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Is Cameron Carter-Vickers Ready to be Promoted to Spurs’ First Team?

By Alexander Balano

Jul 28, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino during training in advance of the 2015 MLS All Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 28, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Tottenham Hotspur head coach Mauricio Pochettino during training in advance of the 2015 MLS All Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Spurs boast plenty of young talent and Cameron Carter-Vickers is one.

One of the most exciting youth prospects in Spurs’ academy is Cameron Carter-Vickers, the 17-year-old center-back. The Southend-born defender’s age is very misleading as Carter-Vickers plays well beyond his years. On the pitch, he’s a force to be reckoned with and doesn’t crumble under pressure, in fact he looks like he thrives off of it and performs even better.

RELATED: Catching Up with Spurs’ Cameron Carter-Vickers

Earlier this summer, USA competed in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup and this was the first time that everyone could watch the Tottenham youth/U.S. international live on television and playing in a huge tournament. During the U.S.’ youth national team’s run, they would reach the quarter-finals and lose to eventual winners, Serbia. During the entire game which went into extra time, Cameron Carter-Vickers helped contribute to a 0-0 clean sheet making some well timed clearances to bail out his goalkeeper, Zack Steffen. His awareness on the pitch and when and where to do certain things: play the ball back to his keeper or clear the ball up the pitch or past the touchline was phenomenal for a player who, not only was just 17-years-old but was also the youngest player on the entire U-20 squad.

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Fast forward to the month of October and with the Under-23 Olympic qualifiers underway, Cameron Carter-Vickers’ great summer with Tab Ramos’ U.S. U-20 team saw him get a call-up to Andi Herzog’s U.S. U-23 youth team. It’s clear that the talent is there for the English-born U.S. international and so far, it’s paying off with call-ups to two big tournaments in under half a year. Will this be enough to see Cameron Carter-Vickers be promoted to Mauricio Pochettino’s first team?

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Right now there’s no need for another center-back until Federico Fazio is sold this January. At the same time, there’s another center-back in Spurs’ youth academy, Miloš Veljković, who is just as talented albeit three years older than Carter-Vickers.

The Serbian defender, Veljković, also happened to be on the same pitch when Serbia would beat USA on penalties to advance to the semi-finals and eventually win the FIFA U-20 World Cup. With two viable options to help supplement Pochettino’s backline with a 20-year-old Miloš Veljković and a 17-year-old Cameron Carter-Vickers, this would give the Argentine coach plenty of money to save up and use at other positions if need be.

The closest resemblance for Carter-Vickers right now on Tottenham’s 25-man squad this season is Dele Alli. At just 19-years-old, Alli looks more than capable to handle big games for both club and country. Alli is currently showing that his age should not prohibit him from being a key member of Pochettino’s first team and to help achieve great results both in domestic and European competitions.

Realistically, there are still plenty of games that Certer-Vickers could play with Spurs’ U-21 Premier League side to further improve as a player overall, but a call-up to the first team shouldn’t be too far away with the likes of Dele Alli, 19, Josh Onomah, 18, and Harry Winks, 19, all on the 25-man squad this season.

While Dele Alli is the only one currently playing among Tottenham’s two other teenage talents, Alli along with Onomah and Winks have essentially opened the door for a young player such as Carter-Vickers to be promoted to Spurs’ first team very soon due to the immense talent and play on the pitch in two big international tournaments. Perhaps as soon as this winter if and when Federico Fazio is sold, the 17-year-old center-back will be given another big call-up in his young career.

Next: Former Spurs Striker Roberto Soldado Reveals Why His Form Dipped

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