Tottenham outlined Mikey Moore's first-team plan as teenager targets England glory

Tottenham's academy director has called for “calm” over teenager Mikey Moore but said head coach Ange Postecoglou is eager to bring young players into the first team.

Moore is expected to line up for England against Italy this evening in their European Under-17 Championship quarter-final in Cyprus. The 16-year-old striker has scored four times in England's three group matches, including outstanding goals against France and Spain.

He finished the season training with Postecoglou's senior team and made his Spurs debut as an 89th-minute substitute in the 2–0 defeat to Manchester City, before another brief appearance against Sheffield United on the last day.

Postecoglou said in April that Moore “didn't look out of place” in the first team but, despite his progress, Simon Davies, who runs Spurs' academy, believes the player and the club must keep a cool head.

“It’s encouraging that the manager sees something in Mikey, but it’s just potential at the moment,” Davies said. Standard sport this month.

“He’s a 16-year-old boy. He is only 17 years old in August, so he is a young boy with great potential. We have several at the academy.

“It’s exciting for the academy to have such a young player on the bench. But we must remain calm and consistent. Because right now it's just [potential].

“I talked to him this morning while he was eating breakfast about staying calm and consistent and continuing to work hard every day, doing the little things right. [because] little things are noticed.

“He’s super mature for a young boy so let’s hope his potential is realized but unfortunately we don’t have a crystal ball. So we just have to do everything right every day and stay consistent and calm.

Jamie Donley, 19, also made his first-team debut under Postecoglou this season, while Alfie Dorrington, 19, and Tyrese Hall, 18, were included in the Premier League matchday squads.

Davies says Postecoglou, who was appointed with the mission of rebuilding the link between the academy and the first team, is keen to sign young players, provided they are good enough.

“I speak to the manager regularly and he has a real hunger for youth development,” Davies said. “He understands the ambitions of the supporters and the club to have several – not just one – but several of ours in the first team.

“But it’s my job to make sure these players are at Ange’s level. This is not a given. We are Tottenham, we want to be a Champions League club that fights at the top. So we have to make sure that the players are at the right level.

“It's not fair to ask a manager of a club to give a chance to young players when they are not at the level. I know Ange is ready to welcome young players into the first team.