Video emerges showing Dele Alli discussing mental health and support system while at Tottenham

An old video of Dele Alli discussing mental health and support systems during his time at Tottenham has emerged online. 

Alli, 27, shocked the football world on Thursday, after he detailed his addiction to sleeping tablets and childhood struggles in an honest interview with Gary Neville.

Messages from pundits, players and fans flooded in for the player following the news, as Alli detailed his desire to get back to his best on the pitch.

The former England international hit his peak during his time at Tottenham and now, in wake of his stunning interview, an old clip of him discussing mental health whilst at Spurs has re-emerged online.

In February 2020, Alli sat down with four pupils from Lea Valley Primary School to discuss issues surrounding mental wellbeing and provided a candid account of his emotions.

An old video has emerged to show Dele Alli discussing his views on mental health and support systems during his time at Tottenham back in 2020

In the video, Alli revealed how he deals with feeling down and the highs and lows of football

Gary Neville sat down with Alli and conducted an emotional interview which was released on Thursday, in which the Everton midfielder spoke openly about his difficulties in recent years 

Alli was asked by one of the students as to how he deals with feeling upset, to which he said: ‘I usually go to my brother because he’s with my everyday. No matter what it’s about – whether it’s football or life in general – if I’m feeling down, I usually go to him or a friend. 

‘I think it’s important that you don’t keep it inside to yourself. Sometimes getting it out in the open and speaking to people can make you feel a lot better.’

In his conversation with Neville, released on Thursday, Alli had revealed that he recently spent six weeks in rehab as he sought out help to overcome a sleeping pill addiction. 

He also spoke about how his close connection with his adoptive family – and brother – played a huge factor in achieving success throughout his football career. 

Alli continued: ‘Usually I like to spend time with my friends, go for walks and things like that, just to clear my head. 

‘I always put a lot of pressure on myself, so you can feel alone when things aren’t going well. It’s about having a clear understanding in your head and not worrying too much about what other people think and say.’

Again, Alli’s comments in the old video bring reminders of his statements in his interview with Neville – where he admitted he contemplated retiring at 24-years-old. 

After achieving so much so earlier into his football career, it’s likely the former England international would’ve felt the self-imposed pressure which he described. 

In the old video of Alli, he claims that his brother – Harry Hickford (left) – was the person he confides in when feeling sad 

The at-the-time Spurs star also reflected on how to deal with criticism and praise for team-mates, to which he said: ‘Sometimes someone does a mistake in a game, if you get angry at them then usually they’ll make the same mistakes. 

‘If you encourage them, then it’ll make them feel better and they’ll do better. If people start trying to do things all by themselves, it’s pretty much impossible. 

‘You have to rely on eachother as well and you have to communicate and speak. But it’s important you speak in the right way. If you get angry and speak in a bad way, they’re not going to have a good reaction.’

In his conversation with Neville, Alli revealed how the viral clip of Jose Mourinho calling him ‘f****** lazy’ was misdirected and that the coach later apologised.

Alli, 27, revealed that he spent six weeks at a rehab centre in the US this summer

Alli told Neville: ‘That lazy comment, people love to bring that up, that interview obviously was on Amazon. He called me lazy – that was the day after recovery day.

‘A week later, he apologised to me for calling me lazy because he’d seen me actually train and play.

‘But that wasn’t in the documentary, and no one spoke up about that because it was only me and him.

‘In the team meeting, he called me lazy but then one-on-one, I think it was on the pitch, he apologised for it.