For almost a decade we have all – to various degrees – been trying to work out how good Eric Dier is. Since his Tottenham debut, in August 2014, through an array of elite managers for club and country, scoring that penalty in 2018, hurling himself into that tackle, launching into the stands to defend his brother, tweeting against Brexit and having now sealed an unlikely move to Bayern Munich, there has always been a question mark.
I’m not sure there’s a footballer I’ve willed to succeed more, willed more to prove the doubters wrong. As someone who is also often accused of stealing a living, perhaps it’s just natural empathy, my footballing embodiment. But there he is, my favourite Eric since Bananaman.
