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Mauricio Pochettino Played Prank On Dele Alli When He First Got England Call Up

Mauricio Pochettino Played Prank On Dele Alli When He First Got England Call Up

The Spurs manager played a trick on his player, asking if he wanted to play for the under 17s, when Roy Hodgson called him up.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Dele Alli has recalled the moment when his manager got a laugh over him for his first England call up.

Speaking to Soccer A.M Alli spoke about a bunch of firsts. Included in those was a story about his first England call up and how manager Mauricio Pochettino played a great prank on him:

"It was with Roy, I remember I was away with Tottenham at Monaco." said Alli.

"The gaffer pulled me and started speaking to me, and I knew internationals were coming up.

Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA
Image: PA

The 20-year-old added:"He asked me if I wanted to go away and play with the Under-17s for England.

"I thought I was too old anyway. And I said: 'I don't think I can... I'm too old now'.

"He said: 'No, we spoke to them, you can go, they want you to go over next week'. I said: 'Oh, OK'.

"Then he like stared at me for 10 seconds, and then told me I'd been called up to the first-team! It was more of a test than a wind-up, he wanted to see my reaction! He's a proper nice guy."

Alli and Kane at last year's derby. Image: PA Images
Alli and Kane at last year's derby. Image: PA Images
Image: PA
Image: PA

Alli, Pochettino and fans of Spurs will be hoping there's no tears on Sunday and the former MK Dons player revealed the first time he cried as a Spurs player, saying, "At Tottenham, the first time I cried was after I got sent off in the Europa League [against Gent], in the changing room. You feel you've let the whole team down, and we went out of the competition in that game, so it wasn't a nice place."

Will tomorrow be laughs with his manager or tears in the changing room?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Spurs, Football News, Mauricio Pochettino, Premier League, England, Dele Alli