Troy Parrott F AZ Alkmaar b.2002

[youngirish]

I call it 'playing the percentages'. Most prospects won't turn out to be anything special, that's just the nature of it. I've no issue with some 'realism' around our young players if it's based on their strengths, weaknesses, etc., but I think it's a bit meaningless basing it on the law of averages, which is basically what you and Paul are doing I think - "ah sure, we got excited about loads of fellas before and they never made it".

Parrott is an exciting prospect, it's not just us that think that but the Tottenham fans too. He's going to generate positive discussion. When he rocks up for the U21's and changes the game away to Sweden he's going to entice further excitement. Of course it guarantees nothing long-term, but everybody knows that already.
There's a difference between stating someone looks promising at youth level as opposed to claiming they are already good enough to be lining out for their first team in the Premiership. I have no problems with the former, only the latter.

[DeLorean]

Fair enough. I don't think many (if any) here are saying that though? Granted some disappointment has been expressed when he hasn't made match day squads, especially with Kane's injury.

[Olé Olé]

Heung Min Son fractures his arm and is out for a number for weeks....

[seanfhear]

Heung Min Son fractures his arm and is out for a number for weeks....
Do some of you have Tottenham player dolls ? and pins ?

[Eirambler]

Luca Moura would want to watch his step, that's all I'm saying.

Anyway Mourinho has pretty much said today that if the entire first team squad were quarantined with the corinavirus he still wouldn't pick Troy Parrott. Or something like that.

[DeLorean]

Pretty much - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51547261


The situation couldn't be worse. That is obvious. There is nothing we can do. We are going to play with the players we have available.

I was worried about not having attacking options on the bench, now I don't have attacking options on the pitch.

My thoughts are that Troy Parrott is not ready and [19-year-old English winger] Ryan Sessegnon is not a striker.

No strikers, no market. Nothing. The only help we can have is our crowd, the Tottenham supporters. That is the only thing I ask because to the players I cannot ask more than what they are giving.

[seanfhear]

Pretty much - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51547261
Nearly more chance of getting picked out of the Stands than Troy.

He has to be as sick as a........

[ifk101]

Positive Mourinho mentioned his name all the same. A point worth repeating.

[elatedscum]

Dele Alli has to be banned for the corona virus thing, doesn't he? that just leaves Moura. he's supposed to be a lovely lad, so something which wouldn't do him any harm like a cracked rib would be suitable. eventually, he'll have to play Troy...

[Razors left peg]

Positive Mourinho mentioned his name all the same. A point worth repeating.

Did he bring Parrott up or was he asked a direct question?

[DeLorean]

Did he bring Parrott up or was he asked a direct question?

Direct question -

You've spoken about your options, is this an opportunity accelerate the development of Ryan Sessegnon or Troy Parrott? Are they in your thoughts?

[Razors left peg]

Direct question -

You've spoken about your options, is this an opportunity accelerate the development of Ryan Sessegnon or Troy Parrott? Are they in your thoughts?


So it cant be spun that Mourinho mentioned his name.

Either he is not doing it in training or Jose is just blinkered when it comes to players of his age. I still think it was a mistake to sign the contract while Jose is in charge there.
Rashford only got his chance at United when there was an injury crisis and United had no other options. Its like that for Spurs now. You would think they would throw him in and see what happens

[elatedscum]

So it cant be spun that Mourinho mentioned his name.

Either he is not doing it in training or Jose is just blinkered when it comes to players of his age. I still think it was a mistake to sign the contract while Jose is in charge there.
Rashford only got his chance at United when there was an injury crisis and United had no other options. Its like that for Spurs now. You would think they would throw him in and see what happens

even have him on the bench and see if there's a game that's dead with 20 minutes to go. you've got nothing to lose. his preseason form was superb, his performances at youth level have been superb. can't do any harm to see if he can make the next step...

[Razors left peg]

Look at Dortmund against PSG last night. Haaland 19, gets 2 goals. Sancho 19, and Giovanni Reyna off the bench age 17.

Teenagers can flourish when they get a chance.

[seanfhear]

Look at Dortmund against PSG last night. Haaland 19, gets 2 goals. Sancho 19, and Giovanni Reyna off the bench age 17.

Teenagers can flourish when they get a chance.
I don’t think they would be getting that chance if Mourinho was manager.

[Razors left peg]

I don’t think they would be getting that chance if Mourinho was manager.

Not a chance. Maybe Parrott has been crap in training, but to not even make the bench again tonight is crazy when they literally have no striker, especially considering that at time of writing they are 1 nil down in 80th min

[seanfhear]

Not a chance. Maybe Parrott has been crap in training, but to not even make the bench again tonight is crazy when they literally have no striker, especially considering that at time of writing they are 1 nil down in 80th min
Mourinho is a cheque book manager . He could not take the chance that Parrot would do well.

[DCWA]

He could not take the chance that Parrot would do well.

This could be a very pertinent factor.

This injury crisis and having no players plays into Mourinho’s hand when it comes to negotiating with Levy over budgets in the Summer. Parrot being a credible option does not suit the agenda.

While I was advocating patience on Troy’s part I am amazed he hasn’t at least featured on the bench now.

[seanfhear]

This could be a very pertinent factor.

This injury crisis and having no players plays into Mourinho’s hand when it comes to negotiating with Levy over budgets in the Summer. Parrot being a credible option does not suit the agenda.

While I was advocating patience on Troy’s part I am amazed he hasn’t at least featured on the bench now.
This way he has Parrott and A New Player as well ( when / if he gets Levy to buy )

[samhaydenjr]

Whilst you may not like the delivery there has been a pattern here over the years whereby numerous young Irish players have been hyped up to be the next big thing with little to no justification. Anthony Stokes, Jack Byrne and Conor Clifford are all examples of the above based on the fact that they scored a nice goal or two at youth level. Any dissenting voices claiming that they may not actually be quite as good as the hype suggests are nearly always shouted down as ill informed naysayers.

Once those same players were found wanting in the senior game the board moved onto the next flavour of the month. Lather, rinse and repeat, in perpetuity.

Of the current crop hardly any have looked decent for any sustained period at senior level with the exception of Molumby and Knight (the latter in patches) so until Parrott starts banging in goals at least at Championship level the hype is about as valid now as it was back in 2005 for Stokes when he was banging in goals for fun for Arsenal reserves.


You call it pessimism, I call it realism.

If it makes you feel any better, both Connolly and Obafemi have scored more EPL goals than Stokes, and by the end of the season both will possibly surpass his EPL appearance record. They also have more EPL goals than Aiden McGeady, Simon Cox and Patrick Bamford and are only one shy of Daryl Murphy's tally. Also Adam Idah has more FA Cup goals than Stokes.

[nigel-harps1954]

Ambitious move from Dundalk to try get Parrott on loan.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/dundalks-troy-parrott-talks-tottenham-21562039 (https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/dundalks-troy-parrott-talks-tottenham-21562039)

[paul_oshea]

Look at Dortmund against PSG last night. Haaland 19, gets 2 goals. Sancho 19, and Giovanni Reyna off the bench age 17.

Teenagers can flourish when they get a chance.

If teenagers are good enough they'll get that chance.

Didnt mourinho say something about on and off the field he wasn't ready? Could there be more to it on that side of things and he is trying to whip him into line?

[zero]

If teenagers are good enough they'll get that chance.

Didnt mourinho say something about on and off the field he wasn't ready? Could there be more to it on that side of things and he is trying to whip him into line?

There was some story the other day about him partying in Dubai with Dele Alli and an unsavoury sort.

[DCWA]

If Spurs were willing to let him go on loan to LOI that cannot bode well and would indicate he isn’t just not quite ready to play in the Premier League but that they feel he is way, way off.

[ColourfulPeanut]

If teenagers are good enough they'll get that chance.

Didnt mourinho say something about on and off the field he wasn't ready? Could there be more to it on that side of things and he is trying to whip him into line?
He was busy partying in Dubai with a lad with heavy family links to the Kinehans. Massive red flag.

[samhaydenjr]

If teenagers are good enough they'll get that chance.

Didnt mourinho say something about on and off the field he wasn't ready? Could there be more to it on that side of things and he is trying to whip him into line?


There was some story the other day about him partying in Dubai with Dele Alli and an unsavoury sort.


He was busy partying in Dubai with a lad with heavy family links to the Kinehans. Massive red flag.

Aw Dammit!! https://www.thesun.ie/sport/5102329/troy-parrott-dubai-dele-ali/

[seanfhear]

Oh Dear !

[DeLorean]

No convictions so maybe the apple has fallen far from the tree. He must be doing very well with those car sales though. :)

[Diggs246]

Its a real shame, those criminals are from crumlin and Troy is from summerhill, so its not like they were neighbours growing up or anything

[Fixer82]

Mourinho is all about the mind games.
I remember reading years ago that 90% of what he says to the press is aimed at his players.

So him saying Parrott is not ready is designed to get a reaction out of Parrott as much as anything.

Doesn’t look like the young lad is exactly applying himself of late.

[seanfhear]

Mourinho is all about the mind games.
I remember reading years ago that 90% of what he says to the press is aimed at his players.

So him saying Parrott is not ready is designed to get a reaction out of Parrott as much as anything.

Doesn’t look like the young lad is exactly applying himself of late.
Mourinho may be trying to see if Troy is smart enough to read between the lines ?

[elatedscum]

Mourinho may be trying to see if Troy is smart enough to read between the lines ?

the lack of foresight he showed in publicising his friendship with Sean Little would worry you...

Saying that, there are plenty of footballers from Dublin who haven't received any criticism despite their friends and family getting involved in some bad stuff. Anto Stokes I think is the only person who received real stick for it

[dynamo kerry]

the lack of foresight he showed in publicising his friendship with Sean Little would worry you...

Saying that, there are plenty of footballers from Dublin who haven't received any criticism despite their friends and family getting involved in some bad stuff. Anto Stokes I think is the only person who received real stick for it

Sorry.. name one very successful footballer who had friends with strong links to alleged bad stuff
..I cant think of any except stokes

[tetsujin1979]

John Paul Kelly.

[elatedscum]

I don’t really wanna name names for obvious reasons but this link isn’t bad from that perspective. My point was really questioning if Troy was hard done by.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/news/there-are-grave-threats-against-him-irish-soccer-stars-brother-is-target-for-hutch-gang-35811779.html

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/irish-news/crime/associate-of-irish-international-soccer-star-is-suspected-of-luring-victim-25-to-shooting-35575042.html

There’s another current irish international who’s best friend and brother were both arrested for something serious involving gangland when he was back in the country.

A recent enough key player’s two brothers were involved in some really dodgy stuff...

The kid who was photographed with Troy is also photographed with another irish international who hasn’t gotten the same criticism

A current regular was involved in an assault case in Dublin in the last few years...

[Olé Olé]

Troy also paid tribute to this lad on Instagram after his death: https://www.thesun.ie/news/4136420/sean-little-whacked-refusing-kill-rival/

Troy was over to Spurs before he turned 16. Sources at Belvedere inform me that Spurs wanted him over early due to some of the company he was keeping.

Parrott is hardly the first player to be linked with undesirables or undesirable behaviour. The difference here is that he had only turned 18. He's one of our most highly touted and high profile teens in a long time. The microscope on him is, as a result, inevitable.

[seanfhear]

Perhaps a Ferguson Hawk figure is needed.

[youngirish]

On the bench today. Might get a run out.

[Eirambler]

Gets about 35 seconds at the end. Wasting his time as long as Mourinho is there.

[MancIrishWolf]

Gets about 35 seconds at the end. Wasting his time as long as Mourinho is there.

Interesting to hear the sarcastic cheers when he came on though and resounding boos at the end. Aurier made a few perfect crosses which were crying out for a poacher. Hopefully just a matter of time.

[samhaydenjr]

Gets about 35 seconds at the end. Wasting his time as long as Mourinho is there.


Interesting to hear the sarcastic cheers when he came on though and resounding boos at the end. Aurier made a few perfect crosses which were crying out for a poacher. Hopefully just a matter of time.

I'm actually encouraged by this - I wasn't expecting for him to play at all this season, the way Mourinho's been talking, so to see him even get some garbage minutes with ten games left to play is promising - hopefully he'll get some more significant time in the coming weeks and set himself up for next season.

[paul_oshea]

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1119571/?__twitter_impression=true

"He is not ready. He is not ready," said the Portuguese.

"He is a good kid we want to help, not only on the pitch but off it. He is a kid who's going to have a real opportunity but when we decide it is right.


He's just referenced off the pitch again...

[Razors left peg]

https://www.rte.ie/amp/1119571/?__twitter_impression=true

"He is not ready. He is not ready," said the Portuguese.

"He is a good kid we want to help, not only on the pitch but off it. He is a kid who's going to have a real opportunity but when we decide it is right.


He's just referenced off the pitch again...

I think hanging out on a yacht in Dubai on a week off rather than busting his ar$e in a gym gave the wrong signal to Mourinho regardless of the company he was in.

I've been very strong on that hes being hard done by there but that did change my opinion.

[DeLorean]

Good to see he hasn't held it against him too much at least, given his inclusion in the squad, and I agree with Sam, token minutes are more encouraging than no minutes. Ian Wright pleaded his case on motd2 last night also.

[tetsujin1979]

Could see gametime in the cup tie against Norwich on Wednesday, possibly lining up opposite Idah

[Diggs246]

I've a serous problem with who he is hanging out with etc
These people are a cancer on our society and he is in a yacht with them
If he doesn't cop on, you would have to be afraid that he will be another waste of talent

[seanfhear]

Not the kind of people anyone should be hanging out with !

Any football club needs this sort of an association, like a hole in the head.

Troy Parrot's family , friends and advisors need to cop themselves on if they think any football club wants this sort of association.

[Eminence Grise]

Sorry.. name one very successful footballer who had friends with strong links to alleged bad stuff
..I cant think of any except stokes

Not Irish, but a young Ravel Morrison? This from FourFourTwo...

United felt they’d ... supported him even after he was convicted of intimidating a witness to a knifepoint robbery, for which he’d escaped with a 12-month referral order and was instructed to cough up £2,000 in compensation. And they also backed him after he admitted criminal damage, having thrown his partner’s phone from her parents’ window. Morrison was referred to Salford’s youth offending team for domestic violence counselling, and then fined again. (https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/where-earth-did-it-all-go-wrong-ravel-morrison)

Some of that was because of connections to gangs around Wythenshawe/Whalley Range which are ... well they're no Altrincham (I was born in Partington, just west of Wythenshawe, before we moved to Stretford). Clubs want players who can sell jerseys and memorabilia, do endorsements, act as ambassadors, not just play football. It doesn't matter if you mature and leave it all behind: nobody is going to waste tens of millions on a player who has a history, even as an underage player, unless they're the very definition of a flawed genius. And there's few enough of those at any one time. Troy, good though he is, isn't in that category.

He needs to be very careful who he hangs out with with. I'd say the same if he wasn't a footballer - the gangs in Dublin today are unadulterated filth.

[SkStu]

I agree with everything said here so far. The only thing that i would add is that this boils down to choice. These players make these decisions. No one holds a gun to their heads on who they should be hanging around with. They need good guidance to make good decisions. I was fairly close with a couple of friends of Wes Hoolahan back in the early 00's. They mentioned how Wes rejected any of the temptations that arose living in the north Dublin inner city. Head down, focused on football, made smart decisions on who he hung out with. This was when living and playing for Shels and it taking longer than it should have to get his move abroad. But he got his move. I dont know who was advising him but he made the right decisions along the way.

Stokes did the opposite and has just gotten arrested off the airplane for an outstanding warrant.

Parrott needs someone in his corner now. As seanfhear says, this is not a good look, not a good association and you'd have to think it has the potential to turn his head away from his career. But its not too late.

[Diggs246]

I agree with everything said here so far. The only thing that i would add is that this boils down to choice. These players make these decisions. No one holds a gun to their heads on who they should be hanging around with. They need good guidance to make good decisions. I was fairly close with a couple of friends of Wes Hoolahan back in the early 00's. They mentioned how Wes rejected any of the temptations that arose living in the north Dublin inner city. Head down, focused on football, made smart decisions on who he hung out with. This was when living and playing for Shels and it taking longer than it should have to get his move abroad. But he got his move. I dont know who was advising him but he made the right decisions along the way.

Stokes did the opposite and has just gotten arrested off the airplane for an outstanding warrant.

Parrott needs someone in his corner now. As seanfhear says, this is not a good look, not a good association and you'd have to think it has the potential to turn his head away from his career. But its not too late.

Wes brother unfortunately didn't make the right choices