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Spurs’ Pochettino Only Plays Youngsters Who Deserve It

By Alexander Balano

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14 : Tommy Carroll of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates victory with Mauricio Pochettino the head coach / manager of Tottenham Hotspur after victory in the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on February 14, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 14 : Tommy Carroll of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates victory with Mauricio Pochettino the head coach / manager of Tottenham Hotspur after victory in the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on February 14, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Ashton - AMA) /
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Spurs have fielded plenty of youth academy players this season and there’s a reason why, every single one of them deserved it.

While Spurs have the youngest starting eleven in the Premier League this season, on average, that’s mostly down to the fact that the ones who are playing consistently: Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Kane have all deserved it since being given the opportunity to show what they can do.

Which honestly makes sense. Playing players should come down to a number of factors such as how good they are, their current form and if they deserve it after working hard in training sessions leading up to a fixture.

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Throughout this season, there’s been competition for places throughout the squad to get an opportunity to not only impress Mauricio Pochettino so that they can be selected to start for their club.

But to also be called up to their respective national teams as well.

England for instance had five Spurs players represent their country during this ongoing international break with four starting against the reigning and defending World Cup champions, Germany, in an international friendly.

And according to Eric Dier, he insists Spurs’ young players have be given a chance to play for Mauricio Pochettino a lot this season because they have deserved it.

ENFIELD, ENGLAND - MARCH 16: Mauricio Pochettino Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (2R) talks with his coaching staff during a training session ahead of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Borussia Dortmund at White Hart Lane on March 16, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images)
ENFIELD, ENGLAND – MARCH 16: Mauricio Pochettino Manager of Tottenham Hotspur (2R) talks with his coaching staff during a training session ahead of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, second leg match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Borussia Dortmund at White Hart Lane on March 16, 2016 in Enfield, England. (Photo by Alex Morton/Getty Images) /

“You’ve got to deserve it,” Dier said (quotes via the London Evening Standard).

“Everyone gets a bit excited with the whole youth thing, but I think at our club the manager [Mauricio Pochettino] won’t just play any youngster.”

That last sentence is something to take note of.

Because while Alli, Kane and Dier, have been given plenty of playing time this season — as well as last season (minus Dele Alli of course) — Cameron Carter-Vickers, Shayon Harrison and Harry Winks have only made two senior appearances among the three of them.

And all two appearances where given to Winks only.

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Although Mauricio Pochettino rated the young 20-year-old youth prospect very highly last summer, that alone wasn’t enough to convince the Argentine manager that Winks could win the starting job in a potential five-man battle at central midfield which included Dele Alli, Tom Carroll, Mousa Dembélé and Ryan Mason.

Even with Alli now playing as an attacking midfielder, Dembélé, Mason and Carroll (in that specific order) is still ahead of Harry Winks.

In due time though, he will get his chance. It just won’t be anytime soon until near the end of the Premier League season or during Spurs’ post and pre-season tours.

Now the word “deserved” has been thrown around a lot, but there’s a reason why.

And that’s because when certain players were given the opportunity to play and impress the 44-year-old Argentinian, Pochettino had no other choice but to continue playing them because of the results they showed this year.

Especially Harry Kane since November 2014 after Spurs’ two previous strikers, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado weren’t able to score many goals between themselves.

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Therefore, the next time a youth player, or just someone young enough, is given some playing time, that’s Pochettino not only showing faith in another youngster but its because said player has completely deserved it.

Like Josh Onomah, who has come up through the youth academy, was called up to the first team and placed on the matchday squad. Before he eventually got subbed in and would later earn his first Spurs start a couple of games later on.

Onomah has since made 18 appearances this season in all competitions. A good number for an 18-year-old which many never predicted would have gotten that many games under his belt this season, thanks to Mauricio Pochettino.

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