Pep not taking Baggies bait
and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, in the room that day, have since gone on loan to Watford and Crystal Palace in attempts to further their careers. Was Winks the catalyst?
“I don’t really look at myself as an inspiration,” he said. “We are just on different pathways.”
Winks’ pathway started as a five-year-old at Spurs and he credits academy chief John McDermott for his development.
“He toughens you up,” said Winks, whose boy-band looks and slight frame hide an undoubted resilience.
“That was one of his strategies. He’d work on the mental side rather than the technical because he knew that was what I needed. I came in quite naive as a kid. You see football as just brilliant – lovely, fancy, everything’s great. You don’t see the grind behind it. John understood that and got into me.
“I didn’t like it. But he taught me to stay ‘normal’ and I thank him for that.”
He admits to being an “emotional person” – up to a point. “The last film I cried at? Godzilla,” he snorts. “I was only about four and I was gutted when he died.”
Instead Winks, who was born in Hemel Hempstead, prefers to wear the mantle of hard-nosed businessman. Spurs have certainly looked after him – three new contracts in the space of 11 months a sign that the club does make an effort to look after its players as they develop, whatever Danny Rose says.
And he has been sensible with those growing riches. At 21, he is a budding restaurateur, joining agent Rob Segal, David Bentley and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in owning bars across Europe.
Now, with one eye on the property market, he is developing his own house. “We went to view and we’re going to refurbish it,” he said. “It needs a lot of work but I’ve spoken to an architect and he’s designed it all for me.
“I met with the planning officer – I love all that – and we’ve sent off for permission. We’re waiting for the results so my uncle Martin, a builder, can crack on with it. Obviously I won’t be doing any hands-on work! But at least it’s my own house that I can make specific to my tastes rather than something already done up.”
Why splash the cash on a readymade product when you can build something in exactly the right mould yourself? Undoubtedly, Winks is a man schooled very much in the Tottenham Way.
Harry Winks was at Wembley Stadium to join a training session for young volunteers on Spurs’ match-day catering kiosk, an initiative that is part of the club’s commitment to providing community development, training and employment opportunities to local people in Brent. MANCHESTER CITY will not be held to ransom by West Brom over Jonny Evans and insist they have enough players already.
Albion have rejected an £18million bid from City for Evans but boss Tony Pulis admits he could be forced to sell the former Manchester United player if they return with a bigger offer.
That will depend on whether City can sell Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri or Wilfried Bony.
But while Guardiola has made no secret he wants a fourth centreback, he says that if a deal does not materialise for Evans or his other targets, Middlesbrough’s Ben Gibson and Real Sociedad’s Inigo Martinez, he is happy with the players he has.
“He’s a player for West Brom, it’s still the same. Tony Pulis was clear so there’s nothing to talk about,” said Guardiola.
“We are trying to build the best squad as possible for the long season. We are going to see how the market finishes. If someone comes in, we are happy, but if we stay with the players we have we are happy too.”
Pulis says his new captain Evans will not kick up a stink to force his exit but believes he will go if City make an offer he cannot refuse – about £30m. “He had a chance to go to Arsenal last year,” said Pulis. “Leicester also bid for him last year and have again this summer but it hasn’t affected him in any way, shape or form.
“You could probably say Manchester City are different because they’ll be hoping to win everything.
“Jonny knows the situation. We don’t want or need to sell him but everybody’s got their value. It would have to be a very, very good offer.”
City are set to loan winger Patrick Roberts to Celtic for a third season.