Eric Dier: Jose Mourinho says Tottenham unlikely to appeal four-match ban
Written by News on 09/07/2020
Jose Mourinho says Tottenham are unlikely to appeal the four-match ban handed to Eric Dier for confronting a fan at a match in March.
Dier was handed the suspension and fined £40,000 after being charged with misconduct by the FA for climbing into the stands to confront a fan following Tottenham’s FA Cup defeat to Norwich on March 4.
Dier, whose team had just lost a penalty shootout, saw his brother was being abused by a fan and raced to his aid. There was no physical exchange and the matter was not pursued by the Metropolitan Police after a brief investigation.
However, the FA has opted to punish Dier for a breach of rule E3.
The suspension rules Dier out of all but one of Tottenham’s remaining Premier League games this season but Mourinho says the club is unlikely to appeal the decision.
“I don’t think so honestly because if you appeal, you have other risks and let’s at least start next season without a suspension,” said Mourinho, ahead of Thursday’s trip to Bournemouth – live on Sky Sports.
“We all know how it works with these FA decisions.
“You have access to the record of successful appeals and unsuccessful appeals… I don’t think we are going to appeal.”
‘Dier decided to meet with fan’
Mourinho also revealed that Dier has since met with the fan he confronted.
The spectator involved told police in a statement that he was acting like “an idiot” and did not feel threatened and reiterated those feelings to Dier at their meeting, which Mourinho thought would have been enough for a “fair decision”.
Mourinho, who also says the fan would be welcome back at the stadium once gates are open, said: “The fan had the opportunity to meet the player, had the opportunity to apologise to the player, had the opportunity to understand that we are very well paid but we are not robots.
“We are very well paid but we have families and friends that support us in the stadiums. So I think it was a good opportunity for that fan to turn his profile and become a different fan.
“It was Dier’s own decision to do it, because the person in this case, first of all, is a Tottenham fan and was sorry about what happened.
“The way I was told he had the dignity to want to apologise to him. It was a nice thing that, in normal circumstances, especially after saying that he never felt under threat at any moment of the situation, would be enough for a fair decision.”
‘No doubt Dier will be centre-back next season’
Dier has played every minute of football for Tottenham since the Premier League restart and Mourinho says the England international will continue to be a key player for Spurs next season.
Speaking on Dier’s move from midfield into central defence, Mourinho said: “We made a decision together.
“I told him immediately since my arrival, ‘Let’s go in a certain direction but I think you are not ready, so let’s try to go back to a certain level being a midfielder but always with an eye of transforming you as a centre-back’, which is where he feels happiest.”
Mourinho added: “He is very comfortable on the ball, the building up of play and without any kind of problem attacking the space in front of him -being an extra man and building up play in the midfield.
“I think he is doing very well, we look forward to next season where from the beginning I have no doubts he will be there as a centre-back.
“I think he is going to be an important player for us.”
Tottenham next face relegation-threatened Bournemouth on Thursday before they host Arsenal in the north London derby on Sunday – with both games live on Sky Sports.
Mourinho has confirmed Dele Alli will miss the trip to the Vitality Stadium after failing to recover from a hamstring problem, which ruled him out of Monday’s 1-0 win over Everton.
When asked about the severity of Alli’s injury, Mourinho said: “Small but he’s not ready for tomorrow.
“He had a little history with hamstring injuries last season so he has to be careful.
“We can’t risk it when you know that he has a little problem there, so tomorrow he is out.”
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Eric Dier: Jose Mourinho says Tottenham unlikely to appeal four-match ban
