McCoist deeply saddened by Alli’s fall from grace

Scottish football legend Ally McCoist has expressed her deep regret at the current trajectory of Dele Alli’s career, admitting it is tragic that the former Tottenham and England star finds himself without a club and without suitors at just 30 years of age.

Once regarded as one of Europe’s most electrifying young playmakers and a talismanic figure during England’s 2018 World Cup run, Alli’s career has entered a severe downward spiral in recent years following difficult periods and persistent fitness issues.

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talking to talkSPORTMcCoist reflected on how far the midfielder has fallen from the heights of elite European football, lamenting that the world of football appears to have closed its doors on him prematurely:

“That’s great, that’s fun and it’s good to see and hear. But if you’re talking about where he is right now, it’s tragic. That’s the bigger picture. Because he should still be playing at the level we’re talking about him at on a Monday morning.

“Never mind playing in that tournament (2018 World Cup), I thought he was one of England’s best players. He really was, he had a different class.

Highlighting the harsh reality facing the midfielder as he attempts to maintain his fitness through private training regimes, McCoist added: “He’s training with a fitness trainer, also a football coach. And to see that no one is giving him a chance at 30 years old… It’s a shame. He’s 30 years old, he’s been retired for a long time.”

While glimpses of Alli’s personality occasionally emerge through online broadcasts or social media interactions with former teammates, McCoist believes deep down the playmaker knows he should still be gracing the Premier League stage rather than watching from the sidelines.

“And it’s all been downhill since then, and it’s very sad. There were comebacks here and comebacks there, and none of them seem to have come to fruition.

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“So for me it’s a mysterious stroke tragedy. I mean, I enjoyed it. It’s fun. There’s nothing wrong with that. But the bigger picture is I’m just sad.

“He trains with a physical trainer and also with a football coach, and he realizes that no one gives him a chance at 30 years old.

“And all that can be fun, Twitch. It’s funny and you’re calling your friends, but part of him definitely thinks, ‘They’re still playing. Oh, Jack (Grealish), do you have any free time? Harry Kane is going to get the Ballon d’Or.’

“Part of him will say, ‘I should keep playing.’ It’s a shame. He’s 30 years old, he’s been retired for a long time.”