The interview carried out by Dele Alli with Gary Neville earlier this week is among the most powerful in recent footballing memory.
The Everton midfielder revealed his history of childhood traumas, as well as his struggles with addiction, which have led to him attending rehab in recent months.
Alli's honesty and openness earned him widespread praise from the footballing world, though there were of course understandable concerns for the player's welfare given the weight of the topics discussed.
After a disappointing loan spell at Besiktas was cut short, Alli is preparing to fight his way back into the Everton team next season, under the stewardship of manager Sean Dyche.
Given the player's situation, man management is going to be crucial next season, and the comments of ex-Ireland international Keith Treacy suggest that there are few better in the game than Dyche to handle such a situation.
READ HERE: Here's A List Of Every Irish Player That Has Switched Clubs This Summer
Dele Alli: Ex-Ireland international praises Sean Dyche's man management
Sean Dyche has a certain reputation in football management, with his hardy pitchside presence leading many to regard him as a tough character.
However, past comments by Keith Treacy on the Everton manager suggest that he will be a hugely understanding presence when it comes to Dele Alli's reintegration to the Everton team.
If these comments from former Ireland international Keith Treacy are anything to go by then Dele Alli is in safe hands
📽 @UndrTheCosh @Nealonnotstand pic.twitter.com/1WLGBuk5SI— Average Striker (@AverageStriker) July 13, 2023
Treacy earned six caps for Ireland during the Giovanni Trapattoni era, during which time he played for Burnley.
After falling out of favour with manager Eddie Howe, Treacy was dropped to the Burnley development squad, before being entrusted with a return to the first team when Howe was replaced by Sean Dyche.
Treacy has previously thanked and praised Dyche for his encouragement and for putting his faith in him to return to the team, and the power of Dyche's man management is summed up by the above clip from the Undr the Cosh podcast. Treacy praises Dyche for caring for him "as a human being," and thanks him in part for getting his football career back on track:
When Eddie Howe left, Sean Dyche took a real interest in me as a human being. He was probably the only manager who really tried to sort me out as a human.
I remember he used to bring me on jogs around Burnley city centre. Managers would say, 'once you get fit, you'll be in my team. Get the fuck over there and get fit.' He said to me, 'once you get fit, you'll be in my team, come on over there and we'll go on a jog.'
He did it with me every day. We'd train and he'd say, 'come on, we'll go on a jog.' He'd be there with me and we'd end up having chats like a bleedin' psychiatrist or a father and son, chatting about my family, and my home, and what's wrong with me.
I opened up to him big style, a lot. When he didn't recoil in horror and think, 'fucking hell, what is this fella all about?' - it sort of gave me this confidence that I can keep talking about the things, the depression, all the things I was dealing with in the dressing room and thinking.
When I say I opened up to him, I didn't tell him the extent of my drinking. I told him I had a bit here and there...
He really took an interest in me as a human being. He said to me, 'Keith, I don't care if you go on to make 200 appearances for Burnley, or if you make ten. I care about you as a human.'
The welfare of Dele Alli will be of great concern to football fans ahead of the new season, but the comments from Keith Treacy certainly suggest that he will be under great care under the management of Sean Dyche.
SEE ALSO: Dion Dublin Recalls Intriguing Way Roy Keane Tested Him In Manchester United Training
