for them. I couldn't, but no one knew why. My mum and dad were lost for words and didn't know what the hell was going on. It was over 30 years ago and mental health wasn't talked about back then, so I stayed silent, pretending I had a shoulder issue, which I'd previously dislocated playing in Germany. I've watched team mates I played with as a kid go on to great things, but mental health issues prevented me from achieving my childhood dreams. It's happened to many before me, and many after me, and I think Deli Ali is one of those poor souls. Sometimes it slowly creeps up on you. I started counting my steps, then everything had to be in 3s, then I'd line things up and square things off, then i'd have to re-touch everything I'd touched with a left hand. It kept metastasizing until it had taken over every second of my day and every aspect of my life. One minute I'm training at the cliff for Utd, the next I've gone days, then weeks with no sleep, obsessing all night, exhausted and unable to focus or train to full capacity, constantly getting niggling injuries, because my muscles wouldn't recover without sleep. My last 6 months at Utd I was training on mars bars and lucozade alone, my energy was so depleted through lack of sleep. I went on to suffer for over 20 years, before seeking help (CBT therapy) to break the shackles that had weighed me down my entire adult life. It was hard, it took 18 months, but eventually I rid myself of the worse OCD my therapist had ever seen. I only hope Deli gets the help he needs because otherwise he'll look back, like I do a think, "if only".
I think he's a "UNIQUE" player in Couthinho mode, watched some videos on how he was used, he very much played as a second striker often arriving late in a box in Frank Lampart mode but with Son becoming more prominent and taking larger part in teams attack, those opportunities have dried up as he's played closer and closer to the goal. And while he's played as second striker or a number 10, he was much more Jessie Lingard at United while playing under Mourhinho, aka runner and presser than creative force like Kaka or Wesley Sneijder. He's made good money at very young age, so it's possible he's not as hungry as he used to be, family coming out of the woodwork for handouts, bad combination of the 2. I personally thought Tottenham should have adapted Liverpool shape when they almost won the league with Suarez, where Suarez and Sturridge were forwards and Sterling acted as a trailing player buzzing around, Spurs have the attackers in Kane and Son, I thought Dele would do well in Sterling role. There seriously should be a limit of getting 1 young player of the year award per player.
I felt like that Eriksen point was the best and honestly the main reason in my mind (above his laziness). Alli never felt like a midfielder or a striker, he felt more like a #10 with the technical qualities of a midfielder, but still not a pure midfielder like you said. To me it seemed that during his downfall he was constantly being asked to play that Eriksen role when that's not the type of player he is.
First time viewing your channel. I love how well you present. Super comfortable, chill vibe! I enjoyed watching this, as I was unaware about Deli! I’m in Australia, so don’t get to watch this Cheers, you have my support. Bless you. Just thought I’d let you know that you’re doing great! Plenty of phrase and a new sub!
I am convinced Pochetino's sacking and Mourinho's harsh treatment coming right after multiple injury layoffs is what did him... If he was still at Spurs with Conte coming in we would have seen a rebirth.
👑 Florished with Moussa Dembele in midfield who was then replaced by 6 season of a horror show that is Harry Winks.... You should do Harry 'Nissan Micra' Winks
Liverpool passed on him before he went to Spurs and there were a few people, LFC supporters and others, who thought it was inconceivable that anyone would pass on such a gifted player. I have to admit, as a Liverpool supporter with memories of how the club had passed up Damien Duff, that it was sadly familiar, but omg have they been justified in the long term.
I'm a gooner, but i appreciate a good footballer. Him and Harry Kane was a joy to watch. It's a shame what happened with Alli. Genuinely could have been a great if he knuckled down but he didn't have that mindset.
This is a pretty good synopsis of his career in general. Dele is one of my favorite players and its hurts to see his career where it is right now. To add to this I think all of the three are part of the reason but the biggest is the decline of Tottenham as a whole and bringing in managers with defensive systems is what done him in more than anythimg. He had to adapt to a new role which he wasnt really a fit for to begin with, on a team that was faltering defensively, and in the midfield all while playing super cautious brand of football. I think he really got frustrated and disillusioned with Mourinhos tactics/the team and mentally checked out. Also Tottenham till this day hasn't replaced the rose, walker/ tripper duo. Those guys provided the crosses and width that allowed dele to operate.
Thank you for the video, it gave me a new perspective on Deles decline, I for myself thought until now, that it was only on himself, that he didn't reached what he could have reached until now, but after seeing your video I realized, that there are plenty of also actually plausible reasons, why he didn't.
I just found your channel and I'm loving all of your content. Your work is exactly what I've been looking for. Can't wait for more great videos! I'm happily subscribed ☺️
11:12 Wonderful foresight Tinashe. At least you were sympathetic to Dele even before The Overlap interview - testament to your character and love your content as always!
I'l never forget his goal at Stamford bridge, dele alli was world class. I'm absolutely gutted at what's happened to him and in all honesty it baffles me, christ knows where and why it's gone so wrong for him.
yea, I think you nailed it really, personal life aside, I think Erikson complemented him so well and without him you couldnt carry on in that way and couldnt adapt. Ultimately, maybe he is only as good as the players around him
Great video. It’s a mystery that won’t be completely solved unless he writes a tell all book after he’s done playing. I think you probably hit on a few of the reasons. Like you said we don’t know about personal life or mental state which could also be factors. He’s lost that edge he used to have and confidence. Hopefully he’ll consider seeing a sports psychologist while he’s in Turkey to go over what’s gone wrong in England while he away and out of the spotlight. Maybe that can help. He’s still young, so I hope he can overcome and do well with Besiktas. Who knows, maybe help them win their league. Thanks for the video. 🙏🏽
Would have loved to have seen which Manager was at mkdons who got so much out of him and how poch used him with such unique talented and fit him into the team
Excellent article. Once valued at £90 million and now hardly worth the £5 million Spurs paid for him. Watching him regularly as a Spurs fan you could see the desire drain out of him. I'd say his mental attitude was the biggest factor in his decline.
Dele Alli got a good football brain and with that he could thrive anywhere on the pitch, I would compare him to Wayne Rooney or James Milner. Wherever you put them they just adapt to that role, I have seen Dele thrive playing different positions, he played as a striker with son when Harry Kane was injured and even played as a Box to Box MF/DMF when Tottenham were light in midfield and Eriksen was unavailable. Playing as a striker is one thing since he plays attack, but seeing the way he played in that midfield had me confused where his best position was. That Football brain doesn't just disappear, he is dealing with mental issues. With his talent Dele could play till his 40's at the highest level but we will never know now.
I think his issue was his early drive and motivation, that hunger just kinda faded when money came. What people don't realise is for many youngsters, football is a way out of poverty, Deli grew up poor and football was his way out, he became a millionaire before 30 and if he decided yo be careful with what he made then, he'd never have to work a day in his life. Why does he need to be driven and motivated for? If his goal isn't eternal glory, i mean we don't know what peoples end goals actually are. But ultimately, thats up to the person, for all we know, Deli did EXACTLY what he wanted.
You clearly explained in the beginning an absent father and an alcoholic mother that’s a lot of deep stuff and trauma . I think he eventually made the decision to make the bag 💼 and it’s totally alright given his beginnings but as football fans man if he had good coaching or a father figure like jose or sir Alex my god he could have been what Bellingham will be .
His position and style of play are treaky, his closer to Muller, Donny and Lampard, he needs more technically gifted players around him to Shine which makes it difficult for a player like him.
The thing is you can have all the ability you want if you've not the brains or mentality to marry that combination, Dele Ali is the walking example of the second while thinking the first will be enough to wing it
As a Spurs fan, it really upsets me what happened to Dele. But I think this video slightly misses that actually Dele had started his decline during the season Spurs got to the Champions League final. Dele only scored five that year in the league, and as a season ticket holder it was fairly obvious to me something was wrong with him. He wasn't making the runs, he was running into people and losing the ball, and this got worse and worse as time went on. He looked distracted, and lost. Felt like his natural ability seemingly vacated him. Dele was always a slightly frustrating player, he'd often lose possession, but he'd also do something absolutely ridiculous every single game, and you'd probably score from it.
As a TH fan, I really loved Dele. At his best, he would run into space and or pull defenders out of position for his teammates. Later, his motor seems to have slowed, he no longer found those pockets and it looked like a lack of will because he was too young to have slowed physically. I do hope he regains his form. Thanks for the video.
And to think he was getting compared to Lampard after one okay season. Makes you realize how elite Lampard was, mentally, physically and attitude wise.
I think jose caused his carrer downfall he was already self concious and had confidence issues Jose made him doubt himself even more he was just a kid when jose told him that if poch was still here he would be one of the best english midfielder. Trent has to take notes I think he is in that trajectory.
What I find strange is that what is being described as an extraordinarily hard upbringing for a modern football player, is no more than the normal experience of today's youth and that of many footballers of the past. That would be back when football was a working man's game.
Obviously I dont know the guy, but towards the end of his time at spurs it seemed like he enjoyed being a footballer more than he actually enjoyed playing football. At the highest level, its Mentality > Skill...Simple as
Even now it saddens me to see what has happened to his football skills. Worse is the fact that many speculate what has caused it without Dele himself declaring what is behind his downfall. Has he simply fallen out of love with the game and is it another example of too much heaped upon him at an early age with unrealistic expectations for the future? Whatever it is we should wish Dele well for the future in or out of football, and just remember first and foremost he is a human being and a footballer second.
Lets look at the present. Besiktas have played five league games so far this season. Won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1. They are 4th in the table but have yet to play any of the teams above them. Dele arrived after their season started so was only available for the last 3 games. He scored on his debut and his team won but he picked up a thigh strain and went off early. He has missed the last 2 games which they have lost and drawn respectively. His team are not involved in Europe. Early days I would say. Lack of game time might explain his early muscle strain but that has it's roots in his performances. I think I'll revisit the stats in a few months.
This story is the classic psychological case of ppl living to see others fall cause it makes them feel better about themselves! That’s the biggest reason any Deli Ali video will get a bunch of views & comments
The sad thing about life is, once you lose that spark that differentiates you as a individual, it becomes a haze in the storm that is life. Digging deep and finding it is something that is incredibly hard and no doubt sacrifices good and bad, but hopefully more of the former. It becomes of a life’s quest on its own and that would be how to build yourself up again. It’s a complete change to the personality of a person. It requires specialist help. I once despise Dele because of the way he celebrates and being a rival fan. Through learning the difficult upbringing he had and how he went from best young premier league player of the year x2, to this, I’m sadden. It provides another example of how sport stars are human beings inside and they too, are fallible. Reminds me of Balotelli. Once an amazing player and had the world on his feet, but lost his way. It’s unfortunate, but life is just as cruel as it is beautiful.
I wholeheartedly agree with this comment. Dele seems to have lost something he once had and it doesnt help that hes just getting bashed and bashed by the media and also the way jose didnt try to bring him for specialist help was sad. Thats why what's happening to sancho is hopeful because at least ten hag cares enough to direct his player to great form rather than leaving him to rot. I hope dele rebuilds himself again or at least makes it so that his name doesn't get desecrated again by a lot of these people
Shocking treatment of a human being (mental illness) I went from a talented engineer to a Mill worker to asbestos stripper to van driver Understand completely
I have to confess 👀 The Kane, Son, Eriksen and Alli partnership kinda scared me. Yes they were really good! Yup I just said something nice about them. In the words of Tinashe "Why has he done that?" 😭
So a long spell injuries is enough reason for Dele’s decline. This is not a video game - once someone is injured in a series of related areas repeatedly they don’t just heal back up to 100%. There will be compromised performance to some extend and sometimes this can greatly effect the pace and endurance as these muscles / joints / tendons seem to not work as efficiently. As in more energy is spend compensating for that which means you have less reserve to run about. It’s not just attitude
![[DRIP] ‘BILLIONAIRE’ PREVIEW](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m0eXQD0gIeE/mqdefault.jpg)
Once destined for greatness, now unwanted by many, when he should be in his prime. Breaks my heart.
Why be sad? He did that to himself. He likes fame more than football.
@@asant90 True but it's sad because of how entertaining he was to watch
@@asant90 thats still sad
He was never ''destined for greatness.'' He was never any better than Erik Lamela was. Scored a couple worldies in his youth and being young & English helped him be branded as having ''all the potential in the world,'' but it was just hype. The Dele Alli we are seeing right now IS the real Dele Alli. Always has been. He just had a freakish streak of form when he was young, which can happen to anyone, at any time, for any period of time. It's sort of like when Michu scored those 25 goals or something in the Premier League and then went back to being mediocre for the rest of his career. The difference with Dele is it happened for him when he was 19, so people assumed it was a sign of things to come, but it was just an illusion people believed more than they should.
Don't feel sorryfor him since he decided to be more like his dusty father than his mother. You have all that privelege and don't make the most of it .All you care about is posing in front the camera with these gold digging women who don't care if you win,lose or draw.
Man, seeing what he had to go through in his recent interview breaks my heart. He says in his best mental space now, so I hope he makes a comeback.
The quality of your videos doesn’t drop…excellent production value and really good football observations! Hope your channel really blows up! It deserves to 👍
Even Muller himself has said that a player of his type needs a world class environment (read: teammates) to thrive. The assessment that the conditions at Tottenham were ideal for Alli until they started to unravel during their way to the UCL final is probably the right idea.
After seeing a comparison with muller I think making a new video about Muller's career would also be a nice idea.. not that flashy not a prodigy but still a great player
Muller is in fact a football prodigy. Not flashy but his football IQ is far beyond most footballers which makes him a prodigy and with all he has won. The guy is a passing and space interpretation master. You make him seem like a normie when he is far from that.
Bro he is a legend
probably the most underrated player of the last decade
Idk y u don’t think he’s prodigy he’s been starting Germany for four world cups bruh😂 4😭
Overrated
Unlike many football talents who don't reach anywhere near their peak (read Freddy Adu or Zakaria Bakkali), Dele actually reached close to his peak. It's just that he didn't stay there much longer.
Freddy Adu is the future of US soccer 😉
@@sargonsblackgrandfather2072 was
The manager who brought him through at MK Dons, Karl Robinson, when asked how good Dele could be back when he first broke through, said he could be as good as he wants to be. I think he also suffers from not having a best position. At MK, even at the age of 16 or 17, he was good enough to play almost anywhere and be better than his opponents. That Man Utd match he was played as a defensive midfielder, and he could mix it up and be nasty and niggly as the best of them. He’s incredibly instinctive, and I’m not sure that fits well into modern British football.
It saddens me, but maybe Dele has done what he wanted to do. Maybe he just doesn’t have the drive anymore.
He's incredibly instinctive and I'm not sure that fits well into modern British football. That sums everything up. Thank you.
He has to find the drive. He isn't 40 years old.
He should go back to Mk were 22nd in league one which seems about his level now
@@manningismystepdad4997 yeah, in his last game they won promotion to the championship.
@@ayanbhattacharjee1076 idk man, cant really blame anyone for losing their passion, it just happens, sucks for football fans sure but if he finds that his real passion outside of football, well, i wish him luck for whatever he'll do after he's done from playing football lol.
I expected him to be a superstar in the upcoming years back in 2015, but what a downfall from such a talented prospect.
TAA must take notes about this issue, too.
He’s next … I like Trent but he switched off
@@phillyjackson1680 He needs a kick in the right direction.
I hope Rashford doesn't meet the same fate
TAA has been on the upper hands of world class for nearly 4 years now and he's still only young. Bit different. Also a tad unfair, the whole team has been performing below par. Defensively VVD hasn't been out, robbo looks shattered and gomez has been alright til the napoli game. If you take his defensive stats (because there's no point offensive we all know he's class there) last year, he was one of the best defenders last season.
He was very good against ajax, he won nearly every 1v1.
Nah taa is good, it's was never his duty too play def anyway, hendo have to cover for him, that was liverpool system in their ucl and epl winning years
This episode is a perfect example of why I love your videos, you are not some random dude trashing a footballer for no good reason, you do a proper investigation into the complex circumstances that can cause the issues and you never forget that these guys are human with very real and valid issues of their own. You do a great job every time. Thanks!
Thanks man! Really appreciate that!
I second this! Very impressed with your thoughtful approach
From tactical POV, he's very, very good in a very specific way (that's okay, many players are) and he's hardly been used that way since Poch. Once Poch left, different managers tried to use him in different ways and it just didn't work out.
Also feel like him getting robbed and beaten by masked knife-wielding thieves affected him a lot mentally.
I also think because he was first team so early when he wanted to live his teen life he just got caught up in the sauce. His tik Tok era reminds me of Lingard
Not only just potch but the players also. At the time the likes of eriksen dembele, vertonghen, alderwilde, rose, walker, wanyama tripper were either gone or diminished and weren't replaced. Poor midfield and defensive system that was set up to counter attack. Dele had to adapt to new role to create with a lack of support behind him. He was set up to fail.
Subscribed about a week ago and almost 75% done with your videos bro. Your thorough research, humor & all round video quality is a breath of fresh air. You’re genuinely helping me get through a tough academic semester 😂
Thats why Muller is one of the all time German-Greats. He adapted his game so well to have played in many different generations. Golden boot 2010 to now, he always shines. He has been a starter of BAYERN MUNICH for 12 years now. He is definitely a strong contender for the 3rd best player of our generation.
without a doubt..Muller is the Best AM/SS in the world
Sorry Suarez takes that by a country mile
@@power279 SS? like i get he’s german but damn 😳😳😳
taking it abit to far loool
@@power279 nah dude he's raumdeuter, roughly mean space interpreter. It's really cool actually
I will always feel bad for Tottenham after their 16/17 season. That team had the world at their feet, they only lacked quality back-up options. But unfortunately the higher ups barely invested in the team (instead building their stadium) during the following 2 years. The consequence being Spurs’ golden generation didn’t get the success they might’ve deserved
Great comment. I couldn't have broken it down any better. From a fellow Spurs fan.
@@peterking5537 Thank you! Even as a neutral I was frustrated for them. On one hand their stadium is state-of-the-art and is a worthy long term investment, but on the other it’s tragically sad that it came at the cost of the team’s success
@@silvesta5027 allthough I, as a spurs fan, wanted Levi to invest in the team and go for the juggular of those teams that were above us at the time, with such a good team and manager, only lacking in depth and maybe one quality signing.
I can still see the logic of securing the foundations of the club going forwards.
Levi built a stadium and put Spurs in a position financially to be able to try to compete with financially doped clubs, such as Chelsea and City and commercial giants such as Man utd and Liverpool
@Svavar S. Kjartansson not to be an arse but it's Daniel Levy mate, not Levi.
@@madMARTYNmarsh1981 no problem Martin, you can be an arse all you want.
Still, obviously I was talking about Levi Strauss IV, the heir and current Ceo of Levi's Jeans company, one of the biggest shareholders in Spurs for the last 20 years
He is the most naturally talented player to come out of England in this generation, he just didn't seem like he himself wanted to be a great player for some reason, it's quite clear from that talk with jose
Foden is more talented
@@wady8785 Erh. Sort of.
@@ammarharith5512 Foden is by far more talented. Plus way more successful. there's a reason he's the only academy player who gets consistent minutes at one of the best teams in the world
Bellingham far more talented
Replies have fully lost it, Dele was brilliant in 2017, this Foden Bellingham talk is just stupid
Great video and wonderfully broken down. I'm a Spurs fan who needed somebody to put into words what seems to have become a footballing tragedy. One ray of light that you touched on for Dele is the fact that he is still only 26. It's really up to him. Anyway I wish him the best of luck for what lays ahead in the future. He was brilliant for us for too short a time.
Cheers man. He definitely still has time
Crazy how spot on Mourihno was about Dele
Unfortunately I think that releasing that media bite to the public really got him out of the game and created a negative image for him which he's never recovered from. Shame that.
wasn't really that crazy Alli had been declining before even Mourinho came in
@@nathancummings306 wrong, he was already on the way down when Mou took over Tottenham.
Guy was lazy press didn't stop him putting an effort in, mourinho was bang on
Jose hang Dele out to dry. Used Dele to get some footage. Dele started well when Jose took over then Jose went full defending with just Kane and Son up top. There was no room for Dele. the last few seasons under Poch Dele was playing a deeper role. As Spurs no longer had midfielders who could break the line for Dele to then have space. So Dele dropped deeper to get on the ball more. His new style of play was not about getting goals it was now about starting play form deep. Fans and the media never gave him a chance in his new role.
Quite simply he fell into alot of injuries, a change of manager which brought a change of systems which he didn't fit into & he fell into a depression which affected his drive/ambition which is exactly what is required to continue at a high level
Love @Football Iconic. You're easily my favourite footie content creator because you'll spotlight players with stats and the pertinent cultural background surrounding them, *yet* remind us that they're *human* and maintain respect for their lives and circumstances outside of football. Very respectful and an excellent way of conveying their story. Mad props.❤️
Cheers!
Bruv when I was 13 back in 2016 Dele Ali was my fav player. He was a baller... that goal against Palace the megs he used to pull and strangely he just fell out of grace. Just shows how intense the mindset of footballers are.
Yeah I think there is so much to being successful in this sport that most of us will never understand.
Great comment. That's the goal I think of when discussing Dele's talent.
Not everybody can be excellent in life. He's earnt enough money for 10 lifetimes and obviously isn't too worried about winning trophies or playing at world cups etc. And that's ok to be honest. He's in the sunshine having a kickabout and doing some gym work leading a great life.
Well said. He's already achieved the dream most of us mere mortals only imagine. If he retired today at 26 he has still made his mark and will be remembered.
Yes I agree that would be true for most of us but what did young Ali dream of; money or trophies?
@@sargonsblackgrandfather2072 probably a better life for him and his mother.
havent watch your videos for quite sometimes and I'm just surprised how the channel is growing! Been subscribing since ages ago and I'm happy for you mate 👌
Thanks!
"It's in the History of the Tottenham" Chiellini Quotes 🙂
I can't believe you resisted the urge to use the phrase 'Muller Light' :-).
I player at Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United as a kid.
Before that I was Captain of my school, club, inter league and County teams.
At 16, before signing apprenticeship forms I had a mental breakdown, suffering horrifically with ocd, agoraphobia, severe anxiety and then ultimately deep depression. I literally thought I was going insane.
I walked out of United and never played football again.
Man City, Nottingham Forest, Burnley, Bury, Ipswich, Sheffield Utd, and a few other teams wrote to my parents, asking me to sign for them. I couldn't, but no one knew why. My mum and dad were lost for words and didn't know what the hell was going on.
It was over 30 years ago and mental health wasn't talked about back then, so I stayed silent, pretending I had a shoulder issue, which I'd previously dislocated playing in Germany.
I've watched team mates I played with as a kid go on to great things, but mental health issues prevented me from achieving my childhood dreams.
It's happened to many before me, and many after me, and I think Deli Ali is one of those poor souls.
Sometimes it slowly creeps up on you. I started counting my steps, then everything had to be in 3s, then I'd line things up and square things off, then i'd have to re-touch everything I'd touched with a left hand. It kept metastasizing until it had taken over every second of my day and every aspect of my life. One minute I'm training at the cliff for Utd, the next I've gone days, then weeks with no sleep, obsessing all night, exhausted and unable to focus or train to full capacity, constantly getting niggling injuries, because my muscles wouldn't recover without sleep.
My last 6 months at Utd I was training on mars bars and lucozade alone, my energy was so depleted through lack of sleep.
I went on to suffer for over 20 years, before seeking help (CBT therapy) to break the shackles that had weighed me down my entire adult life. It was hard, it took 18 months, but eventually I rid myself of the worse OCD my therapist had ever seen.
I only hope Deli gets the help he needs because otherwise he'll look back, like I do a think, "if only".
I think he's a "UNIQUE" player in Couthinho mode, watched some videos on how he was used, he very much played as a second striker often arriving late in a box in Frank Lampart mode but with Son becoming more prominent and taking larger part in teams attack, those opportunities have dried up as he's played closer and closer to the goal. And while he's played as second striker or a number 10, he was much more Jessie Lingard at United while playing under Mourhinho, aka runner and presser than creative force like Kaka or Wesley Sneijder. He's made good money at very young age, so it's possible he's not as hungry as he used to be, family coming out of the woodwork for handouts, bad combination of the 2. I personally thought Tottenham should have adapted Liverpool shape when they almost won the league with Suarez, where Suarez and Sturridge were forwards and Sterling acted as a trailing player buzzing around, Spurs have the attackers in Kane and Son, I thought Dele would do well in Sterling role.
There seriously should be a limit of getting 1 young player of the year award per player.
I felt like that Eriksen point was the best and honestly the main reason in my mind (above his laziness). Alli never felt like a midfielder or a striker, he felt more like a #10 with the technical qualities of a midfielder, but still not a pure midfielder like you said. To me it seemed that during his downfall he was constantly being asked to play that Eriksen role when that's not the type of player he is.
First time viewing your channel. I love how well you present. Super comfortable, chill vibe! I enjoyed watching this, as I was unaware about Deli! I’m in Australia, so don’t get to watch this
Cheers, you have my support. Bless you.
Just thought I’d let you know that you’re doing great! Plenty of phrase and a new sub!
Thanks so much!!
I am convinced Pochetino's sacking and Mourinho's harsh treatment coming right after multiple injury layoffs is what did him... If he was still at Spurs with Conte coming in we would have seen a rebirth.
Nah, he's finished n he's a one trick pony, he got found out
I'm happy i found your channel, keep going tenache!
👑 Florished with Moussa Dembele in midfield who was then replaced by 6 season of a horror show that is Harry Winks.... You should do Harry 'Nissan Micra' Winks
Your channel has the most entertaining football videos I've ever seen, keep up the good work!
I always get hyped when a new video drops. Love your work
Liverpool passed on him before he went to Spurs and there were a few people, LFC supporters and others, who thought it was inconceivable that anyone would pass on such a gifted player. I have to admit, as a Liverpool supporter with memories of how the club had passed up Damien Duff, that it was sadly familiar, but omg have they been justified in the long term.
I'm a gooner, but i appreciate a good footballer. Him and Harry Kane was a joy to watch. It's a shame what happened with Alli. Genuinely could have been a great if he knuckled down but he didn't have that mindset.
Good comment. Coming from a Spurs fan.
This is a pretty good synopsis of his career in general. Dele is one of my favorite players and its hurts to see his career where it is right now. To add to this I think all of the three are part of the reason but the biggest is the decline of Tottenham as a whole and bringing in managers with defensive systems is what done him in more than anythimg. He had to adapt to a new role which he wasnt really a fit for to begin with, on a team that was faltering defensively, and in the midfield all while playing super cautious brand of football. I think he really got frustrated and disillusioned with Mourinhos tactics/the team and mentally checked out. Also Tottenham till this day hasn't replaced the rose, walker/ tripper duo. Those guys provided the crosses and width that allowed dele to operate.
Thank you for the video, it gave me a new perspective on Deles decline, I for myself thought until now, that it was only on himself, that he didn't reached what he could have reached until now, but after seeing your video I realized, that there are plenty of also actually plausible reasons, why he didn't.
Nice work bro on the way to 200k subscribers
I just found your channel and I'm loving all of your content. Your work is exactly what I've been looking for. Can't wait for more great videos! I'm happily subscribed ☺️
Great video as always! Was really hopeful for Delle, but unfortunately he hasn't bounced back yet...
Love the videos mate. Favorite YT Channel. A video on Becks time with MUFC please!
Spurs fan here. Absolutely shattered my heart watching this video. The streets will never forget the 2017-18 dele alli
11:12 Wonderful foresight Tinashe. At least you were sympathetic to Dele even before The Overlap interview - testament to your character and love your content as always!
You’ve got a great channel bud… keep it going
I'l never forget his goal at Stamford bridge, dele alli was world class. I'm absolutely gutted at what's happened to him and in all honesty it baffles me, christ knows where and why it's gone so wrong for him.
I don't think people really care about Delle Alli anymore. Funny because he was once the next big thing...
yea, I think you nailed it really, personal life aside, I think Erikson complemented him so well and without him you couldnt carry on in that way and couldnt adapt. Ultimately, maybe he is only as good as the players around him
Could we be seeing a ‘and rise again’ added to the title? 2026 World Cup?
Love your videos on a specific player, could you please make one about Van de Beek?
THANK YOU FOOTBALL ICONIC for this video! DELE ALI means a lot! he was the reason i started supporting spurs🥰
Bro ur too Good... Keep it coming 🙌🏾
THAT is what I call a thorough and thoughtful analysis allied to a great presentation.
Dope Video I can’t wait for your Zidane or Ronaldinho one ?
it should be illegal that this guy doesn’t have at the minimal 3 million subs
The way he was raised playing ball on the street and with a disfunctional family is actually pretty common or was a few years ago here in latam
So mad I’ve been thinking about Dele this whole week even watched the Tottenham documentary
Great video. It’s a mystery that won’t be completely solved unless he writes a tell all book after he’s done playing. I think you probably hit on a few of the reasons. Like you said we don’t know about personal life or mental state which could also be factors. He’s lost that edge he used to have and confidence. Hopefully he’ll consider seeing a sports psychologist while he’s in Turkey to go over what’s gone wrong in England while he away and out of the spotlight. Maybe that can help. He’s still young, so I hope he can overcome and do well with Besiktas. Who knows, maybe help them win their league. Thanks for the video. 🙏🏽
On FIFA 17, he had a potential of 92-94. Crazy when you look at things now
It's not a football game though Is it, its real life!
1:30 bros 4head is majestic😂😩
We need a curious case of kai havertz
What’s the case he’s been here two years
@@shalom-enochyessuff3369 been doing jack shit
Would have loved to have seen which Manager was at mkdons who got so much out of him and how poch used him with such unique talented and fit him into the team
At least being at besiktas gives him a bigger chance to win a title than staying at Spurs
Lol 😁. A little unfair perhaps.
A pleasure to listen to an articulate, thoughtful and well- researched piece
Excellent article. Once valued at £90 million and now hardly worth the £5 million Spurs paid for him. Watching him regularly as a Spurs fan you could see the desire drain out of him. I'd say his mental attitude was the biggest factor in his decline.
Alli still young. 26..come on Alli! Work Harder And Make A Statement!
Dele Alli got a good football brain and with that he could thrive anywhere on the pitch, I would compare him to Wayne Rooney or James Milner. Wherever you put them they just adapt to that role, I have seen Dele thrive playing different positions, he played as a striker with son when Harry Kane was injured and even played as a Box to Box MF/DMF when Tottenham were light in midfield and Eriksen was unavailable. Playing as a striker is one thing since he plays attack, but seeing the way he played in that midfield had me confused where his best position was. That Football brain doesn't just disappear, he is dealing with mental issues. With his talent Dele could play till his 40's at the highest level but we will never know now.
I think his issue was his early drive and motivation, that hunger just kinda faded when money came.
What people don't realise is for many youngsters, football is a way out of poverty, Deli grew up poor and football was his way out, he became a millionaire before 30 and if he decided yo be careful with what he made then, he'd never have to work a day in his life.
Why does he need to be driven and motivated for? If his goal isn't eternal glory, i mean we don't know what peoples end goals actually are.
But ultimately, thats up to the person, for all we know, Deli did EXACTLY what he wanted.
Speaking of Muller, you should do a video of him
As an arsenal fan I was jealous spurs had such a player. Now how things have changed for dele Ali
You clearly explained in the beginning an absent father and an alcoholic mother that’s a lot of deep stuff and trauma . I think he eventually made the decision to make the bag 💼 and it’s totally alright given his beginnings but as football fans man if he had good coaching or a father figure like jose or sir Alex my god he could have been what Bellingham will be .
Back to videos about players more, i hope so + great one
His position and style of play are treaky, his closer to Muller, Donny and Lampard, he needs more technically gifted players around him to Shine which makes it difficult for a player like him.
great take , ijust watched overlap interview, wishing Dele comes back
A good video on this subject. It shows how complicated some humans are.
The thing is you can have all the ability you want if you've not the brains or mentality to marry that combination, Dele Ali is the walking example of the second while thinking the first will be enough to wing it
As a spurs fan, it broke my heart seeing his decline. However, I'm hopeful he will be back to prove himself and everybody wrong.
Always thought of him as an English Thomas Muller, but guess we'll never know.
I only remember this guy for his hand challenge. Really sad and amusing at the same time
As a Spurs fan, it really upsets me what happened to Dele. But I think this video slightly misses that actually Dele had started his decline during the season Spurs got to the Champions League final. Dele only scored five that year in the league, and as a season ticket holder it was fairly obvious to me something was wrong with him. He wasn't making the runs, he was running into people and losing the ball, and this got worse and worse as time went on. He looked distracted, and lost. Felt like his natural ability seemingly vacated him. Dele was always a slightly frustrating player, he'd often lose possession, but he'd also do something absolutely ridiculous every single game, and you'd probably score from it.
2nd
I'm Watching form TEMA Ghana 🇬🇭.....West African.
Best sports channel of all time
Jose is punished for being authentic, and saying how it needs to be said. Alli, and Pogba are perfect examples
That dele Ali goal vs crystal palace 👌
As a TH fan, I really loved Dele. At his best, he would run into space and or pull defenders out of position for his teammates. Later, his motor seems to have slowed, he no longer found those pockets and it looked like a lack of will because he was too young to have slowed physically. I do hope he regains his form. Thanks for the video.
And to think he was getting compared to Lampard after one okay season. Makes you realize how elite Lampard was, mentally, physically and attitude wise.
I think jose caused his carrer downfall he was already self concious and had confidence issues Jose made him doubt himself even more he was just a kid when jose told him that if poch was still here he would be one of the best english midfielder. Trent has to take notes I think he is in that trajectory.
Mourinho is the Darth Vader of football.
What I find strange is that what is being described as an extraordinarily hard upbringing for a modern football player, is no more than the normal experience of today's youth and that of many footballers of the past. That would be back when football was a working man's game.
As a United fan and witnessed how Eriksen has made the players around him all look better, I think your theory could be correct.
Obviously I dont know the guy, but towards the end of his time at spurs it seemed like he enjoyed being a footballer more than he actually enjoyed playing football. At the highest level, its Mentality > Skill...Simple as
Mate, I'm a big fan of your story telling ways :D Very entertaining if not enlightning
Even now it saddens me to see what has happened to his football skills. Worse is the fact that many speculate what has caused it without Dele himself declaring what is behind his downfall. Has he simply fallen out of love with the game and is it another example of too much heaped upon him at an early age with unrealistic expectations for the future? Whatever it is we should wish Dele well for the future in or out of football, and just remember first and foremost he is a human being and a footballer second.
Lets look at the present. Besiktas have played five league games so far this season. Won 3, drawn 1 and lost 1. They are 4th in the table but have yet to play any of the teams above them. Dele arrived after their season started so was only available for the last 3 games. He scored on his debut and his team won but he picked up a thigh strain and went off early. He has missed the last 2 games which they have lost and drawn respectively. His team are not involved in Europe. Early days I would say. Lack of game time might explain his early muscle strain but that has it's roots in his performances. I think I'll revisit the stats in a few months.
I remember being excited about rumors linking him with Madrid :(
Nice Chang T-shirt.
This story is the classic psychological case of ppl living to see others fall cause it makes them feel better about themselves! That’s the biggest reason any Deli Ali video will get a bunch of views & comments
The sad thing about life is, once you lose that spark that differentiates you as a individual, it becomes a haze in the storm that is life. Digging deep and finding it is something that is incredibly hard and no doubt sacrifices good and bad, but hopefully more of the former. It becomes of a life’s quest on its own and that would be how to build yourself up again. It’s a complete change to the personality of a person. It requires specialist help. I once despise Dele because of the way he celebrates and being a rival fan. Through learning the difficult upbringing he had and how he went from best young premier league player of the year x2, to this, I’m sadden. It provides another example of how sport stars are human beings inside and they too, are fallible. Reminds me of Balotelli. Once an amazing player and had the world on his feet, but lost his way. It’s unfortunate, but life is just as cruel as it is beautiful.
I wholeheartedly agree with this comment. Dele seems to have lost something he once had and it doesnt help that hes just getting bashed and bashed by the media and also the way jose didnt try to bring him for specialist help was sad. Thats why what's happening to sancho is hopeful because at least ten hag cares enough to direct his player to great form rather than leaving him to rot. I hope dele rebuilds himself again or at least makes it so that his name doesn't get desecrated again by a lot of these people
Unlike Jesse Lingard, Dele Ali is still young and had the opportunity to turn it around.
Shocking treatment of a human being (mental illness) I went from a talented engineer to a Mill worker to asbestos stripper to van driver Understand completely
Homestly my first thought was Bayern should get him as a Backup and than as a successor of Muller
One of the best football channels
I have to confess 👀 The Kane, Son, Eriksen and Alli partnership kinda scared me. Yes they were really good!
Yup I just said something nice about them. In the words of Tinashe "Why has he done that?" 😭
Generous comment.
So a long spell injuries is enough reason for Dele’s decline. This is not a video game - once someone is injured in a series of related areas repeatedly they don’t just heal back up to 100%. There will be compromised performance to some extend and sometimes this can greatly effect the pace and endurance as these muscles / joints / tendons seem to not work as efficiently. As in more energy is spend compensating for that which means you have less reserve to run about. It’s not just attitude