Former Tottenham midfielder Micky Hazard has heaped praise on Harry Winks and compared him to the former Spurs World Cup-winning legend Ossie Ardiles.
Talking on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show on TalkSPORT on Tuesday afternoon (1pm) he also said that he will become a regular first-team player for Tottenham.
Winks was called up to the England squad on Monday after Fabian Delph and Phil Jones withdrew, despite only being on the periphery of the Tottenham first team.
The 21-year-old made his first Premier League start of the season on Saturday, when Tottenham demolished Huddersfield 4-0.
“I like his intensity, every game he approaches in the same manner,” Hazard said.
“He’s lively, he plays with a great tempo, he’s a great passer of the ball.
“At the back end of last season he was playing superb football and he was learning to play that penetrating pass to open defences, and always looking to play forward.
“He’s very busy, I admire his confidence, he always wants the ball, always gets on the ball, and no matter how well or how bad he’s playing nothing changes in his game and that’s a great trait to have – to not lose confidence if you’re playing badly.
“He’s forever on the ball and I remember Ossie Ardiles was the same, no matter how he was playing he always used to get on the ball and I used to think, ‘Wow, that takes guts and courage’ and that’s Harry Winks, he’s a strong character.”
OPINION
Winks’ call-up might have come as a shock and possibly even an annoyance for Mauricio Pochettino, but it’s sign that his progress at Tottenham isn’t going unnoticed. Pochettino gave him his first start of the season in the Premier League on Saturday and he looked confident and composed. That’s a big trait for someone as young as he is and reflects what Hazard was saying about Ardiles – the legendary Spurs player who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1978. He’s got a long way to go before Tottenham fans will see him in the same light, but everyone is convinced that Winks will get there. Pochettino is great with young players and will keep developing him and giving him more playing time. He could be a Tottenham regular as early as next season.