Has Mauricio Pochettino Had A Change Of Heart On Loaning Out Spurs’ Starlets?

Has Mauricio Pochettino Had A Change Of Heart On Loaning Out Spurs’ Starlets?
12:38, 26 Aug 2017

There are many intriguing sides to Mauricio Pochettino’s development of young players. Academy products have played such a big role in the Pochettino project that they have come to epitomise his ‘bottom-up’ revolution at Tottenham – from Harry Kane and Harry Winks, to the latest prodigy of Kyle Walker-Peters. What is particularly interesting has been the Argentine’s reluctance to send fringe players on loan, especially if he envisages a bright future for them. The theory behind his stance is obvious.

If a player is good enough, they should remain under the wing of Tottenham’s highly-rated coaching staff; if not, they are better off pursuing a career elsewhere. Without much warning, that policy looks to have changed. Josh Onomah will spend the remainder of the season at Aston Villa, and he has already made three consecutive starts for them. A stint at Villa Park is bound to give him a footballing education of some sort and amid a difficult start to the campaign for Steve Bruce, the midfielder has been reasonably impressive. In the defeat to Reading, he was one of the few Villa players to take much initiative and relished a number 10 role.

Not only has the 20-year-old been crying out for regular game time, his loan is the perfect opportunity for him to settle in one position. Spurs’ midfield is saturated with players who can do what he does, hence why Pochettino has often used him in a more attacking role than he is used to. His performances in England’s under-20 World Cup win may well have been the catalyst to him being given the right to prove himself at another club.

And so, as Onomah has left a door open by leaving north London in search of making a statement, Cameron Carter-Vickers is the next to follow suit. The centre-back is making the drop down to the Championship, in this case with Sheffield United. That Bramall Lane is the destination Spurs have chosen for his next step is noteworthy because the Blades play with three at the back, just as his parent club do.

Rather than cash in on a defender who has been at the centre of a tug-of-war between England and the United States, it seems the Lilywhites still want to keep CCV on the books in some capacity. Alongside the announcement of his move to Sheffield, it was also revealed that he’s signed a new contract until 2020. On paper, the teenager’s physical presence should make him well-suited to the Championship. It’s his understanding of the game that needs improving and that can only come with time on the pitch.

The arrival of Juan Foyth from Estudiantes, which is thought to be imminent, certainly wouldn’t have given him much chance to make his breakthrough this term. Unfortunately, neither Carter-Vickers nor Onomah have done quite enough when Pochettino has given them an opportunity in the first team. This sudden change in philosophy is inevitably going to raise questions about whether the manager has faith in them and if he does, why he is now happy for other coaches to stick their oar into their education.

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