It may not seem as if Eric Dier and Jose Mourinho would have much in common, but many people forget that the Spurs star didn’t actually grow up in England.
Dier came through the academy at Sporting Lisbon, one of the best teams in Portugal, with Mourinho being one of the biggest stars in those parts.
Jose kickstarted his managerial career in Portugal when he led Porto to an incredible Champions League victory.
Since taking over as Tottenham boss, Mourinho has taken a liking to Dier in the centre of midfield as defensive cover, despite the fact that the England man had fallen out of favour with Pochettino towards the end.
Dier has started more games under Mourinho already this season than he did under Pochettino, as he looks to get back to his best.
Talking at the One Hotspur Junior Christmas Party, as quoted by the Telegraph, Dier gave a unique insight into what Jose Mourinho is like around the club: “By ourselves, we speak in Portuguese. It’s as good as my English.
“He makes you feel very comfortable around him. He’s very approachable, he’s got a lot of energy, he’s at training every day, he’s really involved. I feel he genuinely likes this group of players and has always admired this group of players. I sense that he’s really enjoying getting to know us and work with us, and the players feel the same way.
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“He’s always around the training ground – you can bump into him anywhere. He’s always around the place. You feel very comfortable talking to him. He wants to get to know everyone on another level, not just on the training pitch. That’s been good.
“I feel very lucky to have worked under Pochettino and now Mourinho. For me personally, I just see it as a great opportunity to learn from another great manager, one of the best there’s ever been. It’s a great opportunity to learn new things, see how he works and try to improve myself.”
The Guardian also report that Dier added: “In Portugal there are two people that are bigger than anything else, and it’s him and Ronaldo.”
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