Jose Mourinho’s brilliant treatment of Troy Parrott will pay off for Tottenham
Tottenham fans want to see Troy Parrott thrown into the starting XI immediately, but Jose Mourinho is right to exercise caution with the young striker.
Harry Kane‘s injury leaves Troy Parrott as the most talented striker available for Jose Mourinho to select every time Tottenham take the pitch. Fortunately, the Special One has chosen to institute a special training program for Parrott instead of throwing him into the deep end of Premier League football.
That means Parrott undergoes first team training with the rest of his Spurs teammates before putting in extra work with select members of the club’s training staff. It’s fair to assume that no single player at Tottenham is receiving more attention than the 17-year-old Irish striker.
That should be music to the ears of club supporters concerned about Parrott’s future. A narrative has developed on social media that claims Mourinho isn’t a believer in the striker’s talents. His most recent comments about Parrott dispel that notion in plain language. Mourinho isn’t sure when Parrott might be ready to handle the stress of senior football for Spurs, but he wouldn’t waste his staff’s time on training a player he didn’t believe could become a star in due time.
It really is just a matter of time for Parrott. There’s a chance he could pop up in Mourinho’s match day squad on Saturday against Southampton. Admittedly, it’s unlikely he’ll be thrown into the Cup match against the Saints. The mere fact that he’s forced is way into his manager’s thoughts is a testament to Parrott’s prodigious talent.
The worst thing Mourinho could do to Parrott is to rush his development. Pressuring a 17-year-old to take over for one of Europe’s top strikers could crush a young player’s spirit. The mental stress Parrott would feel would far outweigh any physical bumps and bruises me might suffer on the pitch.
Instead, the right thing for Mourinho to do is to make sure he builds a positive relationship with Parrott in training. Giving him a specialized training program is a great way to show a young player that he’s truly tipped for big things. Getting that kind of treatment from a manager with Mourinho’s hefty list of accomplishments should do wonders for Parrott’s confidence and determination.
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Mourinho deserves credit for playing the long game with Parrott. Succumbing to the fan base’s cries to play him immediately would be taking the easy way out. Fortunately, he seems deeply invested in Parrott’s long-term future at Tottenham. Patience will pay off for the young Irishman when he’s ready to meet the challenge of Premier League football.