Spurs star Troy Parrott trying to follow in footsteps of Harry Kane on and off pitch with love of golf
TROY PARROTT is trying to follow in Harry Kane’s footsteps in more ways than one.
The Tottenham youngster is soaking it all up when he trains every day with Kane — and off the pitch he loves his golf just like the England skipper.
Hitting the fairways after training is just about the only escape from football though, as his life has been dedicated to reaching the top.
Tonight will be the next step on that road when he starts in his senior Republic of Ireland debut against New Zealand.
Mick McCarthy says he is ready — and those who work closely with the 17-year-old insist it will not faze him.
Irish manager McCarthy said: “He’s a bright, very intelligent footballer that’s very good with the ball at his feet. He did some really good things in training.
“I think he found it tough enough, it was a pretty hard session, but he enjoyed it. He is very capable, there’s no doubt about that.”
Parrott has been taking it all in his stride since he started as a kid in Dublin.
He grew up in the tough Summerhill area where he would play against older boys across the city.
At Belvedere FC he was barely in his teens and playing against 20-year-olds and more than holding his own.
That was enough to get Premier League clubs heading over the Ireland to try and snap up a teenage scoring sensation.
All the top clubs were aware of him but it was Spurs who made him feel most welcome and he made the big move to head over to England at just 14.
Parrott would speak to his mates back home on the phone — about football and golf — and lived in digs with a family.
But as tough as that is for a kid, he was never distracted from his ultimate goal.
He impressed in the Spurs Academy and had a player in Kane that he could look up to, someone showing the youngsters the results of his dedication.
Spurs coaches say Parrott has a presence and maturity beyond his years. He is not 18 until February but comes across older.
He has also learned to play across the forward line, even though No 9 is his normal position.
In games he can drop deeper to find the ball, or play from wider areas, but it is as a central striker where he is seen as being most lethal.
There has been a buzz around him well before signing his first pro deal with Spurs earlier this year.
Mauricio Pochettino took him on pre-season tour and played him against Juventus, then gave him a senior debut in the Carabao Cup defeat against Colchester.
In a poor season for Spurs, Parrott has been a glimmer of hope.
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They have struggled for results but Parrott has been seen as the next youngster ready to make the step up.
Another player Parrott looks up to is Robbie Keane, who Ireland and Spurs fans know so well.
Keane wants Parrott treated with care, not having pressure piled on him, but making his senior Ireland debut so young will do little to stem the excitement.
