Who is Troy Parrott? Tottenham starlet makes his debut for Republic of Ireland against New Zealand
TOTTENHAM starlet can follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane when he makes his debut for the Republic of Ireland Thursday night.
The striker, who is getting an audition against New Zealand on the international stage, has been banging in the goals for the youth team, and made his debut for Spurs against Colchester in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
Parrott has already made his mark in a North London derby for the under-23s… by getting sent off for pushing Arsenal’s Julio Pleguezuelo.
And he admitted earlier this season that Kane is the player he looks up to.
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He said: “Harry Kane has done unbelievably well and he’s someone I look up to and can learn from him as a striker.
“With the staff and top players around me at Spurs, I know I’ll have the best chance of progressing here.
“They’re a club that have always brought young players into the first team.”
Of his upbringing, he added: “Whether I was out on the road or in the local park with my mates, I enjoyed having the ball at my feet.
“My mother couldn’t get me in off the street every day.
“Becoming a professional footballer is all I’ve ever hoped for. I don’t want to do anything else.”
Parrott was being tracked by Chelsea, Liverpool and Celtic before making the decision to join Tottenham from Belvedere in Dublin.
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Equally, former Irish boss Martin O’Neill has already taken Parrott to one side to give him words of encouragement.
He represented Ireland at the 2018 European Under-17 Championships, scoring three goals in four games and is now looking for an under-21s call-up over the next 12 months.
And the Republic will hope he can emulate the country’s top scorer – and former Spurs hero – Robbie Keane.
Tottenham will be keen for that to happen, too.