HARRY CAN Rising star Winks is on the way to becoming a humble, hard working home-grown Tottenham hero, like his namesake Kane
HIS eyes light up as Harry Winks describes plans for the latest of his property ventures.
“It needs a lot of work. I like to think of it as an investment,” he said. “It’s my own house that I can make specific to my tastes rather than something already done up.”
The 21-year-old could easily be talking about his career in a Tottenham shirt. Made in Hemel Hempstead, crafted in Enfield, nurtured at White Hart Lane, performing now at Wembley.
Winks is very much on course to become another of their own.
While Tottenham’s title rivals continue to break the bank for attacking midfielders, the north Londoners’ academy graduate has already been described as their “Little Iniesta” by manager Mauricio Pochettino.
At other clubs he may be out on loan to make way for an expensive signing. At Spurs, who host Chelsea tomorrow, he is poised to step up a level after his breakthrough season. In an industry of financial madness, one club is holding its nerve.
As for inspiration, look no further than namesake Harry Kane – another to have been guided by the club’s academy chief John McDermott.
“Not only is he a world-class footballer he is a top person as well,” Winks said of Kane. “He works hard, he leads by example and he is a nice person to talk to as well.”
Does Winks aspire to be loved in the same way by fans?
“It would be nice. I still know myself that I’ve a lot of work to do.
“I’ve had one good season in my opinion, but it’s important to keep working to maintain it like Harry has for the last four years. Its important to stay humble, stay level-headed and keep working hard.”
While Kane has inspired him, Winks has emboldened the likes of Nathaniel Chalobah and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, his England Under-21 team-mates, to realise their potential away from Chelsea with first-team football.
Chalobah joined Watford while Loftus-Cheek is on loan at Crystal Palace. Both were hugely supportive after seeing Winks make a late appearance in November’s north London derby.
“You go away with England and your team-mates come up to you and say, ‘It was brilliant to see you play the other day’. I don’t really look at myself as an
inspiration, more as a fellow player.
“Now Nathan, Ruben and I are playing Premier League football, we’re just on different pathways. We can draw different experiences from that.
“It’s very well documented how difficult it is for English players to get an opportunity in the Premier League, so when a manager like ours takes the chance and gives opportunities to young players, that benefits them.”
The England senior team is the long-term ambition for the 21-year-old – “It would be a dream” – as is more Champions League football after his debut away to CSKA Moscow last season.
In the meantime Winks continues to be motivated by the respect shown to him by Pochettino and his coaching staff – as was evident by their joy at his goal in the 3-2 win against West Ham in November.
Winks explained: “I was sitting there about to go in the shower in just my slips with a towel around and Toni the goalkeeping coach came in and said, ‘Harry, come into the manager’s room’. So I went into the manager’s room, and the coaches were in there with a bottle of wine open, celebrating another win.
“He just pulled me in and gave me a handshake and a cuddle and all the other coaches gave me a big ‘Well done.’
“I just said, ‘Thank you for the opportunity, everything you have given me’ and that that goal was repayment for everything they had done.”
JHARRY WINKS was at Wembley Stadium to join a training session for young volunteers on Tottenham’s match-day catering kiosk, an initiative which forms part of the club’s commitment to providing community development, training and employment opportunities to local people in Brent.