Tottenham whizzkid Marcus Edwards lacks the physicality and work ethic to be fast-tracked into the Tottenham team, according to a reliable journalist.
Football London’s Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold claimed in a Q&A with supporters on Thursday (4.22pm) that the 18-year-old attacking midfielder is a long way off Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Edwards is regarded as one of the brightest products to have emerged from the productive Tottenham academy for years, but he is yet to properly break into the first team picture.
The manager’s thoughts on the wide man in his new book Brave New World: Inside Pochettino’s Spurs provides fascinating insight as he explained how the youngster has behavioural issues and problems with dealing with authority.
Asked by a Spurs fan how long it will take for Edwards to get into the first team, Gold replied on the Football London blog: “I asked Poch about Edwards just before the Barnley Carabao Cup match and he said he doesn’t think the player is physically ready for first team football yet.
“Having watched him in plenty of U23 and U19 matches I can see what he means. He’s a very talented young player, but he can drift out of games and his work ethic varies. Poch demands everything from players and Edwards needs to understand that.
“It was interesting that in his book, Poch talks about the player and his behavioural issues and problems with authority. Edwards has scored plenty of goals this season in the youth ranks. Now he just needs to convince the manager he’d give even more for the first team.”
OPINION
Of all the Pochettino revelations from his new book, none alarmed supporters more than the bombshell that the gifted youngster has serious issues to overcome. The manager’s admission that it would have been “impossible” for the the left-footed dribbler to have made it in times gone by is a stunning one, and makes a mockery of his own comparisons to Lionel Messi 12 months ago, which the Argentine now admits he regrets. Supporters urging the manager to fast-track Edwards into the first team have had to think again. He clearly has an awfully long way to go.