This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Troy Parrott has been told to make a loan move away from Tottenham Hotspur for the good of his career by Arsenal legend Liam Brady, per RTE.
What’s the word?
The 17-year-old has been in exceptional form for Spurs’ youth teams in recent months.
He has scored 15 goals in 13 appearances for the U18s and netted nine in nine for the U19s, along with four in 13 for the U23s.
The teenager has already made his senior debut for Spurs, playing in the Carabao Cup tie with Colchester United, and has even been capped at senior level by the Republic of Ireland, making his debut in a friendly against New Zealand.
Brady won over 70 caps for Ireland during a storied playing career and he believes that his young compatriot should be afforded a short-term move away in order to play regularly.
He said: “I think he needs to go somewhere where he is going to play.
“Going to Dortmund or Bayern at 17, I don’t think it guarantees him playing time.
“I remember when Jermain Defoe was a young player at West Ham United, he was only 17, he went on loan to Bournemouth and they were two leagues below the Premier League, but he was scoring goals and playing against men and I think that’s what Parrott has to do now.
“I’d like to see him get a loan move, I don’t think he needs to leave Tottenham. There is plenty of time for him to get experience elsewhere and come back and get into the Spurs team.”
Nailed it
It remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho is likely to give Parrott the same chances that Mauricio Pochettino may have done.
But whether he will or not, Brady is right to question whether or not the striker will develop in north London.
Thus far, he has played just 65 minutes of senior football for the club and one has to imagine that lower-league clubs would be queuing up to take him away from Tottenham.
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After all, Parrott is currently the top scorer in the UEFA Youth League after scoring an excellent goal against Olympiacos earlier this term, and has to be seen as a low-risk high-reward acquisition.
It’s a win-win for Spurs, too; he will be able to play regularly, perhaps score a hatful of goals, and return with some genuine experience under his belt.
Meanwhile, Spurs fans have been left drooling over a rival star’s performance.