Month: July 2023

My interview with former Spurs Youth and Reserve team manager Pat Holland: 

Posted on by superhotspur

Pat Holland’s association with West Ham United as a player was a long and successful one, with the winger making many appearances for them. An FA Cup winner with West Ham in 1975, Pat Holland would also play in the 1976 European Cup Winners Cup final against Anderlecht. However, it was later on as a coach in North London with Spurs, that Pat made a real impression on the youth system/Academy, during two spells with the club. He would join Spurs as an Under 18 coach during the late 1980’s, before later taking charge of the Spurs Reserves side in the last year of his first spell with the club. Pat would later leave Spurs to go to Leyton Orient, to become the manager of their first team. Although he would later return to Spurs upon leaving Leyton Orient in 1997, to become their Youth Team manager at the Spurs Academy, a role that we hold until well into the 2000’s. A very good coach who I had heard a lot of good things about from a lot of former Spurs youth/academy players over the years, I recently had the great pleasure and privilege of interviewing Pat Holland about his long time with Spurs as a coach and as Youth Team manager.

How did you come about joining Spurs as a youth coach during your first spell with the club during the late 1980’s? And could you talk me through your memories of that period of time with Spurs, as Under 18’s coach, and later manager of the Spurs Reserves?

Pat: I was at Leyton Orient at the time, before going to QPR for a year. However, I found the travelling to get there quite difficult. So I ended up going back to Leyton Orient again, but I did have quite close connections with Spurs and John Moncur, and also a man called Dickie Moss, who was a goalkeeping coach and scout. And he was a very good goalkeeping coach with the young players. So anyway, he kept on saying to me that he wanted to get me to Tottenham, and so between John Moncur and Dickie Moss I managed to get into Spurs. The then Spurs youth team manager Keith Blunt had gone to Gillingham with Keith Burkinshaw, and so there were a few names in the hat, but John Moncur put in a very good word for me, and I think that Keith Waldon did as well. So from there I met Terry Venables and got the job. Going to Spurs was a great change from being at Leyton Orient, as they were a fourth division side then, and their facilities were alright. However, when I went to Tottenham it was a different world, as you were surrounded by top players.

At the time Spurs were training at Mill Hill, and you had top players like Gary Lineker, who were already at Spurs when I arrived at the club. So it’s not always easy to go to a big club like that and settle quickly, but the youth players were very good and so was Keith Waldon. They had a way of playing at Spurs which was a lot of technical play, which to me was something I knew a lot about anyway, being a former West Ham player, as that footballing culture was the same at West Ham. I was the head-coach of the second Spurs Under 18 side, and I enjoyed coaching them immensely. Being in charge of the reserves for a while in my first spell at Spurs  was always going to be more difficult. Gerry Francis had arrived at Spurs as the manager, and he’d brought in Des Bulpin as the new youth team manager, which left me in what you’d say was no man’s land. So with Des being in charge of the youth side and Chris Hughton in charge of the reserves, I could have ended up leaving Spurs quite easily at that stage. But I held on and I ended up having a spell with the reserves, which was alright, but I enjoyed coaching the youth side better.

In the same season that I was in charge of the Spurs reserves, the opportunity came along to manage Leyton Orient, and so obviously I went for that job, in what I believe was 1995/96.

You would later return to Spurs in 1997, as their Youth Team manager at the Spurs Academy, until 2006. Could you talk me through your time at the club, and your experiences during those years?

Pat: My second spell with Spurs was brilliant. I’d managed at Leyton Orient and it hadn’t quite worked out, and so I went to Millwall as my old teammate Billy Bonds was the first team coach there. That season with Millwall was difficult and very demanding, and then that Christmas the opportunity came to go back to Spurs, as Gerry Francis and Des Bulpin were both leaving the club. So I met Daniel Sugar in a hotel that was near to the Spurs training ground, which was now at Luxborough Lane, in Chigwell. And so me and Daniel shook hands, and so I was on board. Christian Gross was the manager at the time, and he was a really nice man, but he wasn’t there for long, before George Graham came in as manager. When I returned to Spurs they were changing the layout of the training ground, and so we had to train at a school. I had some good players then, even though the facilities there weren’t great, but it bonded us as a team. In my first game in charge I went in there not knowing any of the players, and so in the first half they’d been squabbling a little bit. So I told them all to have a go at me, if they were going to have a go at anybody, and if they did do that then they’d be in trouble. So the team changed their attitude for the second half.

Up front for my team in that first game was a tall and thin player, and then a defender playing at centre-half, and also a right-back who would get up and down the flank all day long, and who went on to play for England. So we’d been 2-0 down at half-time, and then in the second half we got a goal back. In the last minute of the game the tall and thin centre-forward scored an over-head kick into the top corner, and that of course was Peter Crouch. So all three of those players (Peter Crouch, Ledley King and Luke Young) all became England internationals. I think that that season we’d been undefeated, until we came up against Arsenal in a final at the end of the season. I’d picked a young team in that Under 19 league for that season, and so you had players like Alton Thelwell and Simon Cliss. So anyway, we’d lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal in the first leg of the final of this competition, and so I thought to myself that I had to change something. And so I went with a back three and two wing-backs. So we beat them 1-0, and Peter Crouch scored. If you’d won this particular trophy then you were invited to participate in the Dallas Cup, in America. Liam Brady was kind of the Academy director at Arsenal at the time, and he didn’t fancy competing in the tournament. So the Spurs Academy director at the time (Peter Suddaby) called me into the office and told me that we could compete in the Dallas Cup, which I thought would be great.

We got to the final of the Dallas Cup where we lost to Brazilian side Corinthians, who were a good side. So in two years we got to two finals. The development of the players stands in my mind as a coach. Sol Campbell went through to the first team during the first spell that I had at the club, and then there was Stephen Carr, Nicky Barmby and quite a few others who all made it to the first team. From my second spell that I had at Spurs, Ledley King obviously made it. Peter Crouch just wasn’t strong enough at the time, so he would later leave the club on loan, before leaving permanently. But he had a lot of ability, although he needed to improve in the air. However, Peter and the rest of the lads’ attitude was first class.

During your time at Spurs you would coach many very good players. What was it like to coach such quality players on a day to day basis?

Pat: It’s strange really, because when you’re working with them you don’t think about it so much. You know that they are talented players, but you can’t compare them until they’re playing on a match day. So you need to look at the strengths that the players have, and try to then improve their strengths, to add a little bit to what they’ve already got. It’s not always so easy with their weaknesses, as if they’re not so strong on their left foot then you could spend a year of them working on their left foot, while in that year you’ve wasted your right foot, and improving on that. If I had to put money on players making it at Spurs from the youth set-up then, then I would have said Stephen Carr, Ledley King and Sol Campbell. There are always surprises who make it and late developers. Luke Young was a very good player who had a great career in the game, as well as Peter Crouch. Alton Thelwell was another really good player who was a really nice guy, and also somebody who you could talk to as a man. There was also Danny Hill, who was really talented, but who just didn’t make it, as maybe he physically just missed out on making it. Johnnie Jackson was another really good player who joined Spurs as a schoolboy, and we included him in the Spurs youth squad that travelled to the Dallas Cup, and we gave him a bit of game time there.

I remember asking Johnnie Jackson who he supported one day. He told me that he supported Arsenal, and I was laughing as I told him that I’d supported Arsenal as a youngster. However, I told him that I didn’t support them as much then, as when I’d become a pro my heart went with the team that I was playing for. I also said to him that he’d hopefully find that out for himself one day. But Johnnie did really well at Spurs and in his later career as a player.

What was your time at Spurs like on the whole?

Pat: It was brilliant. To be honest with you I’ve always enjoyed coaching more than playing, and don’t get me wrong I loved playing, but I felt no pressure when I was coaching at Spurs, and I just felt comfortable coaching there. I had two spells at Spurs, and I think that all in all I was there for about 16 years. West Ham supporters will ask me what my best time in football was, and I’ll say it was when I was at Spurs! I loved coaching and I have great memories of my time at Spurs. We had the best indoor ball court at White Hart Lane in the day, and I have a great story from there. When I was doing Tuesday and Thursday training sessions I had a session on the Thursday evening and so I asked Paul Gascoigne whether he would watch the youth players training. He agreed and asked me what time he should turn up, and anyway I get there and he’s sitting in reception with his feet up, and he has his Spurs kit on. So up we go and I’d told him what we were doing for training, but he told me to have a match. Paul wanted to play in the game! In my mind I’m thinking that he’s playing for the first team on the Saturday, so I was worried that he’d get injured. Anyway, we were in the ball court for an hour, and at the end he signed every single autograph, which was just fantastic.

Were there any people at Spurs who you looked up to, during your time with the club as a coach?

Pat: Terry Venables was a force at the club, and he had great charisma. He was an excellent coach, and so he made a big impression on me, as did George Graham when he came to Spurs. I never got to see Christian Gross a lot, and then there were other managers such as Glenn Hoddle when he came to Spurs, and I knew his assistant John Gorman well. So I gelled with some managers and coaches more than others.

Are there any memories from your time at Spurs which really stand out to you?

Pat: I suppose when we won the FA Youth Cup against Middlesborough under Keith Waldon, was one. As I was a big part of that, and I went to all of the games in that cup run. Winning that was a great achievement, and Keith is a proud man. So just generally being part of the club was great and a lasting memory. Of course getting to finals was great, and in my first season with the Spurs youth side we won the South-East Counties League. We went to Millwall and won it and they had a big crowd there that day, and one of my players got involved with the crowd. I quickly went onto the pitch and told him to get off the pitch, as I could see that otherwise there was going to be a confrontation. But anyway we won the league that season which was great for me, because Spurs had been so prolific at winning the South-East Counties League, and so it was just nice to follow the history.

From your time with Spurs as a coach, and particularly as Youth Team manager, looking back which players really stood out to you for their technical ability and talent?

Pat: There was Sol Campbell, who I always thought was going to be a midfield player. He even played up front for one whole season, as we were short of a striker that season at youth level. I’d already asked him whether he’d be alright playing up front as a sub in a youth game, and he said yes. However, anyway he’d played five or so games for my Spurs youth team, before Keith Waldon promoted him to his youth side, because Ollie Morah had got injured, but I always thought that Sol was going to be a player. As was Stephen Carr, and I remember in a game against Norwich I asked him to push up the pitch, and he ended up winning us the game with two crosses. When I first went to Spurs, although it was Keith Waldon’s side, Darren Caskey, Nicky Barmby and Andy Turner all went on to play for the first team. I think that it was easier to make it back then, because now clubs are buying players who are already ready for the first team, and top international players. So now you’ve got to work so hard to get into the first team.

Were there any academy/youth players who didn’t play for the Spurs first team that you thought would have done, from your time there as a coach?

Pat: My best side was the side that had Ledley King in it, and I think that nine of that squad became players. However, going back to that team there was a lad called Ian Hillier, who was a great lad, but he didn’t have any pace. So I ended up playing him at right-back, and he was terrific. Then I had Ledley, and players like John Piercy, Alton Thelwell and David Lee, who all had good careers in the game. One player who did actually play for the first team at Spurs, but who I thought got everything too early, was Phil Ifil. I remember that David Kerslake was doing the evening training at Spurs, and he told me that he thought that he had a player. And while you’ve got to have confidence, I thought that Phil was a little bit too confident, and England had been telling him how good he was going to be. And he was similar to Ben Bowditch, who captained England right the way through at youth level. Ben had everything that you could at youth team level, but he just never made that next step. I felt disappointed for him, and the last time that I saw him was at Cambridge United versus a non-League side, and Ben was on the bench for the non-League side. Once they play at a good level you want them to do well.

I can also remember Mark Yeates once playing for us against West Ham, and Tony Carr asked me who my best player was, and I told him that it was Mark. So he put a player on him to mark him, and after half an hour of the game Mark Yeates came up to me saying how they were marking him, and asking me what he should do. So at half-time I told him to pass the ball out to the wide areas to create space for himself. Mark would go on to make the first team at Spurs. Another player who I liked was Jacques Maghoma, and I used to play him on the left as a winger. He was good at linking the play on that side of the pitch, but he had real ability to get into good areas. And he had a great career with Birmingham. 

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement/contribution in your time as a coach with Spurs?

Pat: Hopefully it was giving them some of my knowledge from being a player, and as a coach. Because it’s not all about what happens on the pitch, as it’s also about how you conduct yourself off it. I also wanted to keep my distance as well from them, as from Monday to Saturday I can look, coach and guide, but after that it is their time as players. Some made mistakes, but a lot of them didn’t. So I think that’s an important part of the social side of being a coach.

The Spurs Academy group of the early 2000’s had a very talented group of players.  What do you remember of that group of players, and their success as a team?

Pat: Things started to change a little bit in the 2000s, as the reserve team coach wanted to take players off of you to build their numbers up as a squad. But that early 2000’s side were a good side with good players. It’s all about what you produce in football, and I can remember Norwich winning the FA Youth Cup one year and not one player got into their first team. The hardest thing is when you sense that the young players aren’t going to make it, and you’ve got to learn to tell them that at some stage. Christmas time was always hard, because we were basically making our minds up as to where this player was going to go. I remember Terry Venables asking me what my thoughts were on coming out of the youth side at 19. And I told him that I thought that it was a grey area, because a lot of players develop slowly, some physically and some mentally. Some players get some more self belief in that year, and you can regret them leaving the club or being released. So I said that if we were in any doubt then we should give the player a pro contract. Winning is also very important for young players, because you need that winning mentality as in the next step-up there are only four or so spaces to get in, and if you’re not in one of them then you’ve got to drop out. So you’ve got to help the players to be as mentally strong as they can.

What would your advice be to the Spurs Academy players of today, as they look to make it in the game?

Pat: I think that the first and most important thing is that when you walk into the training ground on a Monday, that you need to work hard. You can have laughs, but once you get onto that training pitch your focus needs to be on what you are doing, as that’s really important. Obviously I was big on behaviour and discipline, because you want to remind them that they are professional footballers. These players have also got to watch the first team, because sometimes they don’t and that amazes me, as that’s where they want to be. So giving 100% in everything you do in training and in matches is so important. 

After all these years how do you look back on your time with Spurs? And are they a club that you still hold close to your heart?

Pat: I have great memories of my time at Spurs, and I met many players who went onto have great careers in the game, as well as players who didn’t, but they were good people. I have good memories of the players who made it and also good memories of the ones who didn’t make it, because some of those players’ attitude was first class. 

Spurs Under 21’s 0-4 Stevenage: (match report)

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Spurs’ Under 21 side faced League One side Stevenage, at their Lamex Stadium on Saturday afternoon in a pre-season friendly. Wayne Burnett’s side lost the game 4-0, to an experienced Stevenage side, who had some very experienced players playing for them. Spurs lined-up with Aaron Maguire in goal, while Max Robson, Alfie Dorrington, Charlie Sayers and Will Andiyapan started in defence. Captain Brooklyn Lyons-Foster and Harvey White started in central midfield, as Damola Ajayi and Yago Santiago started out on the flanks, either side of CAM Alfie Devine. Nile John would once again lead the line for Spurs, who got the match underway. Spurs started the game well, and after Nile John got on the ball in midfield, he went on a good forward run from midfield. He eventually passed the ball to Damola Ajayi on the right flank, who then passed the ball to Alfie Devine inside the Stevenage penalty area. However, Devine’s lofted effort went just over the Stevenage goal. A really good passing move from Spurs shortly after saw Harvey White pass the ball to Yago Santiago on the left side of the Stevenage box, but his resulting effort went in to the arms of the Stevenage goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

Harvey White made an important clearance from inside the Spurs penalty area, before Jordan Roberts came inside with the ball from the right flank, before hitting a low effort which came off of Aaron Maguire’s left post. A cross from Jordan Roberts to Carl Piergianni in the centre of the Spurs box resulted in the defender heading the ball off of Maguire’s crossbar. After meeting a Stevenage corner-kick, Nick Freeman powerfully headed the ball past Maguire in the Spurs goal, 0-1. Ben Thompson hit an effort wide of the Spurs goal from the edge of their penalty area, with the home side now enjoying the better chances of the two sides. Josh March then saw his diving header from Kane Smith’s cross in to the Spurs penalty area, go just wide of Maguire’s goal. Not long before half-time Nick Freeman got his and Stevenage’s second goal of the game, scoring with a first time effort from inside the Spurs box, following Dan Butler’s low cross, 0-2. The referee sounded his whistle for half-time shortly after. For the beginning of the second half Spurs made some substitutions. Luca Gunter replaced Aaron Maguire in goal, with Jahziah Linton, Rio Kyerematen and Jude Soonsup-Bell replacing Will Andiyapan, Damola Ajayi and Alfie Dorrington respectively. 

The second half didn’t get off to a good start for Spurs, as after just two minutes of the second half starting, Stevenage made it 3-0. Carl Piergianni headed home Jake Forster-Caskey’s corner-kick, leaving Luca Gunter with no chance of saving it, 0-3. Not long after making it 3-0, Stevenage made it 4-0. Dan Butler’s cross in to the Spurs penalty area from the left flank, resulted in Jahziah Linton and Luca Gunter going for the ball, and unfortunately Jahziah Linton headed the ball in to his goal, 0-4. Jahziah Linton unfortunately picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Tyrell Ashscroft, who made his return from an injury that he sustained in a game last year. Luca Gunter managed to push away a headed effort on goal, before Tyrell Ashcroft hit an effort over from distance, at the other end of the pitch. Gunter saved Louis Thompson’s headed effort on goal, and then shortly afterwards Tyrese Hall and Dante Cassanova came on to replace Alfie Devine and Harvey White respectively. Luca Gunter saved Alex MacDonald’s effort from distance, before Josh March saw his effort from the edge of the Spurs penalty area go narrowly wide of Luca Gunter’s goal. 

Carl Piergianni hit an effort over from inside the Spurs box, and then a couple of minutes later Alex MacDonald hit a free-kick effort on to Luca Gunter’s crossbar. Stevenage continued to be the better team in the game, and after Alex MacDonald had an effort from close range saved by Luca Gunter, Jamie Reid went through on goal with the ball, only just putting the ball wide from inside the Spurs penalty area. Maksim Paskotši came on to replace Brooklyn Lyons-Foster in central defence, and soon after entering the pitch Maksim blocked a good effort from Theo Alexandrou. Rio Kyerematen hit a late effort over the Stevenage goal from distance, before the final chance of the game came the way of Stevenage. As Jamie Reid headed wide  a cross which came in to the Spurs box. This was a difficult game for Spurs against an experienced senior side. However, it was a good test ahead of the new Premier League 2 season, which starts very soon.

Spurs’ Development Squad/Under 21 side versus Stevenage: (match preview)

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Spurs’ Development Squad face recently promoted League One side Stevenage, on Saturday afternoon (the game starts at 15:00pm) at their Lamex Stadium. Spurs’ Under 21 side recorded a 0-0 draw with non-League side Enfield Town, in their first game of pre-season. However, this game against Stevenage will be much more difficult than their first game of pre-season, with Steve Evans’ Stevenage side winning their most recent pre-season friendly 2-1 against Championship side Ipswich Town. However, this game will be good preparation for the EFL Trophy, that Spurs’ Under 21 side will be competing in again this season. Last season Spurs’ Development Squad actually faced Stevenage in that competition, with Spurs being quite unlucky to lose that game 1-0, having defended well against them in that game. It will be interesting to see whether any of the Spurs Academy players who traveled with the Spurs first team for their pre-season tour, will feature tomorrow for the Spurs Under 21 side. Last pre-season Josh Keeley, Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Charlie Sayers all started against Bromley in a pre-season friendly, having not been back long from Spurs’ pre-season trip, during the same summer. 

Some Stevenage players to watch tomorrow include central defender Carl Piergianni, forward Jamie Reid and midfielder Jordan Roberts. I will be reporting on the game tomorrow, and I wish the Spurs team all the very best of luck for the game.

My predicted lineup: (4-3-3) Keeley, Andiyapan, Dorrington, Lyons-Foster (c), Robson, White, Kyerematen, Cassanova, John, Parrott, Santiago.

Substitutes from: Maguire, Ashcroft, Linton, Sayers, Morgan, Ajayi, Soonsup-Bell.

Injured/unavailable: N/A.

Doubtful: N/A.

Previous meeting: Spurs 0-1.

My score prediction: 1-1.

My one to watch: Carl Piergianni. The 31 year old Stevenage central defender is a very experienced player who is very good in the air, and he scored eight goals for Stevenage last season. As well as being a difficult defender to play against, Spurs will have to be aware of his ability to score goals from set-pieces, because of his ability to score headed goals.

Where are they now? Former Spurs Academy player Jonathan De Bie:

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It has been over two years since goalkeeper Jonathan De Bie left Spurs’ Academy. A goalkeeper from Uccle, in Belgium, Jonathan joined Spurs’ Academy set-up at the beginning of the 2016/17 season, as a first year scholar from Belgian side KV Mechelen. He wouldn’t feature a lot for the Spurs Under 18 side in his first year of scholarship, because of a serious injury that he sustained in a game when he was on international duty with Belgium. However, De Bie would return and become the first choice goalkeeper for the Spurs Under 18 side throughout the following 2017/18 season, and he had an excellent season, even being named Spurs’ scholar of the season, at the end of season Premier League youth awards. A vocal and confident goalkeeper with fantastic reflexes, who made a real difference for the Spurs Under 18 side during that season, as he helped them to reach the final of the Under 18 Premier League Cup, Jonathan was in outstanding form during that season for Spurs at Academy level. He would later feature on occasions for the then Spurs Under 23 side and also the Under 19 side in the UEFA Youth League, as well as for Spurs at youth tournaments during the next couple of seasons.

I remember Jonathan De Bie having an outstanding game for the Spurs Under 23 side in a Premier League International Cup group-stage fixture with Athletic Bilbao B, at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium in the 2018/19 season. The goalkeeper made over a dozen saves, in what was an absolutely outstanding individual performance from the then first year professional. Jonathan didn’t feature a lot for Spurs at Academy level over the next season, and then during the 2020/21 season he would leave Spurs on a permanent transfer to join Belgian side RWD Molenbeek. He would make four competitive appearances for RWD Molenbeek during the 2020/21 season, keeping one clean-sheet. However, Jonathan hasn’t featured in a competitive game for them since then. Although this season the goalkeeper will hopefully be getting a lot of game time, as he recently joined Belgian third tier side K.S.C. Lokeren-Temse on a season long loan. Jonathan is a quality goalkeeper who was very good and reliable for Spurs at Academy level, and I wish him all the best for this season.

Where are they now? Former Spurs Academy player Aramide Oteh:

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Aramide Oteh joined Spurs’ Academy full-time in the summer of 2015, although he had been at Spurs as a youth player for a lot longer than 2015. A versatile forward, Aramide played in a number of different positions during his time with Spurs. However, during his second year of scholarship, Aramide often played as a centre-forward, and he started the 2016/17 season well for the Spurs Under 18 side, scoring a good number of goals, even scoring four goals in just three games at one point during the early stages of that season. The player who was part of the same Spurs Academy age group as Brandon Austin, Marcus Edwards and Samuel Shashoua, would also feature for a Spurs Under 19 side in the UEFA Youth League during the early stages of the 2016/17 season, and also for the then Spurs Under 23 side (as a late substitute). I remember watching the former Spurs Academy player impressing for the Spurs Under 18 side, in one of his last games for them (against Fulham, in the October of 2016), after he had replaced Kazaiah Sterling in the centre-forward position. He worked really hard during his time on the pitch, made some good runs off the ball and also won the all important penalty, from which Samuel Shashoua scored the winning goal of the game from. Aramide would only play one more game for the Spurs Under 18 side, before leaving the club to join QPR’s Academy set-up.

It was at QPR that Aramide Oteh continued to improve as a footballer, and he made good strides there, during his time with their Academy. He would score an impressive amount of goals for the QPR Development side, and it didn’t take the Londoner long before he was featuring for their first team on occasions. In total for QPR, the forward would make 21 first team competitive appearances, scoring two goals. He did go out on several loan moves away from QPR, during his time with them. These clubs were Walsall, Bradford City, Stevenage and Colchester United, as he got great experience of playing EFL football. In 2021 Aramide Oteh would leave QPR permanently to join Salford City. He would later move to Crawley Town during the same season. Getting a lot of minutes with Crawley Town during his first full season with Crawley in 2022/23, Aramide would often play on the left flank, and he scored seven goals from 35 competitive appearances for Crawley Town last season. He scored an excellent and memorable goal for the club against Tranmere Rovers, last season. It was a goal which saw him go forward at pace with the ball, before showing great skill inside the penalty area, from where he showed his clinical ability in front of goal to score a goal.

Aramide is a very skilful player with good pace, and he is also a good finisher from inside the penalty area. As a centre-forward he impressed me with his link-up play for Spurs’ Academy set-up, and also his ability in front of goal, and movement off the ball. He recently signed for League Two side Walsall, where the 24 year old will be looking to continue to make good strides during the 2023/24 season. Aramide has done really well so far in his footballing career, and I wish him all the very best for this season with Walsall.

Where are they now? Spurs Academy graduate Tom Carroll:

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Talented central midfielder Tom Carroll was a very highly regarded player, during his time in the Spurs Academy set-up. A midfielder from Watford, who joined Spurs’ Academy many years ago as a youngster, Tom worked his way up the many Academy ranks to earn a scholarship with Spurs. A former England youth international up to under 21 level, Tom would impress with his ability to make decisive passes, influence the game from midfield and keep things moving in the central areas of the pitch, and also be very creative with the ball. Tom was in the Academy age group at Spurs that was the year above Harry Kane’s, but he would play with him in the same Spurs Under 18 side. Tom Carroll would score a good number of goals for Spurs at that level, having always been a good finisher with an eye for goal. A very talented and reliable player for Spurs at Academy level, Tom did train with the Spurs first team on occasions, while still in his scholarship years with the club. Going out on the first of of his loan moves away from Spurs, to Leyton Orient, in 2010. However, he had already featured for the Spurs first team in competitive games on a couple of occasions prior to joining Leyton Orient. With Tom making his Spurs debut in a UEFA Europa League play-off match with Hearts, at White Hart Lane.

Tom would spend time on loan with Leyton Orient (Tom provided a couple of assists for Leyton Orient, during his time with them), Derby County and QPR, Carroll did however, make his Premier League debut for Spurs during the 2012/13 season. He would spend the 2014/15 season on loan with then Premier League side Swansea City, before returning to Spurs for the beginning of the following 2015/16 season. It was during this season that Tom Carroll had arguably his best season at Spurs, with the first team. Making 30 competitive first team appearances for then manager Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs side, Carroll was a player who I was very pleased for, to see him get a good opportunity with the first team during that season, having waited very patiently for an opportunity with the first team. A regular starter for Spurs in the cup competitions during the 2015/16 season, the skilful midfielder was a player who I watched closely for Spurs during that season. He was always a player who I thought had great quality, from when I first saw him play for Spurs. However, his intelligence both on and off the ball stood out to me a lot during the 2015/16 season.

Tom Carroll’s performance in central midfield against Arsenal in a League Cup tie in 2015, was one which impressed me. His passing was impressive, but it was his reading of the game and the way in which he played the game with real guile, that impressed me the most, and stood out to me as a Spurs fan. He would score all three of his Spurs first team goals during that season. Tom would spend the first half of the following 2016/17 season with Spurs, although he would only make three competitive appearances for the Spurs first team, before leaving the club to join Swansea City on a permanent transfer. Not long before he had left the club, Tom did make two appearances for the then Spurs Under 23 side, showing great professionalism in both of those games. Tom would play for Swansea City until 2020 (he did join Aston Villa on loan for a time, during his time with Swansea), and he made a really good amount of appearances for them during this time. He would later spend 2020 to 2021 with QPR in the Championship, before later signing for Ipswich Town, who he played with during the 2021/22 season.

After leaving Ipswich Town, the former Spurs man spent a season (2022/23) without a club, before only recently joining Exeter City on a one year contract. I think that he’ll do really well with Exeter in League One this season, and the 31 year old will be great addition to them, with his experience and quality on the ball. Every Spurs Academy player dreams of going through the Academy ranks at the club to feature for the first team, but to feature on 56 occasions for Spurs’ first team in competitive games, is a tremendous achievement, and one that Tom should be very proud of. I wish him all the very best of luck with Exeter City, this season.

Spurs Under 18’s 0-1 Cork City Under 19’s (match report):

Posted on by superhotspur

To bring an end to their pre-season training trip to Cork in Ireland, Spurs’ Under 18 side faced Cork City’s Under 19 side at their Bishopstown training ground on Friday afternoon, in a pre-season friendly match. Stuart Lewis’ Spurs side lost the game 1-0, against an impressive Cork side, who defended well and worked very well of the ball. Starting in goal for Spurs was Elliot Krasniqi, with Leo Black, James Rowswell, Kieran Morgan and Maeson King starting in defence for Spurs. Tyrese Hall and Callum Olusesi were the two central midfielders, with Yusuf Akhamrich and Oliver Irow starting the game out on the flanks, either side of CAM Mikey Moore. Captain Damola Ajayi started in the centre-forward position for Spurs, who got the game underway. Early on in the match Yusuf Akhamrich had a deflected effort on goal blocked inside the Cork penalty area. The early stages of the match were quite even, with both sides going forward well with the ball. After the impressive Alex Kelliher had won the ball, the Cork City midfielder then hit an effort over from the edge of the Spurs box, just before Josh Fitzpatrick went past Maeson King with the ball, before going in to the right side of the Spurs penalty area. His powerful resulting effort on goal from a difficult angle was well tipped on to his near post by Elliot Krasniqi. 

Cork City took the lead on 12 minutes through Alex Kelliher. It was a fine move which had started with Oran Crowe’s lay off, before Maeson King had blocked a good effort on goal. However, the ball then came to Alex Kelliher in the centre of the Spurs penalty area, and his low first time effort went past Elliot Krasniqi to give Cork an early lead. Spurs tried to respond quickly, and after Oliver Irow had whipped a good cross in to the centre of the Cork penalty area, Yusuf Akhamrich seemed to miss the ball as he tried to head it towards goal from close range, with the ball then going wide of the goal. Mikey Moore then had a free-kick effort cleared at an important moment inside the Cork box, before James Rowswell made an important challenge at the other end of the pitch, on the edge of the Spurs penalty area. A good forward run to the right side of the Spurs penalty area resulted in Josh Fitzpatrick having an effort on goal deflected narrowly over. Then a couple of minutes later and after Callum Olusesi had won a free-kick on the edge of the Cork City box, Yusuf Akhamrich had an effort blocked. Kieran Morgan’s good lofted pass to Mikey Moore on the left side of the Cork penalty area saw the Spurs midfielder try to score a goal with a first time effort. However, his effort was well saved by the impressive Daniel Moynihan.

After going inside from the left flank with the ball, Damola Ajayi had a deflected effort saved. Shortly after, a good Spurs move which saw Yusuf Akhamrich pass to Mikey Moore inside the Cork box, resulted in Mikey Moore giving the ball to Callum Olusesi, whose resulting effort was pushed behind well by Daniel Moynihan. Damola Ajayi then had a headed effort well saved from the Cork City goalkeeper from close range, from the following corner-kick. Spurs were finishing the first half well, but after Callum Olusesi’s low, curling effort from the edge of the Cork box was well pushed away by Daniel Moynihan, Cork City came very close to extending their lead. A header from James Rowswell from a long ball over the top of the Spurs defence, ended up going towards Harvey Skieters, who took the ball towards the edge of the Spurs penalty area, at pace. However, the Cork forward’s low effort was well saved by Elliot Krasniqi, who had closed down his angles well. The referee sounded his whistle for half-time, shortly after. Carey Bloedorn had replaced Elliot Krasniqi in goal for Spurs, for the beginning of the second half. Cork City got the second half underway.

Patryk Swieczka Andrzejczak hit an effort over the Spurs goal from distance, before  an effort on the Cork goal from the edge of their penalty area by Tyrese Hall, was deflected behind for a corner-kick. After Harvey Skieters had won the ball he had passed it to AJ Bowman near the Spurs penalty area, but his low effort was held by Carey Bloedorn. Spurs then made a number of changes, as Herbie James, Theo Adelusi, Pele Arganese-McDermott, Timileyin Adekunle, Ellis Lehane and Calum Logan all replaced Spurs players Leo Black, Maeson King, James Rowswell, Yusuf Akhamrich, Callum Olusesi and Mikey Moore. Recent Spurs signing Calum Logan blocked an effort from Arran Healy on the edge of the Spurs box, before Theo Adelusi made a good and important challenge on the same player, a couple of minutes later. A lofted effort from Noah Sowinski was pushed behind by Carey Bloedorn, before at the other of the end of the pitch, Tyrese Hall had entered the right side of the Cork City box, curling an effort wide of the goal. Yusuf Akhamrich and Dante Orr replaced Oliver Irow and Kieran Morgan, as Spurs continued to search for an equaliser.

Centre-forward Ellis Lehane received a yellow card, before James Rowswell replaced Tyrese Hall, before Maeson King replaced Spurs’ captain Damola Ajayi. A deflected effort on goal from Herbie James was saved, with a good run from Yusuf Akhamrich towards the Cork City penalty area then being saved. The referee brought the game to an end a couple of minutes later. 

Player reviews:

  • Elliot Krasniqi: The Spurs goalkeeper and second year scholar made two good and impressive saves from close range, during his time on the pitch. He only completed the first half of the game for Spurs.
  • Leo Black: The midfielder started the game at right-back, and I thought that the second year scholar did well in that position, getting forward well with the ball.
  • James Rowswell: Playing in central defence, James Rowswell made some good decisions in defence, and he had quite a bit of defending to do against Cork City. 
  • Kieran Morgan: The second year scholar started the game on the left side of central defence before later moving in to central midfield. Morgan was good on the ball, and he liked to step out of defence with it. His passing was good on the day. 
  • Maeson King: The Spurs left-back had quite a lot of defending to do on his side of the pitch, while playing at left-back. King did make an impressive block during the first half, and he did like to get forward on the pitch.
  • Tyrese Hall: Starting the match as the most defensive of the Spurs midfielders, Tyrese Hall looked to get on the ball and make things happen. He went on some good and skilful runs forward with the ball. I personally think that the Cork City midfielders and defenders would have been told just how good a player Tyrese is, as he was closely followed on the pitch and not given much time on the ball, during his time on the pitch. However, I thought that he had some good moments in the game.
  • Callum Olusesi: The central midfielder managed a couple of goal attempts, and he worked hard in central midfield.
  • Yusuf Akhamrich: Starting the game on the right flank as a winger, Yusuf Akhamrich moved positions on a number of occasions. However, he worked hard for Spurs, tracked back well and was always very direct with the ball.
  • Mikey Moore: My Spurs player of the match, see below.
  • Oliver Irow: The player who started the match on the left flank would switch sides during the match, with Yusuf Akhamrich. Oliver was unlucky not to have provided an assist, after setting-up a good chance for Yusuf Akhamrich to score from.
  • Damola Ajayi: The Spurs captain and centre-forward worked hard when he was leading the line for Spurs. Damola’s movement off the ball was good.
  • Carey Bloedorn: The Spurs goalkeeper who came on for the second half of the match, made a couple of saves during his time on the pitch.
  • Herbie James: A recent signing from Manchester City’s Academy set-up, Herbie James played most of the second half on the left flank, as a winger.
  • Theo Adelusi: The right sided central defender was good on the ball and he made one important defensive intervention, after being substituted on during the second half. 
  • Pele Arganese-McDermott: The second half substitute played on the left side of central defence during his time on the pitch.
  • Timileyin Adekunle: The second half substitute and first year scholar played at right-back.
  • Ellis Lehane: The centre-forward did well at leading the line after being substituted on. Ellis dropped deep on many occasions to receive the ball, and he showed good skill with it.
  • Calum Logan: The former Ipswich Town Academy player went to left-back after being substituted on, in the second half.
  • Dante Orr: The late second half substitute went in to midfield during his time on the pitch.

My Spurs player of the match – Mikey Moore. Impressing with his close control of the ball and ability to go on some clever and skilful forward runs, the first year scholar completed 61 minutes of the friendly match with Cork City. Mikey started the game in the CAM position for Spurs, although he switched positions on occasions, during his time on the pitch. Mikey had some good moments in the game, was very clever with the ball and he came quite close to scoring a goal during the first half. He also took up some good positions on the pitch, from which he looked to receive the ball.

Spurs Under 18’s versus Cork City Under 19’s (match preview)

Posted on by superhotspur

As part of the Spurs Under 18’s pre-season trip to Cork in Ireland, Stuart Lewis’ Spurs side will face Cork City’s Under 19 side in a pre-season friendly at their Bishopstown training ground on Friday afternoon (the game starts at 12pm). Spurs’ Under 18 side achieved some really good things last season, winning the Under 18 Premier League Cup, in what was a really good season. This friendly match with Cork City will be a good test for Spurs, and it certainly won’t be an easy game, with Cork City’s Academy set-up helping to produce some good and talented players in recent seasons, who have since joined big club’s Academy set-ups in England. The friendly match on Friday should be a good occasion and experience for the Spurs Academy players who are involved in the match, especially as they’ll be playing in front of what should be a good crowd of fans. It will be interesting to see who plays for Spurs in the game on Friday, with players such as Tyrese Hall (second year scholar), Mikey Moore (first year scholar) and Callum Olusesi (first year scholar) all not featuring for the Spurs Under 21 side, in their pre-season friendly with Enfield Town, on Tuesday. So I would have thought that all three of those players will feature against Cork City, on Friday. 

The Spurs Under 18 side this season is another very talented group of players, who I personally think will do really well this season. Three recent signings who have joined the Spurs Academy this summer (Herbie James, Roman Egan-Riley and Calum Logan) could well feature for the Spurs Under 18 side in the friendly match on Friday. I will be in attendance at the Cork City friendly tomorrow, after having traveled to Ireland to report on the game. It should be a good friendly match, and I wish the Spurs team all the very best for the game.

My predicted lineup: (4-3-3) Krasniqi, Rowswell, Chaplin (c), Arganese-McDermott, King, Morgan, Hall, Olusesi, Ajayi, Irow, Moore.

Substitutes from: Bloedorn, Simons, Logan, Egan-Riley, Orr, Willhoft-King, Akhamrich, James, Lehane.

Injured/unavailable: N/A.

Doubtful: N/A.

Previous meeting: N/A.

My score prediction: Spurs 4-2.

My one to watch: Alex Kelliher. The Cork City Under 19’s midfielder scored a goal in their recent league win over Wexford, and Alex Kelliher is a player who has already featured on the bench for Cork City’s first team this season.

Some notes on Spurs Development Squad player Jude Soonsup-Bell:

Posted on by superhotspur

Jude Soonsup-Bell joined Spurs from Chelsea earlier this year (in January), and he would go on to feature for the Spurs Under 21 side on seven competitive occasions last season (2022/23), scoring two goals from those appearances for the club. A centre-forward, Jude is a strong player who has good skill on the ball. He started his career with the Swindon Town Academy, before later moving to Chelsea’s Academy set-up. From Chippenham, Soonsup-Bell impressed greatly with Chelsea’s Under 18 side, in his first season as a scholar with the club, scoring 14 Premier League South goals from 16 appearances during the 2020/21 season. An England youth international, Jude also featured for the then Chelsea Under 23 side on occasions during the same season. Having seen him play for Chelsea’s Academy set-up on occasions prior to joining Spurs’ Development squad, where I have seen all eight of his appearances for the club so far, I still haven’t seen lots of Soonsup-Bell. However, the player who once featured for the Chelsea first team in a Carabao Cup fixture, is a player who I have been impressed with, when I have seen him play.

The 19 year old Spurs forward actually made his Premier League 2 debut for the Chelsea Development squad against Spurs, during the 2020/21 season. From the games that I have seen him play for both Chelsea and Spurs, I have noticed that Jude links the play well, is good in the air and he also has good pace, as well as having good off the ball movement. He did well for the Spurs Under 21 side in Premier League 2 games against Crystal Palace and Fulham respectively, scoring in both games, as he showed just how clinical a finisher he is capable of being inside the penalty area. He has a good amount of different finishes to his game, and his dribbling ability with the ball and pace allows him to play out on the flanks as a winger, although he hasn’t played in that position for Spurs yet. He is good at taking up clever positions out on the flanks, and then travelling inside to get efforts away, to test the goalkeeper. Jude made his return from an injury that had seen him miss the end of last season, when he came on as a fairly late substitute on Tuesday against non-League side Enfield Town, for Spurs’ Under 21 side. He had two chances to score a goal against Enfield. He was unlucky not to score a headed goal, before then helping to create a goalscoring opportunity inside the Enfield penalty area, before having an effort with his left foot saved by the goalkeeper.

I’m looking to forward to seeing Jude build his way up to full match fitness this pre-season with the Spurs Development squad, and I think that he’ll do really well this season. He is a player with real quality, and it will be interesting to see whether he does go out on loan at some stage this season. I wish Jude all the very best for the season ahead.

Spurs Under 21’s 0-0 Enfield Town: (match report)

Posted on by superhotspur

Spurs’ Under 21 side played their first friendly game of pre-season on Tuesday evening, against local non-League side Enfield Town, at their Queen Elizabeth II Stadium. The game ended in a 0-0 draw, but it was a competitive game of football, although I’d say that Spurs had much the better chances of the two sides. Wayne Burnett’s Spurs side started with Aaron Maguire in goal, as Will Andiyapan, Alfie Dorrington, Charlie Sayers and Max Robson started in defence. Captain Brooklyn Lyons-Foster started as the most defensive of the three Spurs midfielders who started the match, with Dante Cassanova and Rio Kyerematen starting higher up the pitch in midfield. Max McKnight and Yago Santiago started out wide on the flanks, and Nile John started as the centre-forward for Spurs, who got the game underway. Spurs saw more of the ball during the early stages of the match, and after Enfield Town captain Mickey Parcell had headed away an early effort from the edge of the Enfield box by Rio Kyerematen, Dante Cassanova had an effort cleared away shortly after. Yago Santiago came very close to meeting Brooklyn Lyons-Foster’s low cross in to the middle of the Enfield penalty area, before Santiago had an effort on the edge of the penalty area blocked.

A Nile John cross was met by Dante Cassanova in the middle of the Enfield penalty area, as Spurs continued to start the game well, and Cassanova’s headed effort on goal was tipped over the goal well by goalkeeper Rhys Forster. A header from an Enfield throw-in was bravely gathered by Spurs’ goalkeeper Aaron Maguire, in what was the first real chance for Enfield. A low effort from distance by Nile John went wide of the Enfield goal, before Alfie Dorrington headed over a corner-kick from Yago Santiago. After Lyons-Foster had received McKnight’s pass, the Spurs captain hit an effort over from distance. Then in what was the final chance in the first half, after Nile John had won a free-kick, he curled an effort narrowly over the Enfield goal, with the referee sounding his whistle for half-time shortly after. Luca Gunter replaced Aaron Maguire in the Spurs goal for the beginning of the second half, which Enfield got underway. Will Andiyapan made an important early defensive intervention for Spurs, who then went forward with the ball. A good run from the very fast Yago Santiago ended with his effort on the edge of the Enfield box being blocked.

After receiving the ball, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster hit a good first time effort which from a decent distance was deflected on to Enfield substitute goalkeeper Adi Connolly’s right post, via a save from the Enfield goalkeeper, before he then saved well from Rio Kyerematen’s close range header on goal. Kyerematen received a pass from Robson shortly after his fine chance, but this time his effort was deflected comfortably in to the arms of the Enfield goalkeeper, from the edge of the Enfield box. Will Andiyapan made an important defensive header inside the Spurs box, with the ball then going to Lyons-Foster, who passed it to Santiago, who took it really well his stride. The 20 year old winger sprinted forward down the left side of the pitch with the ball, before eventually crossing the ball to Rio Kyerematen in the Enfield box, but he volleyed the ball wide of the goal. Kieran Morgan, Damola Ajayi, Archie Chaplin and Yusuf Akhamrich all came on to replace Charlie Sayers, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Will Andiyapan and Max Robson. After the game resumed, Alfie Dorrington had a header saved from a Rio Kyerematen free-kick. The 18 year old Spurs midfielder then received a yellow card, for a challenge that he had made. Jude Soonsup-Bell made his return from injury to replace Yago Santiago on 69 minutes.

After Nile John had latched on to a loose pass, he passed the ball to Rio Kyerematen inside the Enfield penalty area however, his effort from close range was well saved. A good cross on his left foot by Max McKnight found Soonsup-Bell in the centre of the Enfield box, but his headed effort was well tipped over by the impressive Adi Connolly. Kieran Morgan then headed over an effort, via a deflection inside the Enfield box from Damola Ajayi’s corner-kick. Brooklyn Lyons-Foster returned to the pitch shortly after, to replace Dante Cassanova (there were rolling substitutions in this game). Luca Gunter rushed out of his goal impressively to clear the ball before an Enfield forward could get to it, as Spurs went forward with the move ending with Lyons-Foster seeing his effort from distance deflected behind for a corner-kick. A good move and pass from the composed Kieran Morgan found Damola Ajayi on the right flank, but Ajayi went on to his left foot before testing Adi Connolly, who saved his powerful effort, with Nile John’s follow-up effort going wide. Max Robson returned to replace Rio Kyerematen shortly after.

Luca Gunter impressed by getting to a lofted forward pass quicker than an Enfield trialist, before then clearing the ball. At the other end of the pitch Lyons-Foster hit an effort with swerve and dip from distance, which was saved well by the Enfield goalkeeper, before Robson headed over a corner-kick from Kieran Morgan. Luca Gunter saved a late curling effort on goal from Enfield’s Lewis Taaffe, well. Then in the final minutes of the game the impressive Damola Ajayi found Jude Soonsup-Bell with a lofted pass, but the former Chelsea player had his effort saved by the Enfield goalkeeper, after he had drifted inside on to his left foot inside the penalty area. That was the final chance of the game, for either side. The Spurs Under 21 side will face League One side Stevenage, in their next pre-season friendly, on Saturday the 29th of July.

My player reviews:

  • Aaron Maguire: The Spurs goalkeeper didn’t have a lot to do, while he was on the pitch during the first half of the game. Maguire did gather the ball well on one occasion from a headed effort towards goal.
  • Will Andiyapan: I thought that Will Andiyapan had a solid defensive game at right-back for Spurs. He made an important header during the second half, and he also made a timely defensive intervention to win the ball and stop an Enfield Town player from being through on goal.
  • Alfie Dorrington: I thought that the 18 year old central defender did well, and he looked comfortable and very capable of dealing with the physicality of the Enfield players. He also used the ball well.
  • Charlie Sayers: Always looking to pass the ball forward out of defence, I thought that Charlie Sayers looked comfortable in his defending against Enfield, during his time on the pitch.
  • Max Robson: My man of the match, see below.
  • Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: The Spurs captain started the game in the most defensive position of the three Spurs midfielders. Lyons-Foster had a calming influence on the game. He liked to get on the ball and he looked to be creative with it, and the very versatile player had a couple of good efforts on goal, which were well saved. The very consistent player had a good game.
  • Dante Cassanova: Dante was involved in the midfield against Enfield Town, and he got some good minutes for the Spurs Under 21 side, and it was a game that I thought he did well in. He was unlucky not to score a goal against Enfield, with his fine headed effort in the first half being well saved.
  • Max McKnight: The player who started the game on the right flank as a winger, would complete the entirety of the match for Spurs. Max pressed really well off the ball, and he worked very hard against Enfield, going in to defence when he needed to. He was unlucky not to have got an assist from the chance that he set-up for Jude Soonsup-Bell, late on in the game.
  • Rio Kyerematen: Rio played as the furthest forward of the three midfielders, and he was involved well in the final third, and on another day he could have scored a couple of goals.
  • Yago Santiago: Once again showing his excellent pace when travelling forward with the ball, Yago Santiago was also creative out on the left flank, where he played as a winger. He went on a really good run with the ball during the second half.
  • Nile John: Starting at centre-forward against Enfield Town, Nile John moved well off the ball and he dropped deep to get on the ball, to make things happen.
  • Luca Gunter: The first year professional and goalkeeper came on for the start of the second half, to replace Aaron Maguire. Luca did well as a sweeper-keeper on two occasions against Enfield.
  • Kieran Morgan: A midfield player who does remind me of former Spurs Academy player Jamie Bowden in his style of play, I thought that second year scholar Kieran Morgan did well after entering the pitch in the second half, against Enfield. Morgan used the ball well and he also kept it moving well in the central areas of the pitch.
  • Damola Ajayi: Moving out to the right flank as a winger after being introduced to the game, second year scholar Damola Ajayi showed good skill on the ball, and he was another player who was unlucky not to score for Spurs.
  • Archie Chaplin: The second half substitute, like Charlie Sayers and Alfie Dorrington, looked assured in his defending in central defence.
  • Yusuf Akhamrich: The second year scholar stayed out on the flank, after being substituted on to the game.
  • Jude Soonsup-Bell: Returning from an injury which saw him miss the end of last season, 19 year old centre-forward Jude Soonsup-Bell went to the centre-forward position after being introduced during the second half. He had a good headed effort on goal, which was well saved.

My man of the match – Max Robson. Although I personally don’t think that there was a real standout performer from the Spurs Under 21’s first friendly match of pre-season on Tuesday evening, I was impressed with the intensity that Max Robson played the game with, from the left-back position. He was involved a lot, linked-up well with Yago Santiago on the left flank and Max made some clever overlapping runs down that side of the pitch, as he impressed with his link-up play and off the ball movement. Robson was always looking to make good forward runs, and he also liked to step in to midfield to receive the ball and try and be inventive with it, as well as pressing well off the ball. I really hope that Max gets a really good run of games this season for the Spurs Under 21 side, as he continues to adapt to playing at full-back.