Troy Parrott has scored plenty of goals since leaving Tottenham Hotspur
Former Tottenham wonderkid Troy Parrott has been told he made the right decision leaving the club – and he could get even better.
The striker arrived at Spurs from Irish club Belvedere at 16 but would play just four times for the Lilywhites and was sent out on loan to Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons, Preston and eventually Excelsior Rotterdam. It was at the Dutch club where he really shone, scoring 17 goals in 32 appearances, and that resulted in a permanent move to AZ Alkmaar for £6.7million plus a 20 per cent sell-on clause.
Parrott fired 51 goals in 97 appearances for AZ, laying on 17 assists as well. That earned him a move to Real Betis this summer in a £17.1million deal that netted Spurs around £3.4million.
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The Republic of Ireland international has started his time in Spain incredibly well and he even scored the winner against Real Madrid on his home debut. So far the 24-year-old has two goals in six appearances and he will be eyeing a start against Villarreal on Monday night.
Now, former Premier League striker Kevin Doyle has had his say on Parrott. Speaking to OLBG, Doyle admitted that Parrott’s stop-start period at Tottenham would have shaped him into the player he is today.
“You wonder with young lads what their thoughts are, is it always about getting back to England? But he went to the Dutch league, proved himself, and has now gone to Spain, something different, Real Betis. He could have taken an easier option and come back to England,” Doyle said.
“I don’t know the exact details, but it looks like he’s taken the braver path, broadening his horizons and his experience. He’ll probably end up back in England eventually, maybe he won’t. But for his development as a complete player, coming back to England wouldn’t have been a bad move either. I’m delighted for him because he was talked of as a superstar from his time with Ireland under-18s and at Spurs. He was built up, but like all lads that age, you have to learn to be a professional and learn your trade. It went quiet for a few years, and you wonder if he’d mentally be able to bounce back.
“He has the ability, and he has come back. He’ll be a better, more humble player for all that because he had to fight, and things didn’t come easy to him. It was easy for him as a youngster at underage level, but not when he got to the professional level. I wondered what had happened over the last year to develop him into this proper centre-forward. He’s gone on to score goals for Ireland and at club level, it’s unbelievable.
“I’m confident he’s only going to get better because you see his attitude in his interviews, you know he’s not going to rest on his laurels. He’s going to be fighting for everything, and he’s got the ability to back that up.”
If Parrott does go on to show his quality in La Liga on a regular basis, Doyle has not ruled out the striker returning to the Premier League in the future.
“Troy Parrott in the Premier League? It’s up to him,” Doyle said. “He needs to stay injury-free and keep his form, whether that’s coming off the bench or starting. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Premier League club that comes calling next, it could be a top Spanish club or elsewhere.
“All he has to worry about is going out, playing well, keeping himself in the spotlight, and scoring goals. He has the ability, the footballing talent, and the finishing. He also has the mentality to go away and prove himself at this level. A couple of years ago, he was slightly forgotten about, and the focus was entirely on Evan Ferguson as the new centre-forward for Ireland, with Troy down the pecking order. But he’s fought his way back to becoming the main man.”
