OLIVER SKIPP
AGE: 18 CLUB: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR POSITION: CENTRE MIDFIELD VALUE: £2M
WHAT HAS HE GOT?
Recently turned 18, this promising player has been catapulted on to the Tottenham bench somewhat by default as Mauricio Pochettino deals with major injury problems. But it will not be long before Skipp, born in Welwyn Garden City, is banging on the first-team door in his own right and challenging the established internationals at the club. As a central midfielder with all-round attributes, he shows maturity beyond his years. He has an unorthodox and unattractive gait — with bandy legs — but this disguises good balance when tackling and challenging for the ball. In a recent academy game I saw, he got tight to the opposition’s quality midfielder and gave him three powerful but fair challenges in the first 10 minutes. Confident in confrontation, he also showed maturity when using the ball. Playing from deep but driving upfield in possession, he has the vision to see the forward pass quickly. As he went from a defensive area towards the opposition box, he twice played exquisite reverse passes with a canny touch and he also knows the value of playing the ball ‘round the corner’ one-touch when it arrives square to him. When an opponent got tight, this pass — delivered first time — put his marker out of the game and gave Skipp the opportunity to run past him and take the return.
WHAT DOES HE NEED?
He must answer a couple of questions. Will he score goals? Strikes from central midfield are valuable. And will he have the mentality to maximise the big opportunity when it comes? Pertinently, when might that opportunity come? That is a problem for many young English players. But there is no doubt that Skipp looks like a leader, cajoling and encouraging his team’s forward players to press as a unit as he backed them up from centre field. He is not selfish and looks to have enough sharpness to get to his opponents quickly. On this showing, he would remind the older generation of Tottenham watchers of a young Steve Perryman. I only hope that he can eventually justify this praise.