Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe has praised the club’s youth academy and expressed excitement about the potential of some of the young players coming through. Defoe, who is now looking to move into management, spent some of the best years of his career at White Hart Lane, making over 350 appearances and scoring 143 goals across two spells. He is now back at Tottenham coaching some of the club’s most promising youngsters.
Spurs have a track record of bringing through top talent, including Harry Kane, Oliver Skipp, Japhet Tanganga, and Harry Winks. Speaking to Sports Mole, Defoe declined to name any individual players, but said he has been excited by several young prospects, including a few under-15s who are playing in the under-18 team.
“There are a few that really excite me, and it’s nice to see that next generation coming through,” he said. “Hopefully one day these are the next superstars and these are the ones that will play for Tottenham one day.”
One young player who has impressed at that level is Mikey Moore, a 15-year-old England U-16 international who has already played in the UEFA Youth League, a competition designed for 19-year-olds. Defoe hopes to pass on his knowledge to Moore and Tottenham’s other young players, but he is likely to have much bigger ambitions in his coaching career and sees this as a springboard to his next job.