Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier has criticised the Premier League schedule as Spurs prepare to play twice a week in the build up to the World Cup in November, leaving Antonio Conte’s side with a relentless fixture list over the next two months.
Aside from a short interval at the end of this month with the international break, Spurs will have nine midweek fixtures to fulfil in the coming months, as they prepare to tackle 18 fixtures before mid-November.
And Dier, who is also on the verge of a call-up to the England squad for the first time in nearly two years, claimed that the Premier League ’s scheduling “doesn’t make sense”.
Dier told the Evening Standard : “I enjoy playing, I don't mind. For me, it's no problem. I enjoy playing midweek games and I think we should enjoy playing as much as we can. I just think the schedule doesn't make sense in that for three [weeks] we've had one game a week. It doesn't make sense to then go up to mid-November with a game every midweek.
“We've improved the squad, we have a squad with a lot of depth. We knew the last three weeks wouldn't represent what the season is going to be like but now it really starts. There are a lot of games. I think it's strange that we've had one game a week for three or four weeks, and then suddenly you're playing midweek games until November.
“It doesn't make much sense to me. But it is what it is. We have to look after ourselves as best we can in every single way. Our recovery, our professionalism, how we look after ourselves is going to be extremely important. We've had a great pre-season to give us the right base going into that period."
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Spurs have begun the season brightly, with three wins and two draws from their opening five games, and Dier has been at the centre of the defence throughout, working in a back three alongside Cristian Romero and Ben Davies for the first two games, before Davinson Sanchez came in as the former’s replacement following an injury.
Wednesday’s draw at West Ham represented Tottenham ’s first midweek fixture of the campaign, but following their return to the Champions League this season, they also have an extra six games to fit in before November, as well as a Carabao Cup fixture.
But Dier relishes the opportunity to consistently play and his performances this season, which follow an impressive turnaround for him in the last campaign, have caught the eye of Gareth Southgate and could now warrant him with a first England call-up for nearly two years.
That’s according to the Daily Mail, who report that Dier is under consideration by the England boss for the two Nations League fixtures against Italy and Germany at the end of the month, in what are England’s final two games before the World Cup in Qatar in November.
It is believed that Dier’s excellent form in Conte's back three — a system England have used regularly — has brought Dier back into Southgate's thinking, along with his ability to play in different positions and formations. The 28-year-old also has previous experience of tournament football, having played an important part in England’s 2018 World Cup run.
But even though Dier already has 45 England caps to his name, he has not featured since the 4-0 win over Iceland in November 2020, although he was included in a squad 18 months ago. But should he continue to impress over the next two weeks, he can bring an end to that barren run.
