What are the thoughts on the prospect of Obika? He rarely gets a mention, but he sure knows where the goal is. Still very young, looks strong on the ball aswell.

Will he be returning to Millwall next season?

I'd really like a young striker on the bench in and around the squad.
Especially when we get a lack lustre performance like ManU in the League cup.
Is it too early for him? Again, we need to push these guys through.

On the Millwall fans sites their ITK's have said they are after Bostock or Townsend this season, but they signed a winger yesterday, so maybe their interest in Townsend has gone.

General view of those that follow the progress of the young players is that he lacks aggression, or determination and can drift out of games and seem sidelined.
I thought he showed this in his first game in US.
In the second he was more determined, ran onto Robbie's pass strongly and finished well.
Could save us £20/£30 million if he can step up but not this season.

Jonathan Obika is Lee Barnard.

Can't see him ever being a Tottenham regular. He needs to be loaned to a Championship level club AND be a regular scorer in that League before we can even consider him being someone who could possibly save us 20/30m.

I just don't ever see a striker ever breaking through the youth system at spurs. It's too difficult for a kid. We've always bought them in and I think always will.

good point.

or they have to prove themselves at Liverpool before we'll give them a regular spot in the first XI....

I think townsend, and Steven caukwell look like the most likely. There's 5 or 6 who may make it from that age group they still have 4/5 years yet. Most players don't normally come through till they are 23 says fergie. They are already playing league1 / championship and doing well so they should make it in the premire league given time the chance, and lots of hard work.

Fergie seems to have the right formula of bringing young ones through just enough to keep them interested and at the same time being ready to be called on incase of injurys, theres definatly a knack/skill at doing it at the right times etc.

in my opinion we have caulker parrett and townsend who can make the first team in a couple of years. they have the talent

Fergie does two things right. One, he loans them to teams that WILL play them. Secondly, he tells players that they probably wont be first team stars overnight. Apart from the famed "kids" of the mid 90s, any youth product who's made it at Old Trafford has had extensive loan spells. I think both O'Shea and Evans went to Royal Antwerp for a season. Other players like Fletcher have developed over the years to the point where they're now established first teamers.

O'Hara is an established Premier League player now. He's also 23 and didn't really start playing Premier League football til he was around 21. Most of the youngsters we have high hopes for, such as Bostock, Townsend and Parrett, need consistent playing time at a high level. By that I mean Championship level and above. With 2/3 years of Championship football, they really can become stars of the future at Tottenham.

Redknapp has done many things right, but giving most of our kids a chance to play at lower division teams has been one of the best. Caulker at Yeovil last year being a prime example.

Teams like Blackpool in the Premier League and Leeds in the Championship would be perfect for some of our kids/future stars. Big clubs in smaller divisions or small clubs in large divisions are great. Let them learn to deal with pressure. Personally, I'd much rather they went there on long term loans than keep them at White Hart Lane and give them the Carling Cup to "practice".

If we had a link with a team in a country like Holland, where English is widely spoken and the preference is for good football, the kids that went there would benefit in so many ways.

The links we have in South Africa, Brazil and America are primarily financial (Sandro being a nice exception). What we need are links that are purely on a football level.

Man, I love Tottenham!

Good post fella.

Yes, great post and i agree 100%