Spurs future is a promising one

The Tottenham Academy is beginning to bear fruit, or rather that fruit is being given a chance and taken it.

Spurs future is a promising one


Harry Kane has consistently shown the right attitude when interviewed and ignored the 'I want it now' Spurs fans who decided long ago he wasn't good enough and would never make it at Premier League level. He has, at the end of last season and the beginning of this season, shoved those words back down everyone's throat.

He may not yet be the finished article but he has shown he can cut the mustard. He will continue to improve but can only do so when playing. Tim Sherwood has pointed out that of all the players at Tottenham Harry Kane and Andros Townsend are the two single minded ones who know the level they want to get to and work to achieve it.

Andros Townsend, while coming through the Academy, has shown a penchant for being a little too selfish and his mental approach when things have not gone as he would expect has not been ideal. However, making mistakes is fine, if you learn from them. As a substitute last year he was always mentally unprepared when he came on, but there are now signs that he is getting the hang of what his role is when he gets a chance.

He has to learn to stay positive while implementing what he is asked to do rather than what he wants to do, which is cut inside and shoot. His last game was his best game in a Spurs shirt for some considerable while and while Aaron Lennon thinks he can adapt and wants to stay at Spurs, it may be Townsend who will be preferred with Lennon let go.

Ryan Mason has emerged this season, he impressed hugely on the pre-season tour of USA and Canada, being the stand out player among the youngsters. An injury stopped his progress in it's tracks and he had to wait to be reintroduced against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup. Coming on as a substitute he transformed our game, turning a 1-0 deficit into a comfortable 3-1 win. He moved the ball quickly which enabled us to have space and start creating, he then scored and has not looked back since. You look at him know and wonder what on earth he was doing at Swindon Town last year in League One.

Nabil Bentaleb was given up on in French football and Tim Sherwood was the only person willing to take a chance on him after Bentaleb had hawked himself around for a chance. That alone shows a determination and it was that trait that secured him his chance. He has worked his socks off since joining the club with a burning desire to prove everyone wrong. In December he was a bolt from the blue when brought on against Southampton at their place.

He looked at home, he looked a find, he had a spell and again the short sighted cried he'll never be good enough, unable to see what a player contributes unless it's a flash piece of skill. He turned down France and chose Algeria and continued his progression by being the best Spurs player at the World Cup in Brazil.

Pochettino, while giving other World Cup players a rest couldn't wait to introduce Bentaleb into the fold and picked him in pre-season games while the likes of Dembele and Vertonghen were rested. Capoue has shown himself to be too slow on the ball, as has Dembele so it is Bentaleb who is now has a place in the side. He again is not the finished article, he has areas of his game that he needs to work on, his passing and maturity, both will come with experience.

He'll only gain that experience playing but to have young players who feel they are Tottenham and can play at Premier League level helps to retain an identity we were close to losing. A team full of short term mercenaries leaves supporters following a name, with players we can identify with we support a club, a status we need to preserve.

There are others who have come through the ranks and there will be more, we have employed a head coach who will introduce them, it's part of the job description he was hired upon. Tottenham are building after a hiccup and the signs are positive. He understands the mindset needed and it's clear to the players you show you want to improve or you leave, whoever you are.

Tottenham is in the right hands and the future is a promising one.

Merry Christmas everybody.