I have talked about it in a blog before but many years ago now when I fell out of love with the first team (AVB – Sherwood) I wanted to feel a connection still with the clubs I started paying closer attention to the younger sides, the academy and I got to watch a group of players come through that I felt a real connection with. Winks, Carroll, Mason, Townsend, Bentaleb and some bloke called Harry Kane.
Under Pochettino these players emerged and it allowed me to develop that first team connection again but I still kept an eye on the academy and with the next group coming through, in my opinion, being even better I was very excited.
Two of the players coming through were highly rated by everyone, they had formed a key part in an England U20’s World Cup victory in 2017. Kyle Walker-Peters and Josh Onomah. The two players were always stand out but sadly never quite made it at the club and moved on. The other player who was very impressive, certainly for me, was a strong defender named Cameron Carter-Vickers.
The son of an American basketball player CCV has he became known joined the Tottenham academy aged 11 and by the time I watched him at U18 level was bossing players older and bigger than him with ease.
In academy football he was stand out, he needed game time and so the club found him a loan. They found him loan after loan in fact. He went on six separate loan spells to the Championship where every club he played for he impressed and got plenty of minutes under his belt.
He had spells with Stoke (pictured), Sheffield Utd, Bournemouth, Luton, Swansea and Ipswich. He was dubbed jokingly by many who follow the academy as Daniel Levy’s favourite ever graduate due to the number of loan fee’s he produced for the club during his time under contract in North London.
It was the loan for the duration of the 2021/22 season however that would be his last. When it was agreed a clause was inserted giving Celtic the option to buy him at the end of the season however many believed Spurs had asked for to much money. £6m rising to £10m based on performance related bonuses.
At Celtic CCV has become not just a first team regular but arguably the first name on the team sheet. Lifting two trophies, including the Scottish Premiership, in his first season it was a no brainer for the now Scottish champions to add the American international to their squad for next season.
So my main reason for writing this today is to simply say goodbye. He is a player I have always felt a connection with and was always saddened he was not able to make that final step with us. His ability is a key factor to him being a good player but his work ethic and also his personality as a man is why he truly stood out. I remember watching him play a game in Bristol, my home city. It was raining and he kindly still stopped as players left to say hello and thank a number of people who were their supporting the academy.
Simple things stick in your mind. So I write this not overly sad he is leaving but with a message of good luck and go have an amazing career. OH and maybe see you at the World Cup when England play USA…. and you have to mark another THFC academy graduate.
-Admin SJ
