Lampard wants Dele Alli to reinvent himself

Everton manager Frank Lampard has admitted Dele Alli “has a lot to prove” as he challenged the midfielder to emerge from a prolonged slump in his career and help Everton secure Premier League survival.

While the Everton manager said it was always going to take Dele time to adjust following a January move from Tottenham Hotspur where he had been consistently overlooked, Lampard now wants the 25-year-old to show he is ready to step up.

One of England’s most important players at the last World Cup, Dele has not started a game for Everton despite their alarming form which has left them in a relegation battle.

“People were talking about Dele as one of the top young players in the world,” said Lampard, whose side faces West Ham United on Saturday. “He has been here for seven league games when he has been eligible to play. I always believed it would take some time.

“We are in a situation where every game we go into, my selection thought is this has to be the best team possible to win this game. Dele has to train and show he is in that thinking. And every time he comes on he has to show he is worthy of starting a game.

“I am not saying he has not done that. Some players say they are better when they start. I said that as a player. The reality is you work on the individual. I am seeing him work and when the time is right and I feel he is there and will help the team, he will do it.”

In a national newspaper column, Stan Collymore, the former England striker, suggested Dele should consider retiring if he was no longer passionate about football.

“I saw those comments and it is important to broach them because I know Stan a little bit and he had difficulties which he has been open about in his career,” Lampard said.

“I understand where he is coming from but to speak about someone you do not know or put them in the same bracket was a bit much.

“I have the familiarity of working with Dele every day and I do not see a player who wants to retire at that age. That is a strong comment.

“What I do see — and people can put it that way — is he has a lot to prove. The basics are that when you have a lot to prove you have to get your head down, listen, and prove people wrong on the pitch. And that starts on the training pitch. I see it like that.”