My end of season player review of the Spurs under 18 side:
All in all it has been an excellent season for Scott Parker’s under 18 side, over the course of the campaign they competed in three major competitions. The under 18 premier league south, in which they finished fourth in, the FA youth cup where they were knocked out to our old nemesis Chelsea in the fifth round. And the inaugural edition of the premier league under 18 cup, which was without a doubt their highlight of the season. After scraping through the group stages, Scott Parker’s side swept away Liverpool and Arsenal with excellent performances en route to the final, where they faced Chelsea at their Cobham training centre. Unfortunately Parker’s talented pool of players met their match, and they were comfortably beaten 2-0 by the blues, in what was a dominant performance from the home side. The philosophy at Spurs is not always to set our team up to try and win matches, it is instead about experimentation. It is essentially about testing our young players mettle, putting players in uncomfortable positions, etc. Given that Parker’s side consisted mainly of first year scholars (one of the most talented year groups in recent seasons!) I think his side have done incredibly well this season, they’ve played some sparkling attacking football (far better then then the U23’s) but most importantly of all, they have embedded Pochettino’s philosophy into their playing style. Parker and McDermott had an array of talent at their disposal for the 2017/18 campaign, the free scoring Reo Griffiths led the line excellently and only went onto score 34 goals. You had the creative talent of players such as Phoenix Patterson, Jamie Bowden and Rodel Richards. Parker also managed to blood in a fair few of next seasons first year scholars such as the excellent J’neil Bennett and more recently young Irish prodigy Troy Parrott.
We managed to score an impressive 58 league goals throughout the season and as far as the cup competitions were concerned, I thought we did really well to achieve what we did in both of those competitions. It’s been a fine first season for Scott Parker and his lads, and I feel that it has really aided the development of so many of the young Spurs boys, who I consider to have made great strides over the course of the campaign.
Goalkeepers: Jonathan De Bie: Tottenham’s skipper for the entirety of the domestic season, the young Belgian enjoyed an excellent campaign. Playing in all but one of our league games, De Bie also played every game in the run up to the league cup final and the youth cup fifth round. After suffering a severe injury during the previous season, De Bie has done a remarkably good job as both a leader and keeper for Parker’s side. Our most consistent player of the season, De Bie was solid throughout. The 18 year old is incredibly well rounded for a goalkeeper, excellent at shot stopping and dealing with corners/crosses. The former Mechelen schoolboy is also an effective leader who certainly knows how to marshal his defence. De Bie who can often be heard bellowing the phrase ”early, early, early” to his teammates, is cool and composed under pressure. His distribution is good and so is his reading of the game. I couldn’t pick a main criticism out of the Belgians game. De Bie’s excellent season was recognised by Spurs and the PL youth, and he was invited to the annual award ceremony for scholars in Wolverhampton, where he was awarded with Spurs’ scholar of the season award. The 18 year old will compete with Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman for a starting berth in the U23 squad next season. De Bie could also make the odd appearance for the under 18 side as an overage goalkeeper. He is such a bright prospect.
Joshua Oluwayemi: The first year scholar (17) made only three appearances for Parker’s side during the season just gone. Strikingly small for a goalkeeper Oluwayemi impressed when called upon. Known for his excellent shot stopping ability, Oluwayemi impressed during his second half debut against Leicester back in August. Another impressive performance came in our sides 5-0 thrashing of Aston Villa at the villains Bodymoor Heath training ground. The former England U15 international who has a younger brother at Spurs called Tobi, put in a fine display against Villa. His composure and distribution under pressure were both particularly impressive features during the game. The 17 year old goalkeeper who hails from Waltham Forest also featured prominently for the Spurs under 17 side, which competed in the ALKAAS tournament out in Qatar in February. As I’m writing this Oluwayemi is out in the Netherlands with the Tottenham U19 side that is competing in the annual Terborg tournament.
Charlie Freeman: The Goodmayes born goalkeeper has endured an extremely difficult two years as a scholar for Spurs. Freeman only featured once for the under 18’s during the 2016-17 season owing to the excellent form of both Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman. After featuring briefly for the development side during pre season, young Charlie picked up an unfortunate injury to his arm, right at the beginning of the league campaign. This significantly hampered his progress and Freeman had to wait until March before he could return to competitive action. His return to U18 league football came during our under 18’s unfortunate 5-3 away defeat to Norwich. Due to his rustiness, Freeman would have hoped that he could of done better to prevent some of Norwich’s goals. Yet people will often forget the fact that he made some excellent saves during the same game. Bearing a striking resemblance to a young Pat Jennings, the highly rated Freeman was called up to an England U16 training camp a couple of years ago. An excellent shot stopper and all round goalkeeper who had an excellent season for the under 16’s back in the 2015/16 campaign. Freeman is in my eyes one of our best goalkeeping prospects, and you’ll get to hear about him a lot more next season when he will play for the under 18’s as an overage goalkeeper. The teenager also appeared for our under 19’s during their recent involvement in the Volksbank cup, in Germany.
Defenders: Tariq Hinds: A mainstay within the under 18 side during the 17/18 campaign, industrious right back Tariq Hinds was a consistent performer for Parker’s side. A terrific defender whose versatility proved useful throughout the season, Hinds also put in some impressive performances as a left back, centre half and central defensive midfielder. Hinds defensive stance is at odds with the many attacking fullbacks that we have at the club, whilst he has shown on occasions that he poses a danger surging forwards. Hinds tends to stay deep, and rarely did he get beaten by his man during the season. The tenacious 18 year old made 29 appearances for the under 18 side during the season, proving to be a crucial member of the side which reached the league cup final. Hinds also featured prominently for the under 19’s in Europe, and also made his first under 23 start of the season during our 5-0 defeat against Manchester City. Hinds is more than ready to make the permanent step up to the development side.
Matt Lock: It’s been a strange old season for young Matt Lock, after seeming to make good progress towards the end of the previous campaign. The budding right back started the beginning of this season well and featured quite prominently in our first few games. However, he seemed to disappear for the rest of the season. Only reappearing for the odd under 18 game and under 23 game where he would occasionally come on as late substitute. The skilful right back who is very slight in build, is a player who has an excellent low centre of gravity and is particularly potent going forward. I have seen a couple of things on social media that have suggested that ’Locky’ will be released by the club, upon the expiration of his contract next month. If that is to be the case then I wish him the very best of luck for the future.
Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: One of the most exciting academy players to emerge from Hotspur Way in recent seasons, young Brooklyn plays like he’s been schooled at Ajax’s youth academy. The Stones-esque ball playing centre half ranks as one of the finest young English defenders in the country. Throughout the season I couldn’t sing Lyons-Foster’s praises highly enough, he was exceptional for Parker’s side. He plays like a 27 year old not a 17 year old, his awareness and reading of the game is second to none. He snuffs out danger like a seasoned pro, he defends like a young Alderweireld. An exceptional passer of the ball, the Archway born defender can often be found darting forwards from deep, with the ball glued to his boot. Brooklyn who featured 21 times for Parker’s side during the season was without a shadow of a doubt our player of the season. Yes it may seem unthinkable that I haven’t chosen Griffiths however, Lyons-Foster’s remarkable first year as scholar is even more impressive. After impressing in both the run ups to the UEFA youth league quarterfinal and the league cup final where he unfortunately picked up a bad ligament injury. Brooklyn didn’t feature again for the under 18’s after hobbling off the pitch against Chelsea in the cup final. Without exaggerating Brooklyn is the most promising young defender at the club, he has all the attributes needed to make it at Spurs. He has it all pace, aerial quality, a good passing range and decision making, you name it he’s got the lot. Alongside his 21 appearances for the under 18’s this season Lyons-Foster made two appearances for the development side and also played a prominent role in the under 19 side that reached the quarter finals of the UEFA youth league. His injury came just after he had been called up to the England under 18 side which was a great shame. As he develops physically I’d expect him to feature a lot more for the under 23’s. In every other department he is light years ahead of his teammates!
Jubril Okedina: Unfortunately it was a frustrating season for the centre back, who was ruled out for a large chunk of the campaign through injury. The talented and highly rated centre half only featured on two occasions for Parker’s side. A dominant defender, who impressed greatly for the under 16’s during the previous campaign, the teenager will feature a lot more for Parker’s side during the 2018/19 season.
Maxwell Statham: The son of former Spurs fullback Brian Statham, the centre back had a decent season as a first year scholar. Featuring 13 times for the under 18’s this season, Statham is a specialist at making blocks and sliding challenges. Good in the air but at times not best suited to our play it from the back philosophy, Statham put in a series of mixed performances for Parker’s side throughout the campaign. After impressing on his debut against Southampton, Statham struggled for game time owing to the form of Lyons-Foster, Dinzeyi and Eyoma. When he did play it was usually in games against teams near the bottom end of the table. Prone to making a fair few mistakes whilst playing it out from the back (our 5-3 defeat to Norwich comes to mind) Statham could at times show a lack of concentration. However, as previously mentioned he is a big strong centre half who is excellent in the air and strong in the challenge, he is particularly good at getting in the way of forwards and making last ditch blocks/challenges. Next season should see the teenager get a lot more game time.
Maximus Tainio: Teemu’s son signed for Spurs on scholarship terms at the beginning of the season from HJK Helsinki. A steady right back, the Finn made seven appearances for Parker’s side during the 17/18 season. The Finland under 18 international also made his debut for the under 23 side during our 2-2 draw with West Ham in February. Tainio started the season playing for the under 16’s and had to wait until November before he could make the step up in level. He has looked decent whenever he has played. He doesn’t strike me as much of an attacking fullback and he also lacks pace. However, he is a solid defender who is a good crosser of the ball. The Auxerre born defender put in some strong defensive performances against the likes of Aston Villa and Arsenal, I look forward to seeing more of him next season.
Jamie Reynolds: After struggling to get game time during the previous season, the Tottenham coaches quickly converted the central midfielder as a left back for the beginning of this season. Reynolds excelled in his new position, an energetic and hard working full back, the 18 year old was one of Spurs’ most consistent performers throughout the season. A very attacking and pretty speedy left back, Reynolds was a constant threat down the left wing. With his pace and dribbling ability, Reynolds was able to show off his excellent crossing ability. This resulted in him getting seven assists throughout the campaign, Reynolds who is also eligible to represent Ireland, is very much a modern day full back. After adapting incredibly well to his newfound position, Reynolds tricky runs and solid defending combined nicely. Featuring on 27 occasions for Parkers side throughout the season, Reynolds fine form was rewarded with a place in the sides that faced both Monaco and Porto in the UEFA youth league. I really like the look of Reynolds since he converted to left back, he has all the tools to make it. He is a tough tackling defender who loves to go on surging runs down the wing, with Tsaroulla and Brown likely to be released I would expect Reynolds to be the number one left back for the U23’s next season. It’s worth noting that Reynolds picked up a bad injury in our 5-3 defeat to Norwich, he subsequently underwent an operation but should return in time for pre season.
Midfielders: Jamie Bowden: Despite being the youngest off all our first year scholars, midfielder Jamie Bowden played a key role in Scott Parker’s U18 side. Featuring 20 times for the under 18’s during the 17/18 season, the former England U16 international was the creative jewel of the team. A tigerish central midfielder who filled in well at centre back on occasions, like Oliver Skipp Bowden mops up well in the centre of the park. But it’s his excellent passing range which has really impressed me, Bowden makes defence splitting passes for fun. Oozing in class and composure, the talented Bowden is not too dissimilar to Michael Carrick in his style of play. However, the Londoner has a touch of Pirlo about him. That composure on the ball, his impeccable passing range and his reading of the game is all very similar to that of the footballing legend. Bowden put in many dominant performances in the centre of the park, like Skipp he has the ability to dictate games from deep. He loves to spray the ball around the park, he creates openings out of nothing, and links up well with the forwards. Bowden picked up four assists this season and netted on one occasion. People will have heard a lot about the likes of Skipp and Oakley-Boothe, but this kid is just as promising. It was a complete mystery to me as to why he was left out of the England under 17 squad that played in the Euros this summer. However, the silky midfielder is also eligible to represent Ireland and I’m sure they’ll have been watching him closely over the course of the season. I would love to see him feeding balls over the top of the defence for Parrott to chase onto! Next season Bowden will play an even greater role in the under 18 side, it is also likely that he’ll make his debut for the under 23’s at some point. He is yet another player who is beyond his years.
Rayan Clarke: A direct and pacy left winger, Rayan Clarke picked up a knee injury during pre season which ruled him out until October of last year. It took Clarke less than five minutes to find the net on his first under 18 appearance of the season (a league cup tie against Fulham). The talented winger who has also filled in at fullback on the odd occasion, has had a good season. Playing 14 times for Parker’s side over the course of the campaign, Clarke netted on two occasions and laid off the same amount of goals for his teammates. Known for his lung bursting runs, Clarke is a strong and powerful winger who has a lot more to offer. He made his debut for the under 23’s during their 2-2 draw with West Ham back in February. Clarke will likely play a starring role in Parker’s side next season, I like him a lot and am curious to see how he gets on.
Paris Maghoma: An exciting attack minded midfielder, Paris Maghoma was one of the under 18’s most important players this season. Dividing his time as both a cam and cm, Maghoma put in a series of really impressive performances for both the under 18’s and 19’s. With his driving forward runs through the middle, exciting skill and fine shooting ability. Maghoma is part of a dying breed of central midfielders who aren’t afraid to run at the defence. During his 26 games for the under 18’s, Maghoma chipped in with three goals and five assists. Whilst Maghoma provides a great attacking threat, he also adds steel to the midfield. He has the ability to glide past players, he is agile and crafty. He is a crisp passer of the ball and an expert from dead ball situations. He has great technique and I’m convinced that Troy Parrott learnt to take his trademark free kicks from Maghoma! One of the younger members of the squad, Paris has made the transition from U16 football to the under 18’s with ease, he is physically very strong and agile. He played an important role in the side that reached the league cup final, he played a particularly big part in us beating Arsenal in the semis. His impressive performances also earned him a place in the under 19 side which impressed in Europe. Paris put in some eye catching Onomah-esque performances against the likes of Dortmund and Monaco. I’d expect Maghoma to make quite a few appearances for the under 23 side next season.
Dilan Markanday: Markanday’s mesmeric dribbling ability and high intensity performances out on the right wing, were a common theme throughout the season. The Barnet born wide man who is also comfortable at playing in the number 10 role, was one of our most influential players throughout the season. Chipping in with nine goals and four assists Markanday was one of Parker’s main creative outlets. A skilful player with an excellent low centre of gravity, Markanday terrorised fullbacks with his menacing weaving runs. Strong on the ball and forward thinking, Markanday loved to play perfectly weighted Lamela-esque through balls to the centre forwards. Putting in a series of strong performances throughout the campaign, Markanday really reminds me of both Samuel Shashoua and Marcus Edwards when they were the same age. He has got that bit of a magic about him, time and time again he was able to produce the spark which Spurs needed. A clinical finisher in and around the six yard box, Markanday is a lively player with a tremendously high work rate. He has excelled for the under 18’s this season, he was also given his under 23 debut during our 5-0 defeat to Man City. In doing so he became only the second first year scholar to feature for Wayne Burnetts side that season. Markanday is a frighteningly good player who I’m expecting to push on even further next season. I could easily see him having a season just like Samuel Shashoua had when he was a second year scholar, watch this space!
Moroyin Omolabi: After a fairly uninspiring first year as a scholar, Omolabi was converted into a centre half for the beginning of this season having previously played as a cdm. Omolabi put in some decent for Parker’s side during the eight matches that he did play this season however, Omolabi had his contract cancelled by mutual consent by the club back in January. He has since joined fellow category one academy side Reading, who he appears to be doing well at. I wish Moroyin all the best for the future. And I think that Reading will prove to be a great fit for him in the long run.
Elliot Thorpe: Thorpe was another player who suffered with injuries throughout the season. Initially playing for the under 16 side, Thorpe picked up an injury to his wrist which ruled him out for much of the early parts of the season. The highly thought of Wales U19 international had to wait until January before he could make his debut for Parker’s side, that came in our 6-3 win against Brighton. All of Elliot’s three appearances this season have come from the subs bench, when he was involved he looked neat and tidy in the centre of the park. Thorpe is by trade a cam but since his considerable growth spurt in the last year he is now just as suited to playing in the centre of the park. A player with great technique, it’s been a great shame that the 17 year old missed so much of the campaign. You guys will be hearing a lot more about Thorpe next season.
J’neil Bennett: A schoolboy who we picked up from QPR last season, rapid winger J’neil Bennett has excelled for Parkers side since making the step up from the under 16’s in November. With his blistering pace and good balance, Bennett first came to my attention during the annual academy showcase game against Cambridge United in October. That day he ran the Cambridge defence ragged, I couldn’t get over how fast he was with the ball at his feet. Bennett’s excellent start to the U16 season saw him quickly fast tracked in to the under 18 side. He made his debut away to Swansea in October and never looked back, featuring on 14 occasions for Parker’s side. Bennett became a useful creative outlet and managed to lay off six goals for his teammates. A Zaha-esque winger with skill and pace in abundance, Bennett put in some wonderful performances for Spurs. I can recall him totally embarrassing defenders down the left wing, a consistent performer Bennett looked at ease in the u18 side. Putting in some masterful performances against the likes of Aston Villa, Preston and Arsenal, Bennett was a real joy to watch. However his lack of strength and experience did show on a fair few occasions throughout the season. Bennett played predominantly for the under 16’s during the last two months of the season and he stole the limelight once again with his performance against Ipswich during a showcase game at Portman road, earlier in the month. The Camden born winger is an incredibly exciting talent who I’m sure will play a key role in the under 18 side next season.
Maurizio Pochettino: The gaffers son struggled for game time during his first year as a scholar at Spurs. Featuring only ten times for Parker’s side during the 2017/18 season, he looked decent whenever he played. Though his lack of pace and flair limited his impact on games. Scoring once for the club during our 5-2 away win at Swansea, Poch junior would have liked to have had more pitch time, but he is nowhere near the likes of Dilan Markanday and Rodel Richards at the moment. Pochettino who was highly thought of by the coaches at Southampton will hope for more starts next season.
Phoenix Patterson: An intelligent wide man who showed that he is more than capable of playing in the centre of the park. Having featured heavily for the under 18 side during the previous season, Patterson upped his game during the most recent campaign. After starting the season brightly out on the left wing, Patterson whose younger brother Kane was released by the club back in February, is a skilful and resourceful forward who uses the ball intelligently. Featuring on an impressive 29 occasions throughout the season, I think it’s fair to summarise Phoenix’s season as a good one. As previously mentioned, he was excellent during the first few league games but he then seemed to drift away a bit from the action. Parker and his coaching staff subsequently tried him out as a number 10 which he impressed at, and then as a central midfielder where he also gave a good account of himself. Patterson is a really silky craftsman who is on his day a younger version of Mesut Özil. Patterson has great vision and a proper footballing brain, his weight of pass is second to none, as too is his movement in and around the box. A free kick specialist, Patterson scored eight goals for Parkers side and assisted a further nine. Impressive statistics from a player who remains one of our hottest young talents. The 17 year old has impressed me throughout the season and has had some really good games, none more so than our 6-3 victory over Brighton, inwhich Phoenix scored a hat trick in. However, I get the impression that he still hasn’t found his perfect position, I personally could see him ending up as an advanced central midfielder, a bit like Jack Grealish. I would expect Patterson to feature for the development side a fair bit over the course of next season.
Armando Shashoua: When I tell you that the attacking midfielder was only directly involved in two of Spurs’ goals last season, you may be unimpressed, however, listen carefully. The younger brother of Samuel Shashoua, Armando has been one of our star performers throughout the season. The 17 year old featured on 23 occasions for Parker’s side, Armando is like a more advanced version of Harry Winks. He is a vital cog in Spurs’ attacking machine, he keeps things ticking, with crisp and accurate passes. He is great at creating space for himself in and around the six yard box, showing great awareness of his surroundings. He links up perfectly with the centre forward and the wide men, he was an integral part to much of Spurs’ attacking exploits over the season. Armando who can also play as a central midfielder, is like a terrier to play against, he is constantly hounding the opposition. Pressing them constantly he forces so many errors out of the defenders. Earlier on in the season I compared him to Renato Sanches which at this moment in time doesn’t sound like much of a compliment. But Harry Winks is the player who he most reminds me of most, he keeps things simple, he is good on the ball but never wasteful. He keeps his passes short and crisp, if anything he plays like a young Spanish player. Reluctant to shoot Armando prefers to create openings for his teammates, he is the ultimate grafter. He combines intricacy with hard work, I’m not joking when I compare him to someone like Kante, you literally have to drag him off the pitch at the end of matches, such is his stamina. It’s only when you take him out of the team that you realise how effective he is to Parker’s side. Like his older brother I couldn’t sing his praises highly enough.
As he is usually the smallest player on the pitch, opposition players will often try to bully him and outmuscle him. But to Armando’s credit he never reacts, he just gets straight back up and back into the thick of the action. The lad is a serious talent who is able to initiate attacking moves but at the same time graft like nobody else on the pitch, and get back to cover for the central midfielders who are higher up the pitch. It’s been a fantastic season for the Kensington born midfielder, and if I was one of the England youth team coaches I’d act fast to integrate him into the national side. Apart from England he is eligible to represent Venezuela, the USA and Spain and I’m sure scouts from all three footballing federations are tracking him closely. In my opinion he would thrive for the Spanish youth team and I for one hope that he would snub England if Spain did come calling. Next season Armando will play an even greater role in Parker’s side. He is such a joy to watch!
Jeremie Mukendi: After featuring prominently for the under 18’s during the first few games of the season. Mukendi seemed to disappear off the radar for much of the remainder of the season, with the exception of the odd appearance here and there. An incredible athlete who picked up many awards at his school, Mukendi is very much a direct winger. Of his 13 appearances for the under 18’s Mukendi put in a series of very mixed performances, he looked bright during his first few games and managed to pick up two assists. But for the rest of the campaign he was unable to really influence play, despite managing to create a lot of space for himself out on the right wing. His decision making isn’t the best nor is his end product, but what I like about Mukendi is his directness and willingness to run at his man. I hope he is able to show more of his quality next season.
Forwards: Reo Griffiths: What 17 year old centre forward Reo Griffiths achieved during the 2017/18 campaign was nothing short of sensational. A couple of years ago Griffiths was a marauding centre half, in the season just gone Reo has scored a remarkable 34 goals in all competitions. The former Leyton Orient schoolboy was our talisman throughout the campaign, he was a powerful and charismatic figure within the squad. He could often be found celebrating extravagantly by the corner flag, but what he did best was putting the ball into the back of the net. Reo really stepped up this season, on his day he was unplayable, his sheer strength proving too much for even the most physical of defenders. He led the line to perfection, he worked extremely hard and was constantly pressing the defenders, his hold up play was also of the highest standard. Reo is constantly on the move, peeling off his marker and looking to make runs into the box. His prowess in and around the danger zone took the U18 league by storm, the amount of times he would come off the pitch with the match ball in his arms was an absolute joke. He scored 26 league goals for Parker’s side, far more than anybody else in the league managed. Reo scored all types of goals, from tap ins to 30 yard screamers and unstoppable looping headers, Griffiths made a name for himself amongst the Spurs fan base. Whilst he was phenomenal throughout the season, it’s worth noting that Reo is by no means the finished article. He is similar to players such as Salah and Son, in the sense that for every one on one with the keeper he gets, he’ll only end up converting one in three of those chances. He has missed some absolute sitters this season but my word has he made up for them. He is by no means our most technically gifted young striker but he is without doubt our most effective.
However, success doesn’t come without speculation and since February time Reo has been the subject of numerous stories linking him with a move away from Spurs. He has been strongly linked with a move to German side RB Leipzig but he has also attracted the attention of other top clubs such as Juventus, Celtic, Roma and Barcelona. The young Griffiths has revelled in such attention and has retweeted many of these stories on his twitter account. He has also teased fans with numerous cryptic posts including a video which said ”I’ll be signing something soon”. You’d have thought that he’d have been promoted to the under 23 squad pretty early on in the season, but he only made three appearances for Burnetts side throughout the campaign. Griffiths is an excellent young player and I’d love to see how he would get on in the development side. He may well be leaving the club upon the end of his scholarship next month and whilst I wish him all the very best, I feel that it would be a real blow to lose him. Let’s wait and see what happens.
Rodel Richards: Due to Reo Griffiths’ excellent form throughout the season, centre forward and first year scholar Rodel Richards was forced into playing out on the left wing. The former Arsenal schoolboy made a great impact on the side during the course of the season. A pacy and tricky winger who was clinical in front of goal, Richards alleviated some of the pressure off of top scorer Reo Griffiths, he even hit the headlines after he scored two hat tricks in six days. A mesmeric dribbler with blistering pace and good balance, Richards excelled for the under 16 side the previous season. A hardworking player who loves a crunching challenge, the south Londoner is a natural goalscorer and is without a doubt a more clinical finisher than Griffiths. Scoring 15 goals for the under 18’s from out wide, a more than impressive feat for a first year scholar, Richards also impressed in Europe for the U19’s. Hopefully he’ll be able to play in his natural position of centre forward more next season. I like him a lot!
Troy Parrott: The Irish wonder kid had to wait until his 16th birthday before he could represent the under 18’s. Parrott who hails from Summerville in Dublin, has been described by many as the next Robbie Keane. Parrott is a remarkable young striker who has been rightfully touted to achieve great things. A star of the Ireland U17 side which competed in the Euros this summer, Parrott also impressed for Parker’s side during the four games which he featured in for the U18’s. Scoring on one occasion, Parrott put in a series of really mature performances. His strength, movement and ball control were all highly impressive. Parrott is a natural goalscorer who starred during an U17 tournament in Borgaro Nobis in Italy, back in March. Parrott is an extremely exciting prospect who I’m predicting to go onto play for the U23’s come the middle of next season!
Further reading: https://superhotspur.com/2018/05/19/some-notes-on-troy-parrotts-performance-against-the-netherlands-under-17s/
The Superhotspur goal of the season: After much thought, the award for the best goal of the season has to go to Phoenix Patterson for his sensational free kick against Brighton during our 6-3 win over them. It was the goal which sealed Patterson’s hat trick down on the south coast. Having already scored a free kick earlier in the game, Patterson would have fancied his chances when Spurs were awarded one from about 25 yards out from goal. Patterson curled the ball beautifully around the wall and into the top right corner of Brighton goalkeeper Tom McGill’s goal, it was a superb goal.
The Superhotspur game of the season: Whilst our 9-0 thrashing of Arsenal was an incredible game of football, I’ve decided to pick our 4-0 win over Liverpool as my game of the season. It was Liverpool head coach Steven Gerrard’s first taste of defeat, after the reds dominated much of the first half. Spurs showed great resilience to nick the lead through Griffiths on the stroke of half time. From then on they were superb, they sparkled all across the park and ended up totally outplaying the Merseyside club to progress to the semifinals of the competition.
The Superhotspur player of the season: For his outstanding goalscoring exploits I feel obliged to award it to Reo Griffiths for his exceptional season. However, I’m going to give it to Brooklyn Lyons-Foster for his terrific season as a first year scholar. The immensely talented ball playing centre half was for me Parker’s most consistent performer. His many masterful performances in the heart of the Tottenham defence and his reading of the game was just brilliant to watch. A player who is years ahead of his age, Lyons-Foster is the perfect modern cb. He can play it out from the back, he can pass well but most importantly of all he is an exceptional young defender. Congratulations and good luck for the new season Brooklyn!
Under 18 Goals scored during the 2017/18 season: Reo Griffiths-33
Phoenix Patterson-8
Dilan Markanday-9
Jamie Bowden- 1
Moroyin Omolabi-1
Rayan Clarke-2
Maurizio Pochettino-1
Paris Maghoma-3
Rodel Richards-15
J’neill Lloyd-Bennett-2
TJ Eyoma-1
Armando Shashoua-1
Troy Parrott-1
Assists: Phoenix Patterson-9
Jamie Bowden-4
Matt Lock- 2
Jeremie Mukendi-2
Jamie Reynolds-6
Reo Griffiths-12
J’neill Lloyd-Bennett-6
Rayan Clarke-2
Rodel Richards-2
Dilan Markanday-4
Oliver Skipp-2
Tariq Hinds-4
Paris Maghoma-5
Armando Shashoua-1
Maurizio Pochettino -1
Jonathan Dinzeyi-1
superhotspur 