Mourinho suggests Tottenham 24-year-old is proof his teammate has ‘a lot to learn’

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Troy Parrott is set to be on the bench for Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup tonight.

Jose Mourinho has used Harry Winks as an example that Troy Parrott has ‘a lot to learn’ and his path into becoming a first-team regular at Tottenham is ‘a process’, as he told Football London. 

Whilst Mourinho wasn’t the one who provided Winks with his debut, he has come through the ranks at Spurs over the years, and has been ‘club captain’, as mentioned by his current manager. 

Not only that, the 24-year-old isn’t just a regular for Tottenham, but he is also an England international and he will be bidding to go to the Euros in the summer.

Ahead of Tottenham’s FA Cup tie with Norwich City tonight, Mourinho shared that Parrott will be on the bench, as he tried to make it clear that the 18-year-old needs patience and time to develop. 

“He will be on the bench,” Mourinho told Football London. “Yesterday [on Monday], we decided it was good for him to play [for the U23s] but we decided before the game, with the relations we have with youth football, it was only for 45 minutes, to give him some match time but not 90 minutes because he’s going to be on the bench [in the FA Cup]. It’s a process. 

“We take care of the players. It was not my work but for [Harry] Winks to arrive in the position of club captain in a Premier League match shows what can be done in this club. A kid comes here, at nine or 10 years old, taken care of, plays in the first team and arrives at a moment where he even wears the armband. Troy is a process.

“He’s a very young kid with a lot, a lot, a lot to learn. Also football-wise, yeah. He has qualities. He has potential but he’s not an end product. He has a lot to learn, a lot to develop at every level – He already has two Premier League appearances which is not normal for an 18-year-old kid.

“He’s a privileged one. I think he understands the privilege of being part of the first team training every day, learning with experienced players and coaches, with very people also in the academy. He’s a privileged one. Step by step.”

Tottenham’s injury problems in the forward areas have only increased the calls for the teenager to be given a chance, which perhaps haven’t been helpful.

If Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son were fit then Parrott wouldn’t have been mentioned as much, but this both puts pressure on him because fans want to see him play, but equally, it provides him with a chance.

Whilst he may not start against Norwich, if he comes off the bench then he has the opportunity to showcase what he is all about, and as Japhet Tanganga has proven, he can shine under Mourinho.