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      Under-fire Tottenham boss Postecoglou finally breaks silence on EFL boss’ injury jibe with brutal 10-word response

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      ANGE POSTECOGLOU hit back at Leyton Orient manager Richie Wellens after his tongue-in-cheek comment about Tottenham’s injury crisis.Spurs have tumbled down to 14th place in the Premier League table amid a turbulent campaign that has seen manager Postecoglou losing a raft of key players to injury.Ange Postecoglou addressed Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens’ comments about Tottenham’s injury crisisCredit: GettyTottenham boss Postecoglou stated Wellens had his ‘five minutes’Credit: GettyDominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Fraser Forster Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Radu Dragusin are all sidelined.The Aussie tactician has often pointed to that continuous problem after a series of poor results, and management appear to agree with him as he still has their support.But Wellens, 44, decided to poke some fun on Postecoglou after his team’s 1-0 defeat to Stockport last week at Brisbane Road after their own injury crisis got worse.Asked if injuries were to blame for the defeat, Wellens responded: “I’m not Ange Postecoglou and keep using it as an excuse.”Read More on FootballPostecoglou caught wind of that jibe and addressed it after Tottenham saw their Carabao Cup hopes go up in flames by Liverpool who beat them 4-0 at Anfield on Thursday in the semi-finals.The ex-Celtic boss was very brief but extremely direct when he stated Wellens had his “five minutes”.Postecoglou said: “I don’t know how it’s a narrative when you are just stating facts.”If people don’t see a situation where you are missing something significant there is nothing I can say to that. Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”If they say, ‘Well, that shouldn’t really make a difference’ I don’t know how to answer that. “I get that people’s senses get dulled or people get bored – everyone wants a bit of drama. But that’s not drama, that’s just stating facts.Postecoglou bemoans Tottenham’s lacklustre effort against Liverpool “We have been missing some really key players for a long time and have had to deal with that. Whether people see that as significant or not… “If people think I’m trying to create a story out of nothing I don’t know what to say about that. And as for other managers, mate, he’s had his five minutes so lets move on.”Asked if Wellens had contacted him to apologise personally, Postecoglou responded: “He’s had his five minutes, that’s good enough for me.”Wellens, though, did apologise for his “stupid comment” soon after with a long statement.Wellens apologisesTottenham and Orient have had a close relationship in recent years with Jamie Donley and Josh Keeley on loan at the east London club from the Premier League giants this season and performing well.Tottenham Women also regularly play their home games at the O’s Brisbane Road, while the League One side borrowed a heated dome for their pitch from Spurs in 2022.In an official statement on the club’s website, Wellens said: “After today’s game, I was asked about the injuries within our squad and, without thinking, I made a stupid comment about Tottenham Hotspur.“That comment was brought to my attention later in the evening and having watched my interview back I am deeply embarrassed and regret what I said.READ MORE SUN STORIES“At Leyton Orient, we have a strong relationship with Tottenham Hotspur and it was never my intention to say anything that would jeopardise that.“Their manager, Ange Postecoglou, is a world-class coach and I want to apologise for my comments and wish Spurs all the very best for the second half of the season.” More

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      Premier League team with the most bald fans revealed – where does your favourite club rank?

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      TOTTENHAM Hotspur have more bald fans than any other Premier League team, a poll reveals.Ten per cent who support Ange Postecoglou’s misfiring men are hairless on top.Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is one of many bald spectators in attendance at club matchesCredit: PAAnd it may not be a surprise — with fans possibly tearing it out in frustration at seeing the North London team slide down the tableTottenham chairman Daniel Levy is also infamously bald.Singer Phil Collins and actor Jude Law are among the club’s follicly challenged fans.Tottenham were just knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool – with bald manager Arne Slot leading the Reds.READ MORE ON TOTTENHAMAston Villa were second in the slaphead stakes, followed by Liverpool and Manchester United.Newcastle supporters were least likely to be bald, the poll for Harley Street Hair Clinic found.Spurs fan Richard Dunn, 45, of Hastings, East Sussex, said he was aware that whenever he went to a game there were a lot of fans with shiny bonces.He said: “I’ve been bald since I was in my 30s, but whenever I get to a home game I see a creeping rise in the number of bald Spurs fans.Most read in Football“Our form is enough to make anyone tear their hair out, but it seems the long years without a trophy are telling on a lot the receding hairlines you see here.”’I just cannot get my head round it’ – Jamie Redknapp baffled by embarrassing Tottenham stat in Liverpool humiliationPREMIER LEAGUE TABLE OF BALD FANS1) Spurs. 2) Aston Villa. 3) Liverpool. 4) Man United. 5) Chelsea. 6) Brighton. 7) Leicester. 8) Wolves. 9) Everton. 10) Ipswich. 11) Brentford. 12) West Ham. 13) Man City. 14) Southampton. 15) Arsenal. 16) Fulham. 17) Crystal Palace. 18) Bournemouth. 19) Forest. 20) Newcastle.Singer Phil Collins backs up the study, he is bald and supports TottenhamCredit: Getty More

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      Tottenham’s Europa League squad announced with £200,000-a-week star and £12.5m signing left OUT

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      TOTTENHAM have announced their renewed Europa League squad… and there are a few surprises.Spurs punched their ticket straight into the Last 16 after finishing fourth in the league phase.Tottenham have left two major names out of their renewed Europa League squadCredit: ReutersTimo Werner was omitted from Tottenham’s Europa League squadCredit: GettyTottenham January signing Antonin Kinsky was also axedCredit: GettyThe North Londoners were allowed to make three changes to the squad ahead of the knockouts.Manager Ange Postecoglou added two January signings in Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel.Danso, 26, moved to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on loan from Lens with an obligation to buy for around £21million.Tel, 19, also joined on loan from Bayern Munich with an option to buy for about £52m, which would then lead to a six-year contract.Read More on FootballThe forward initially rejected Tottenham but changed his mind after a long phone call with Postecoglou, who won him over after he explained how he plans to use him on the pitch.Danso and Tel were joined in the Europa League squad by Djed Spence, who has shone bright this season amid Spurs’ injury hell, as the third change.Postecoglou had to make two major omissions to make space for the aforementioned trio.That led to Timo Werner and another January signing in Antonin Kinsky being axed.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSKinsky, 21, joined Tottenham from Slavia Prague after a £12.5m deal as an emergency transfer following Guglielmo Vicario’s injury and a series of gaffes from back-up goalkeeper Fraser Forster last month.However, Vicario is expected to return from an ankle injury and Postecoglou decided to have Brandon Austin as the Italian shot-stopper’s back-up after also axing Forster.’Horrendous’ – Jamie Carragher reveals moment Postecoglou’s Tottenham reign changed and they’ve been ‘awful’ ever sinceWerner has fallen down the pecking order following a series of below-par performances.The winger, who earns about £200,000 per week amid his loan stint from RB Leipzig, recently received some brutal criticism from Postecoglou, who claimed: “He wasn’t playing anywhere near the level he should”.The Germany international is also dealing with a hamstring injury, which could have contributed to his omission.Radu Dragusin has also been axed following a knee injury that could sideline him for the rest of the season.Tottenham Europa League squad 2024/25Here’s Tottenham’s renewed Europa League squad for the knockouts stage:Goalkeepers: Vicario, Austin, Whiteman, GunterDefenders: Danso, Udogie, Romero, Porro, Spence, Davies, Van de Ven, Dorrington, Cassanova, King, HardyMidfielders: Bissouma, Maddison, Gray, Bergvall, Kulusevski, Johnson, Odobert, Sarr, Bentancur, Moore, Hall, Kyerematen, OlusesiForwards: Son, Richarlison, Tel, Solanke, Lankshear, Scarlett, Ajayi, Williams-Barnett More

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      Carragher was spot on – Tottenham have been pitiful in knockout stages for years, serial winners couldn’t even crack it

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      JAMIE CARRAGHER was spot on – Tottenham simply never win big football matches.They might beat Manchester City for fun and even reach a final once every blue moon – but when silverware is on the line, Spurs are nowhere to be seen.Tottenham crashed to a dismal 4-0 loss against Liverpool in Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-finalCredit: RexSky’s Jamie Carragher believes the mentality at the club is all wrongCredit: Rex”There’s a mental block with the club” – Carragher said.He’s right. This goes back years and is far deeper than Ange Postecoglou and his current flops.Not even serial winners Jose Mourinho or Antonio Conte could crack it, so what hope does the Aussie boss have?Managers and players have changed, but the type of abysmal performance we saw at Anfield has been seen time and time again.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLZERO shots on target in a major semi-final? It’s no wonder Tottenham haven’t won a trophy since 2008. They’ll be waiting another 17 years at this rate.Carragher said after the 4-0 Anfield surrender: “It was never in doubt. It’s Tottenham! “When do Tottenham ever win a big game? When do Tottenham ever go and surprise, win against the odds?Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”It’s not just this Spurs team. They never shock you, never do something out of the ordinary.”Whenever they go into a big game, nobody ever believes they’re going to win.”Postecoglou bemoans Tottenham’s lacklustre effort against Liverpool In their slight defence, Tottenham’s injury list is almost unheard of, and even at full strength, they have absolutely no right to rock up at Anfield and win.But that wasn’t Carragher speaking with his Liverpool hat on, his brutal assessment of Spurs was on the money.Since lifting the League Cup in 2008, Tottenham have been nothing short of pitiful in knockout football.Excluding the miracle of Amsterdam in 2019, when Lucas Moura’s hat-trick against Ajax took Spurs to the Champions League final under Mauricio Pochettino, it’s been atrocious.Burnley, Sheffield United and Brentford – all outside the Premier League at the time – are the only semi-finals or finals Tottenham have won during that period – in 2009, 2015 and 2021 respectively.Even then, they needed extra time to beat Burnley despite being 4-1 up from the first leg.Spurs’ record with trophies on the line2009 League Cup final – Manchester United 0-0 (4-1 on penalties)2010 FA Cup semi-final – Portsmouth 2-02012 FA Cup semi-final – Chelsea 5-12015 League Cup final – Chelsea 2-02017 FA Cup semi-final – Chelsea 4-22018 FA Cup semi-final – Manchester United 2-12019 League Cup semi-finals – Chelsea 2-2 on aggregate – (4-2 on penalties)2019 Champions League final – Liverpool 2-02021 League Cup final – Manchester City 1-02022 League Cup semi-final – Chelsea 3-0 on aggregate2025 League Cup semi-final – Liverpool 4-1 aggregateAnd tried their best to cock-up the second of those after squandering a 2-0 aggregate lead before Christian Eriksen eventually sent them to Wembley.Basically, any time Spurs come up against half-decent opposition in a high-pressure knockout game, they lose.Take out that trio, who they were expected to beat anyway, they’ve lost every other semi-final or final tie in the last 17 YEARS.That is some going, especially considering Wigan, Portsmouth and Swansea – all currently outside the Prem – have won silverware in that period.Even Newcastle… yes, Newcastle, are just 90 minutes away from ending their 70-year drought. How humiliating would that be if the Toon, dubbed serial losers for decades, have won a trophy more recently than Tottenham?Tottenham’s top 10 biggest signings: Hit or miss?1) Tanguy Ndombele – £52.7mNdombele joined from Lyon in 2019 with huge expectations after shattering Tottenham’s transfer record.But he would go on to play just 91 times for the club, scoring 10 goals and is now set to leave one year before the end of his contract.2) Richarlison – £49.3mRicharlison almost broke the £50m mark when he arrived from Everton in 2022 as Harry Kane’s back-up.And while his tally of 12 goals this season was a significant increase on the three from his opening Spurs campaign, he is being linked with a departure this summer.3) Brennan Johnson – £46.8mJohnson was signed by Ange Postecoglou last summer and has impressed in patches during his first season in North London.He scored five goals and 10 assists in 38 games and will look to build on that in the 2024/25 campaign.4) Cristian Romero – £44.2mRomero initially joined on loan from Atalanta in 2021, before his impressive displays saw him secure a permanent deal the following year.He is two games shy of 100 for Spurs and, while he can be reckless with his tackling at times, is beginning to form a promising partnership with Micky van de Ven.5) James Maddison – £39.4mMaddison was handed Kane’s No10 shirt after arriving at Spurs and hit the ground running with three goals and five assists in his opening 11 matches.But after getting injured against Chelsea in October, he failed to return with the same sharpness – managing just five goal contributions in 15 league matches as he missed out on England’s final 26-man squad for the Euros.6) Davinson Sanchez – £35.7mSanchez joined Spurs from Ajax in 2017 and played more than 200 games across a six-year spell.But he was always considered a somewhat erratic defender who did not play more than 20 games in a Premier League season from 2020 onwards.7) Pedro Porro – £34mPorro was another signing who originally arrived on loan in January 2023, before he signed permanently last summer.He has 54 appearances for Spurs under his belt, scoring seven goals and impressing under Postecoglou this season.8) Micky van de Ven – £34mRapid Dutch centre-back Van de Ven was named Spurs Player of the Season in his first campaign at the club.His pace, athleticism, and technical ability on the ball have made him arguably Postecoglou’s best signing to date.9) Moussa Sissoko – £29.8mSissoko came to North London for a substantial fee after being relegated with Newcastle and went on to enjoy five years at Tottenham, playing more than 200 games.Unfortunately for the French midfielder, he is best-known for giving away a controversial penalty for handball in the first minute of Spurs’ 2-0 Champions League final defeat to Liverpool in 2019.10) Giovani Lo Celso – £27.2mLo Celso joined on loan from Real Betis in 2019 – a deal that was made permanent the following season.He has 10 goals and eight assists in 108 games, with some Spurs fans still unsure about the Argentine.And it’s not like Spurs haven’t had their chances.For all the stick they get about being trophyless, they’ve had plenty of deep cup runs.Thursday’s embarrassment at Anfield was just the latest in a painful list for Tottenham, which includes one against Portsmouth, one other against Liverpool, one against City, two against Manchester United and FIVE against Chelsea.That’s now 11 defeats from a possible 11 against Premier League clubs in semi-finals or finals since 2008.It’s no wonder no one in the footballing world takes Tottenham seriously.READ MORE SUN STORIESSomehow, Spurs still have two chances left this season – the FA Cup and Europa League – and therefore could ultimately end their trophy drought very soon.But if recent history is anything to go by, you can think again. 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      Tottenham loanee Mathys Tel ‘eyeing summer Man Utd transfer’ as debut ends in Anfield humiliation

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      TOTTENHAM loanee Mathys Tel is reportedly eyeing a summer move to Manchester United.The 19-year-old’s hopes of a dream debut went up in smoke after Spurs were humiliated by Liverpool at Anfield.Mathys Tel is reportedly eyeing a summer move to Manchester UnitedCredit: GETTYLiverpool set up a League Cup final with NewcastleHolding a shock 1-0 lead from the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, Spurs went onto lose 4-0 in the return leg last night.Ange Postecoglou’s side couldn’t lay a glove on Arne Slot’s men – and failed to register a single shot on target.Tel – who came on for Richarlison on the stroke on half-time – may already be left questioning his move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.He was expected to lead the line, as the Brazilian had done, centrally, and there were sparks of intelligent play from the Bayern Munich star.READ MORE MAN UTD NEWSThe Frenchman provided a key pass amongst 18 touches of the ball, though failed to do much else of note beyond firing into the side netting in the second half.While reports suggested that he’d secretly agreed to sign a permanent deal with Tottenham, Tel might now be drawn to Old Trafford.But Tel would be swapping one car crash for another, as United sit 13th in the Prem and have lost to Spurs twice already this season.United expressed an interest in loaning Tel before he joined Tottenham, who have the option to buy him, on deadline day.Most read in FootballThey ultimately decided against it after the clubs couldn’t agree on a fee.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut Ruben Amorim will get a “second chance” to sign Tel as the French starlet was open to a move to Manchester in January, according to German football expert Christian Falk.If the Red Devils – who are depleted in forward areas – do want him in the summer they’ll have to fork out around £50m to Bayern.Mathys Tel completes dramatic Tottenham loan transfer after making shock U-turn Tel had initially rejected a switch to Spurs when a straight £50m deal was on the table.Spurs fans worried about paying £10MILLION for a three-and-a-half-month loan deal, but Postecoglou adamantly claimed the French teenager was going to be at the club for years to come.In all, Tel – the centre-forward Ange so desperately wanted – had just ONE touch of the ball in the box against Liverpool.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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      ‘I just cannot get my head round it’ – Jamie Redknapp baffled by embarrassing Tottenham stat in Liverpool humiliation

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      TOTTENHAM racked up a string of new lows in a shocking Carabao Cup exit labelled “horrendous” and a “disgrace”.Spurs failed to record a single shot on target as Liverpool’s 4-0 Anfield win booked a 4-1 victory on aggregate and a final place against Newcastle at Wembley on March 16.Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch consoles Spurs newcomer Mathys TelCredit: ReutersRodrigo Bentancur reflects on Tottenham’s 4-0 lossCredit: RexJamie Redknapp claims he’s never seen a team go out with ‘less fight’Pundits delivered their most blistering verdicts yet on Ange Postecoglou’s two-year reign.And ex-Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp went back much further with his trip down horror-history lane.The former England ace told Sky Sports: “I cannot remember a team in my lifetime go down with less of a fight than what they did today.”Redknapp was especially stunned that Spurs couldn’t muster one effort on goal – the first time they’ve not done so under Postecoglou.READ MORE TOP FOOTBALLHe said: “I can’t get my head round them not having one shot on target in a semi-final.”Not having one shot on target in the semi-final second leg when you’re trying to change the course of your history.”(There’s) the one half-chance when Son (Heung-min) manufactures a step-over and hits the bar but even then you just felt the game had gone for them.”There’s been some lows – Palace, Everton and Ipswich this season – but that today, when you look at that scoreline, it’s just horrendous… so abject.”Most read in FootballAnge Postecoglou accepted Spurs were outclassedCredit: RexThe facts and figures for Spurs also looked woefulMo Salah smacked in a stunning penalty for rampant LiverpoolCredit: APJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSBlaming the experienced players, Redknapp also claimed: “Whenever Tottenham go into a big game they never believe that they are going to win.”Fellow Sky man Jamie Carragher was equally withering as pressure mounts on Postecoglou.How much Mathys Tel will cost Tottenham for four months revealed… with no guarantee Spurs can activate buy optionThe ex-Liverpool defender said: “It was never in doubt before the game – it was Tottenham. When will Tottenham ever win a big game?”When I look at those three Tottenham midfield players, I thought they were a disgrace, no matter who the manager is.”Spurs’ match stats were pretty much their worst of the season.They had just eight touches in the Liverpool penalty areas, whereas Arne Slot’s Prem leaders had 55 in the Tottenham area.And their meagre total of five goal attempts – all off target – was dwarfed by Liverpool’s attacking threat.The Reds created 26 attempts, including 10 on target.Postecoglou told ITV: “Tough night. Credit to Liverpool they were way too good for us tonight. This graph also shows Tottenham’s lack of penetration”We never really got to grips with the game with or without the ball. “We just allowed them to get control pretty early and it made it difficult for us to get in the game.”Both Redknapp and Carragher accepted Tottenham still have a huge list of crocks, with 10 players out.However, Redknapp stressed: “They’ve had a lot of injuries but there’s still enough players there to cause Liverpool problems.”Ex-Spurs centre-back Michael Dawson labelled his old side’s display as “really, really damaging.”Dawson added: “I thought there would be more of a fight from those players. They didn’t show any character.”Cody Gakpo’s 34th-minute opener put Liverpool in front on the night and level in the tie.And Mo Salah’s top-corner penalty early in the second period summed up their swagger as the Reds took control.Dominik Szoboszlai’s slot-in and Virgil van Dijk’s header then made the scoreline almost as embarrassing for Spurs as their display.Afterwards Van Dijk highlighted the contrast between the two teams – albeit by only talking about his own side.READ MORE SUN STORIESThe Dutch defender said: “It’s about staying calm, work our socks off, try to show our quality, defend with everything we have as a team and focus on ourselves. That’s the main thing. “Don’t worry about others. That’s the only key to success this season. Let’s go for it and we’ll see.”Virgil van Dijk celebrates his classic headed goalCredit: GettyUnlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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      Mathys Tel has agreed SIX-YEAR Tottenham contract and WILL stay beyond Bayern Munich loan, reveals Ange Postecoglou

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      ANGE POSTECOGLOU declared Mathys Tel WILL be a Tottenham player beyond the end of the season.The French striker, 19, completed a deadline-day loan move from Bayern Munich to Spurs, who hold a £45million option to sign him permanently.Ange Postecoglou says loanee Mathys Tel will be a Tottenham player next seasonCredit: GettyThe Bayern Munich striker has agreed a six-year deal ahead of a potential £45million permanent switchCredit: RexGerman reports had suggested the player could still choose not to join the North Londoners in the summer, despite that option.But SunSport understands Tel is happy to stay should Spurs trigger it and a six-year contract has already been agreed.Asked if he could clear up the confusion and if Tel would remain at Tottenham beyond the current season, bullish Postecoglou replied: “He’ll be a Tottenham player.“I think he’ll show everyone he’s going to be a Tottenham player in the next six months. I didn’t bring him here for six months.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLTel has been cleared to make his Spurs debut at Liverpool tomorrow having trained and received his work permit.The same goes for 26-year-old centre-back Kevin Danso, signed on loan from RC Lens on Sunday, who is likely to start the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg.Tel had initially rejected a switch to Spurs when a straight £50m deal was on the table.But he had a change of heart on Monday, having had a persuasive exchange “purely about football” via phonecall and on text over a couple of hours with Postecoglou.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe Aussie joked: “I felt that if I kept him on the phone long enough, I would wear him down. He was falling asleep by the end!“I got a sense pretty early on that there was a connection there and he was hearing what he wanted to hear. It is a big decision.Why Marcus Rashford could be perfect fit for Aston Villa after Man Utd transfer“He is a 19-year-old man at a fantastic football club. They would have been quite happy to keep him there I am sure but he also knew he needed to play.“But not just play. Play where he is going to develop. I think it is  a credit to him that rather than just jump at what came at him, he was very thorough in the way he made his decision.”Tel had interest from other clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, but was convinced, in the end, by Spurs.Postecoglou said he was “100 per cent” certain Tel is happy to be at Spurs and sees the move as a coup for Spurs, who are in all cup competitions but 14th in the Premier League.The ex-Celtic boss added: “He is very, very exciting.“When you meet him you realise he’s got that bit about him as a person who has enormous self-belief and confidence in what he can do and what he wants to do.“Even though he’s young, physically he’s already in a place where he can take on the enormous challenges of being an attacking player in the Bundesliga and I think he can handle the Premier League.READ MORE SUN STORIES“He’s a goal-scorer, he can take people on, he’s got speed.“I’d be very surprised if there was a club that wouldn’t be interested in somebody like him.”Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club. More

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      Tottenham snap up England star’s son seven months after older brother signed contract in different sport

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      TOTTENHAM have signed Martin Offiah’s son Phoenix.The rugby league legend scored over 500 tries throughout his career and is the top try-scoring English player ever. Phoenix Offiah has signed for TottenhamCredit: InstagramHis dad Martin is a rugby league legendCredit: Graham Hughes – The TimesHis youngest son Phoenix, 15, has been snapped up by Spurs after previously being on the books of Crystal Palace, Brentford and Queens Park Rangers. Having put pen to paper on his contract, the young striker wrote on Instagram: “Thank you to everyone who helped me along my journey.”Happy to say that I have signed for Tottenham. Grind don’t stop now.”His proud dad, who has passed his lightening quick pace down to his kids, said: “Another proud day in the Offiah household. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”Phoenix signs for Spurs seven months after his older brother Tyler signed for Bath Rugby. The hard work starts now my boy.”On his journey, dad Martin previously said: “It’s been a long road for Phoenix to get this far. He played rugby union at Ealing Trailfinders, like his brother, up until the age of eight and scored a really good try at Twickenham.”After that, he said ‘Dad, I want to play football’, but he was just as good at rugby as Tyler. “It wasn’t for him, though, and I said, ‘It’s your life, I’ll support you on your journey’. Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS”So when he was about ten he got scouted by QPR and Fulham.”He chose QPR because it was closer to home and spent two years in their development system. Inside making of Spurs whiz Bergvall who outshone Kulusevski and Gyokeres as kid “When QPR told Phoenix that he wasn’t the finished article, he was very distraught and went away to work hard on his skills.”Phoenix’s brother Tyler, 18, is yet to make his senior rugby union debut but has featured for England’s Under-18s.Sport runs in the Offiah family as their cousin Odeluga is on the books of Brighton.The 22-year-old defender has featured ten times for the Seagulls and is currently out on loan at League One outfit Blackpool.Odeluga Offiah plays for BlackpoolCredit: Getty More