Dele Alli’s career has fallen by the wayside - and Roy Keane brutally predicted it could happen way back in 2019.
Alli endured a torrid time with injuries at Tottenham then failed to rediscover his mojo under Jose Mourinho. After the appointment of Antonio Conte earlier this season, he left for Everton in January but has struggled to make an impact.
Until 2019, Alli was a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England squad and had played a key role in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. But in October 2019, he was left out of the squad - and Keane warned he may never find his way back.
Fast forward to 2022, and Alli has not made an England squad since with it currently looking hard to envision a way back. Whilst Keane’s comments appeared harsh at the time, he has proved spot on.
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Keane was reacting to ITV presenter Mark Pougatch talking about Alli and Manchester United's Jesse Lingard when he made his brutal prediction.
Pougatch said: “If you’re Lingard or Dele Alli - interesting Dele Alli this week, getting rid of all of his commercial activities, realising that maybe he’s at a bit of a tipping point of his career: ‘hang on a second, I was the bright young thing at Tottenham and England and that’s not the case any longer’.”
Former Manchester United captain Keane said: “Yeah, we saw the signs with one or two of these young players you mentioned who have disappeared."
Referring to cutting down on commercial work, Keane added: “They should have done that about a year ago. And they mightn’t get a chance to get back in [now] - that’s what happens in football.
“Timing, these young lads in England, take your opportunity and let these lads fall by the wayside.”
Several young players have stepped up to knock Alli down the pecking order. The likes of Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Emile Smith Rowe and more have seized opportunities for club and country whilst Alli has lost all momentum.
Alli was this week advised by Stan Collymore to consider retirement at just 25 if his heart is not in it, whilst he has also been told to think about a move to the Championship to “rip it up” by Darren Bent. Whatever the solution, it currently remains hard to see a way that Alli will be playing for England again.
