Ex-Fifa official demands Premier League intervention after ‘huge’ Eric Dier reveal at Tottenham
The Premier League must act after Eric Dier revealed he does not let his family attend Tottenham away games, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee insisted Dier deserves praise for speaking out about abuse at games.
As quoted by the Guardian last week (20 September) the 28-year-old revealed his close family do not attend away games due to potential abuse.
He insisted the rise in abuse in recent years is a “huge, huge problem” for football.
The centre-back entered the stands to confront a fan after Spurs’ FA Cup game with Norwich City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in March 2020.
Dier claimed the situation has only got worse since the incident that saw him hit with a four-game ban and a £40,000 fine.
“I applaud the players for actually coming out on saying there’s a problem,” Hackett told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“The ball is now in the court of the authorities, clubs and Premier League together. The Premier League are the clubs.
“I would hope there is a serious consultation now between the PFA, the clubs and the Premier League to say ‘Look, what can we do’.
“Within reason, there could be the allocation of a room at every stadium to the family of the away team. Ok, that might not be the case.
“There has got to be an intervention to try and put it right.
“Is it a big issue? Well it’s a growing issue when a player like Dier comes out like this.
“Let football authorities try and do something about it.”
In other news, Daniel Levy has “woken up to a nightmare” at Tottenham after the latest on Antonio Conte.