Swansea star Nathan Dyer pays emotional tribute to ‘father figure’ and agent Cyrille Regis after legend’s passing
The West Brom and Coventry hero was Swansea winger Dyer’s advisor and confidant from the age of 14 until his death
NATHAN DYER fought back tears as he recalled how Cyrille Regis became like a father to him.
The West Brom and Coventry legend was Swansea winger Dyer’s advisor and confidant from the age of 14 until his death last Sunday.
Dyer, 30, spoke to his mentor for the last time two days before he died.
Barely controlling his emotions, he said: “I knew Cyrille since I was 14. He was my first agent and still was until the day he died.
“He was more like a father figure to me growing up, effectively my second dad, throughout all my ups and downs.
“He has been there throughout everything in my career, every day.
“I spoke to him on Friday. We were talking about our game against Newcastle the following day. Then just a couple of days later I had a call to say he was gone. He helped me through so much in my life — just seeing him and speaking to him made me smile.
“I want to use everything he taught me to inspire the next generation of footballers, because when I retire I want to be a mentor like he was for me.
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“Cyrille was always that go-to man when I was struggling to understand what to do to get picked.
“He was a great person to help me keep my head and offer ideas of things to do when I was feeling low.
“Cyrille would ask, ‘Are you doing this? Are you doing that?’ It’s crazy to think I’ll never speak to him again.”
Dyer faces Liverpool tomorrow at the Liberty Stadium, having been at Swansea for nine years.
His career has seen him win promotion to the top flight with the Swans in 2011, score twice in League Cup final glory against Bradford at Wembley in 2013 and win the title while on loan at Leicester.
But as he contemplates life after football, the ex-Southampton ace insists rather than coach or manage, he wants to take young players under his wing and help guide them.
Dyer explained: “When I first started playing I thought being successful in football was just about training, working hard and playing.
“But I’ve had to learn the hard way as there is so much politics in the game.
“Some players have to work so much harder than others to get on in the game.
“Nowadays, young footballers must think about much more than just playing. It’s a political minefield.
“There’s sometimes too much pressure in Premier League football.
“A lot of players are still young lads, in their late teens and early 20s, and they’re expected to behave very differently to other people their same age.
“With the money we get paid now, more people are judging us. You’ll hear and read, ‘You’re on this much money, why are you doing this, why are you doing that?’
“There is this attitude that someone can say to you what they want — but you can’t say something back because you’re earning a lot of money. It is madness.
“That’s why I came off most social media sites. We had lots of meetings about it, where we were told what we can say, what we can’t say. What you can respond to, what you can’t respond to. I just thought, ‘This is too much, I can’t be myself’ — so I came off Facebook and Twitter. I now only have Instagram, which is just for my family and friends.”
Dyer believes footballers are becoming more robotic — stripped of their own personality to the outside world.
He said: “The younger boys still want to go out, which I did back in my earlier days, but it’s more scrutinised now.
“It can be going to the supermarket at midnight and people saying you’re meant to be in bed. Or you might be seen buying a doughnut and you’re slaughtered as you shouldn’t be eating one of those!
“It gets ridiculous. I find it crazy when clubs cancel Christmas parties if they’re in a relegation battle. To the outside world, it gives out the message you’re taking it seriously.
“But the reality of the situation is that it doesn’t make a blind bit of difference if you hold a Christmas party or not.
“If you do it at the right time, it’s not going to impact on your performance.
“Last season Swansea didn’t have a Christmas party — and we kept losing games during that period. This season, we had one and won our next game!”
Footballers are told they must be role models, but a brutally honest Dyer said: “What if a player doesn’t want to be?”
“A lot of sportsmen and women are paid a lot but don’t get the same level of criticism levelled at them as footballers.
“It’s because football is the No 1 sport in the world — most certainly in the UK.
“But some people don’t want to be role models, they want to be themselves.
“Look at Joey Barton. He is one of the most outspoken people out there. He says it how he sees it, whether you agree with him or disagree. He is who he is — and that is fine too.
“I am now able to be myself but have learned to do it around those close to me. When you are out and about, you must always be on your tiptoes.”
Sound advice to any young footballers today. And lay off the doughnuts . . .
