Tom Carroll has already made an impact at Swansea City after struggling to hit the heights at Tottenham Hotspur.
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tom Carroll has admitted to the South Wales Evening Post that he finally bid farewell to White Hart Lane to pursue regular first-team football.
The diminutive play-maker was tipped for a bright future after he broke through the Spurs youth ranks but managed just 24 Premier League appearances thanks to a number of big name signings continually pushing him down the pecking order.
At the age of 24, Carroll is now finally playing week in, week out in the top flight with Swansea City, having swapped White Hart Lane for the Liberty Stadium in January, but he insists he has no problems with Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino despite his lack of regular action in the capital.
“I feel I need to be playing regular football,” Carroll told the South Wales Evening Post.
“It was not easy to say goodbye to Spurs. I came up through the academy there and have seen a lot of people come and go, but for me it was the right time to move on.
“[Pochettino] is a good guy and a top manager. I think he has helped me improve as a player. The work they do both in the gym and on the training field at Tottenham has made me a better player.”
Carroll is already showing signs of being a very intelligent signing for Swansea as they aim to pull away from relegation danger under Paul Clement.
The midfielder’s superb cross for Fernando Llorente in the 3-2 win at Liverpool ranks among the league’s most eye-catching assists in 2016/17 but it is his all-round composure and reliability in possession that has made him an essential starter in Swansea colours.
However, it is those same attributes that prevented him from progressing at Spurs. He may be safe, neat and tidy but he lacked the creativity and goal threat to play regularly at the top level.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
