Spurs defender steals the limelight with outstanding performance for country
It seems Ashley Phillips is just going from strength to strength at the moment, as the young Tottenham defender not only looks set to make his way into Ange Postecoglou’s plans, but has also just scored his first goal at U19 international level.
Ashley Phillips, who Spurs acquired from Blackburn Rovers this summer for £2 million (BBC), was regarded as a player they would develop in the future.
No one anticipated that Phillips, who is only 18 years old and has only made 14 senior appearances (according to Transfermarkt), would be competing for a significant amount of first-team football at Tottenham this year.
The athlete actually stated on the club website that he intends to play this season for Ange Postecoglou’s first team. And, as he had planned, Phillips discovered himself on the bench for the most recent Premier League victory over Burnley.
Postecoglou has previously revealed Phillips will train with the first team ‘week in, week out’ (Football.London) and apparently the young defender has left his manager very impressed so far (Sky Sports).
Ashley Phillips off the mark for England
There is a chance that Phillips will play for the first team once Davinson Sanchez leaves Spurs this summer. After the international break, the teenager will return to North London with his goal for the England U19s.
In the game against Switzerland, Phillips came off the bench after 63 minutes, and he scored inside two minutes. Phillips received a cross into the area, and after a deflection, he rifled it home to score his first goal at the international level.
Alfie Dorrington, a fellow Spurs center-half who started the team’s 4-2 victory over Switzerland, also took part in the contest.
Ashley Phillips deserves his chance to play with the Spurs first team, and I have a feeling that it won’t be too long now. Postecoglou plainly does not want Eric Dier, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Phillips is now practically above him in the hierarchy.
