Winks...the saviour of middle England
ENGLISH football has a history of young midfield stars who sparkled with potential only to fizzle out all too soon.
Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate is right – not since Gazza have we been able to boast a truly world-class player in the middle of the park.
Several have tried to succeed the Clown Prince but they have failed miserably.
Just look at a few examples from the recent past.
Jack Rodwell was a star with Everton and then Manchester City but was seen this week at Blackburn
Rovers after following Sunderland down to League One.
Jack Wilshere can’t stay fit for long enough for anyone to really nail their colours to his mast – although Roy Hodgson tried.
Ruben Loftus-cheek flatters. Then deceives. And while Ross Barkley has improved, he isn’t trusted sufficiently to start for Chelsea.
Oh for the days when the surnames of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes adorned the squad list.
All were behind Gazza, in my eyes, but what would we give for those three to call upon now?
There hasn’t been anyone technically-proficient enough in the country’s engine room for years now.
Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson stands alone as the one player who is able to keep it ticking over. But there aren’t too many others available to Southgate.
Even during the Three Lions’ run to the World Cup semi-finals, the lack of ball-retention was worrying.
Does it matter? Well, of course it does. It’s not much fun running around a pitch after a ball, after all.
England’s last two international performances, which really sold the Nations League to the country, were based on lightning-quick breaks – against Spain – and a free-kick and long throw-in which brought success against Croatia. But that may be about to change.
Step forward Harry Winks.
It’s been a long time since yours truly saw an English talent as exciting – and the young man is now really starting to blossom.
His performance against Inter Milan last laast midweek should have given Southgate Ssouthgate more than food for thhought. thought. It should have left himm him beaming from ear to ear.
Winks, particularly in the f ii i r st half, gave as a accomplished c c o mp l i s h e d a pperformance performance as any in the Cchampions Champions League this wweek. week. And Spurs boss Mmauricio Mauricio Pochettino desserves deserves huge credit.
Noot Not just for actually having the faiith faith to shun an expensive import annd and place his trust in one of the acadeacademy academy youngsters, but for the manner in which the young man has now taken to life among the elite.
He’s been dropped in – remember that start in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid? – taken out, and wriggled all about.
But Winks is now at the stage of his career when he does not look out of place and slots in very neatly alongside Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and the rest at White Hart Lane.
His performance- l evel dipped slightly in the second half but he was there at the death as Spurs chased down the winner.
Pochettino’s approach has been to give Winks a taster, then leave him out and bring him back when the work-load is getting heavy.
With 10 games during the next calendar month, there is every reason to believe that the improving midfielder will be given increased game-time.
The Argentine’s approach to bringing through Winks has been exemplary.
He’s treated him sensibly, and with sensitivity, and his development has been steady to the point where he is now looking the part.
Of course, you may find that Winks is kept out of it today at the Emirates.
But trust in Poch: He’s turning a Spurs starlet into a star. Mark my words.