Never mind the adage about snoozing and losing. Tottenham are embracing the power of sleep as they savour their best start to a top-flight season for nearly 60 years, according to Eric Dier.
‘Sleep a lot, eat well, lots of water,’ said Dier, as he shared the secrets of handling the demands of the crowded pre-World Cup schedule.
‘I love a nap. I nap every day for 45 minutes. It’s good for me. Eight or nine hours at night and 45 minutes in the afternoon, straight after training.
‘It makes me feel better for the rest of the day. I sleep when I want. The rest of the team sleep just as much. Some do it more. The South Americans, they love it.’
‘It makes me feel better for the rest of the day. I sleep when I want. The rest of the team sleep just as much. Some do it more. The South Americans, they love it.’
Dier has featured in every minute of Tottenham’s first 10 Premier League fixtures and all but 12 minutes of their four Champions League games.
With two appearances for England in the Nations League, the 28-year-old centre half has completed almost 24 hours of competitive football inside 70 days. There is little respite in store with a trip to Manchester United on Wednesday.
‘There’s so many games until the break,’ said Dier. ‘It’s incredible, so we need to take good care of ourselves physically, mentally. The club covers all our needs. It’s up to us to take advantage of it.’
Tottenham’s players have access to rooms at The Lodge, luxurious residential quarters at the training ground, whenever they want.
They are also determined to honour Gian Piero Ventrone, their popular fitness coach who died suddenly this month.
'His work is going to live on in us,’ said Dier. ‘For the rest of this season and for everyone individually for the rest of our careers.
'He gave all of himself to us every single day, so we need to try to do the same for him. To win something would be the ultimate tribute.’
Saturday’s 2-0 victory against Everton made it 10 home wins in a row for Spurs. They are in touch with the Premier League pace-setters and Harry Kane is already into double figures for goals.
‘He’s getting better with every game,’ said Dier of Kane, who broke the deadlock in the 59th minute against Everton with a penalty he won for himself, seizing on a mistake by Jordan Pickford, who spilled a shot by Matt Doherty.
‘He doesn’t get too fussed about what’s going on outside of him and keeps performing, and he’s one of the best penalty takers in the world. The more you take, there’s always a chance you might miss one, but he’s one of the best at it.’
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added the second and the only negative aspect of the game for Antonio Conte was a calf injury for Richarlison, who left the stadium on crutches fearing his World Cup dream is over. He will have a scan today.
Everton left cursing two clear chances missed by Demarai Gray and Amadou Onana in the first half. ‘We couldn’t score and one mistake against a big team and we got punished, and then it is tougher,’ said striker Neal Maupay.
‘He’s getting better with every game,’ said Dier of Kane, who broke the deadlock in the 59th minute against Everton with a penalty he won for himself, seizing on a mistake by Jordan Pickford, who spilled a shot by Matt Doherty. ‘He doesn’t get too fussed about what’s going on outside of him and keeps performing, and he’s one of the best penalty takers in the world. The more you take, there’s always a chance you might miss one, but he’s one of the best at it.’
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added the second and the only negative aspect of the game for Antonio Conte was a calf injury for Richarlison, who left the stadium on crutches fearing his World Cup dream is over. He will have a scan today.
Everton left cursing two clear chances missed by Demarai Gray and Amadou Onana in the first half. ‘We couldn’t score and one mistake against a big team and we got punished, and then it is tougher,’ said striker Neal Maupay.
Tottenham Hotspur (3-4-3): Lloris 6; Romero 6 (Sanchez 87min), Dier 7, Davies 6.5; Doherty 7 (Spence 90+3), Hojbjerg 7.5, Bentancur 6.5 (Skipp 90+3), Perisic 7; Richarlison 6 (Bissouma 52, 7), Kane 8.5 (Moura 90+3), Son 7. Scorers: Kane 59 (pen), Hojbjerg 86. Booked: Bentancur. Manager: Antonio Conte 7
EVERTON (5-3-2): Pickford 6; Coleman 6 (Garner 67, 6), Coady 6, Tarkowski 6, Mykolenko 6, McNeil 6; Iwobi 6.5, Gueye 6 (Rondon 81), Onana 6; Gray 5.5, Maupay 5 (Calvert-Lewin 66, 5). Booked: McNeil, Maupay, Gueye, Mykolenko. Manager: Frank Lampard 6
Referee: Paul Tierney 6. Attendance: 61,812.