The manager of Everton, Frank Lampard has stressed that he does not have a business with the personal life of Dele Alli as far as the footballer is producing expected results.
Recall that Dele Alli decided to join Everton from Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer on January 31, 2022, after he failed to establish himself at Spurs.
On Saturday, February 5, 2022, Everton decided to utilize the first half break during the FA Cup 4th round match against Brentford, to unveil Dele Alli to the fans at Goodison Park.
To the dismay of the spectators that turned up to watch Everton’s 4-1 win over Brentford, Dele Alli dressed in an awkward way to the unveiling.
Immediately after Dele Alli’s unveiling surfaced, pundits, some football fans, and the critics of the footballer took to various media platforms to criticize the footballer for dressing like he has been “dragged off the street”.
Despite the sticks the 25-year-old English attacking midfielder received over his appearance at the unveiling, coach Frank Lampard stressed that the clothes and the kind of car Dele Alli drives are not his business.
The former Chelsea coach who was named the new manager of Everton in January insisted that as far as Alli comes to training and does what is expected of him, he does not have a problem with him.
The coach said: “I’ve heard some of the reaction and I have a lot of respect for everyone who has spoken, ex-players, people who I respect and admire in Ally McCoist, Alan Brazil, Glenn Hoddle – I would never go against their word.
“But when you are working closely with players and working with Dele, my personal opinion is that I don’t care what car he drives, what clothes he wears, as long as I get a lad that comes to training every day, wants to improve every day respects the club, respects his teammates, and then produces and gives everything to produce.
“The modern-day has moved on, it’s changed, we all have to be aware of that, and I’m not hitting back at any observation because everyone is allowed their own opinion but I can only deal with what is in front of me.
“And what I’ve just mentioned, that Dele and Donny [van de Beek] are both great lads, I mean it.
“Maybe Donny wears an overcoat that is longer than Dele wears, and he has a different type of jacket, but it doesn’t bother me.
“As long as they produce on the pitch then I’m very happy. Everyone has their own individual personality and to try to handcuff or restrict that I think could be detrimental.”
🤝 @dele_official and @Donny_beek6 are unveiled to @Everton supporters in attendance at Goodison Park!#FACup #EVEBRE #EFC pic.twitter.com/3SrGbAiWZT
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) February 5, 2022
Despite not having a problem with the way Dele Alli dresses, Frank Lampard is not a supporter of total freedom
From his days as a player at Chelsea to when he moved to Manchester City, and then to New York City FC, Frank Lampard could be said to be a very disciplined player. When he became a coach at Derby County and his about two seasons at Chelsea as a coach, Lampard has proven to be a very principled person.
He is expected to continue on such a path at Everton which means that Dele Alli can choose to dress anyhow he feels like. But he would not be allowed to behave anyhow during training or on the pitch.
Ahead of his first Premier League game in charge of Everton which is against Newcastle United later today, February 8, at 20:45, the coach stressed that players have to be disciplined to execute his game plans.
“It’s a different question to ‘What coat is Dele wearing?’. It is more when you have a game plan, players have to have discipline within that,” the coach added.
“I am not a fan of absolute freedom, I think that is an easy way to coach – ‘Go on lads, go and do it, express yourself’ – there has to be a plan.
“But when you do get to the final third it is not for me to tell Anthony [Gordon] or Demarai [Gray] or Dele or Donny what decisions to take in that area. That is where you have to give a little bit of license to those players.”
"I don't care what car he drives or what clothes he wears."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 7, 2022
Frank Lampard has defended Dele Alli following his move to Everton and insists that the only thing that matters is his performance on the pitch. pic.twitter.com/qlwIotQ19p
