Robbie Keane reacts to comments about Troy Parrott, shares what Pochettino thinks

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Tottenham Hotspur striker Troy Parrott has been touted for stardom.

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane has told The Irish Independent that Mauricio Pochettino has told him just how much he rates young striker Troy Parrott.

Spurs have seen one striker rise through the ranks to stardom in Harry Kane, and there are real hopes that Irishman Parrott can follow suit.

The 17-year-old joined from Belvedere in Ireland in 2017, and has made waves in the Tottenham youth ranks, scoring 19 goals in 27 games for Tottenham’s under-18’s this past season.

Many Spurs fans are backing Parrott to make the step-up to the first team in the not-too-distant future, and he was even spotted training with the first team earlier this year after Kane’s January ankle injury.

Some have compared Parrott to ex-Spurs goalscorer and fellow Irishman Keane, so it’s no great surprise that the former Tottenham striker has now had his say on Parrott’s chances.

Keane has revealed that he’s spoken to Pochettino, and he’s a big fan of Parrott, suggesting that he sees real first-team prospects for the teenager somewhere down the line.

With Kion Etete on board for the Under-18’s, Parrott may be given more chances to train with the first team and make the step up, but Keane has preached patience.

Keane has urged fans not to hype Parrott up as the next Kane or even the next Keane himself, suggesting that he’s just the first Troy Parrott, and revealed that Pochettino has told him that he ‘loves’ the teenage striker, with Keane backing him for a huge future.

“Be careful how you push him in terms of ‘the next Robbie Keane’. He’s Troy Parrott. People say at Tottenham, ‘the next Harry Kane’. Let him be him and he’ll progress naturally anyway,” said Keane. “He’s one for the future, I’m excited to see his progression because he’s definitely got a chance. The people at Tottenham have high expectations of him. I speak to Pochettino all the time and he loves him. Jesus (Perez), the assistant manager, loves him.”

“He’s not really ready because he’s not playing. He’ll play for Ireland, 100 per cent. Whether it’s six months or a year, we don’t know. That’s up to Tottenham, if they play him or send him out on loan. He’s good enough to go somewhere. Will he get that chance at Spurs now? Probably slim. He trained with the squad last year a lot. It’s just unfortunate he’s got a couple of injuries that set him back,” he added.