Eric Dier: 'Sporting was ahead of its time'

Many football fans think of the Premier League, Tottenham or FC Bayern when they hear the name Eric Dier. It is often forgotten that the 31-year-old learned his trade somewhere else: in Lisbon. Sporting has one of Europe’s most famous youth academies. Dier grew up there and learned what would later take him to the top.

In an interview with fcbayern.com, the AS Monaco defender talked about why Sporting’s academy shaped him not only as a player but above all as a person, how he assesses the club’s current shape and reveals what he thinks Bayern can achieve this season. A talk about identity, development and the signifiance of football in Portugal – ahead of the duel between the two clubs that have left a greater mark on Dier’s career than most people would assume at first glance.

Eric Dier interviewed

Eric, how have you settled in to life in the south of France – both in private and at AS Monaco?
Eric Dier: “Privately, it was pretty easy, I’ve settled in very well. I can quickly adapt to a new environment – like in Germany, and now it’s the same here. I had a lot of time to prepare this summer. In terms of football, it always takes some time to get used to a new team, new teammates, a new coach, a new club. But I feel very much at ease at the club and in the dressing room now.”

How often do you still follow FC Bayern’s games?

“I definitely follow them. You automatically follow every club you have ties to. That goes for all my former clubs – and Bayern will always be a very special place for me. I still talk to my friends there and to many of the staff. I hope I’ll be back in Munich soon to watch a match or drop by the Säbener Strasse.”

With which former teammates are you still in contact?

“I talk to Harry, Serge and Josh the most, and Konny Laimer. Many players congratulated me after my penalty [in the 2-2 Champions League draw against Manchester City – ed.], Leon sent me a nice message. I also spoke to Rapha Guerreiro – we played against one of his former clubs in France. There was a big picture of him in the tunnel. So I’m still in contact with many players.”

On Tuesday you’ll be playing against Galatasaray, whereas Bayern entertain Sporting. For which of your former clubs will you be rooting – or will you be neutral?
(Laughing) “I just hope it’ll be a great game. Of course Sporting will be underdogs. I always hope Sporting do well – which goes for Bayern too. I follow such matches as a fan and hope both teams play well.”

You spent a large part of your youth in Lisbon and learned the trade at Sporting. From your experience: What makes the club special?

“The club’s clearest identity comes from the academy and the youth. Young players always come from the academy into the first team. This identity is strongly anchored in the club. Sporting has a great history of developing players – the club takes great pride in that. They’ve been very successful over the last five or six years. They’ve won a lot of titles, which hadn’t been the case for a long time. I think the successes have given the club new confidence – perhaps even reshaped its identity because Sporting is once again a club that wins a lot of titles.”

Their academy takes a holistic approach to the development of young talent – not only technically but also mentally. How did their approach shape your development?

“At the academy, I always had the feeling they put a lot of emphasis on shaping us as people, not only as players – and looking back, that’s even clearer to me now. We spent an enormous amount of time there, often more than with our families. They took this responsibility very seriously. It was a very disciplined environment, they provided the best conditions in every respect. And they were very innovative – one of the first academies in Europe with this structure. The facility was built in 2002, long before most clubs had anything like it. Sporting was ahead of its time in that respect.”

How much does Portuguese fan culture influence the pace of the game and emotions on the pitch?

“I don’t know if it’s the fan culture or Portugal as a whole. Football is a huge part of everyday life in Portugal. I was there recently. There are three newspapers that only cover football – three! That shows to what extent the country lives and breathes football. You can see this passion on the pitch.”

How do you assess Sporting’s current squad?

“They’ve had a very successful spell. They won the championship last season, they had enjoyed a great time under Rúben Amorim. The new coach [Rui Manuel Borges, ed.] took over the team in a challenging situation but managed to win the championship.”

A lot of talents contribute to Sporting’s success – they have some exciting young players, at centre-back in particular.

“That’s Sporting’s identity: to help young, talented players live up to their potential. Gonçalo Inácio for example – you can hardly call him young any more given the number of appearances he’s made. The team know how to win. The club has done a great job.”

What strengths can Sporting use to hurt Bayern?

“Bayern are a complete team – on and off the ball. They have an answer to everything. Of course anything is possible in one game. Sporting have the quality to create chances. They have to be very efficient and take their chances – they probably won’t get many. They have to be clinical and of course defend very well. Bayern have incredible quality.”

Many Portuguese fans will travel to Munich to watch the game at the Allianz Arena, your former living room. What can Sporting fans look forward to in Munich?

“I don’t know what the weather will be like – it’ll probably be very cold. But they can look forward to a great city. My family and I loved living in Munich. The culture, the food – and that the city is urban but still surrounded by nature. For me, Munich is a complete city.”

What do you think FC Bayern can achieve this season?

“The season is still young, but FC Bayern has the team, the coach and the structure to achieve all its goals. In the end, a lot depends on how fit the players stay – and they also need a bit of luck. I hope they’ll have a very successful season.”

And maybe we’ll meet you again in the Champions League.

“A reunion? I don’t know. I think it’s never nice to play against a former club – but it would be a good sign, it would mean both teams make it through the league phase.”