Jose Mourinho highlights big generation of talent in Tottenham academy

Jose Mourinho says Tottenham have a number of talented players coming through the academy, but that supporters will be waiting a while to see them.

The Portuguese, often labelled as a manager who does not give youth a chance - an accusation he rejects, says the younger group of players at around 16-years-old are more promising than those in the older age groups.

Mourinho handed a Tottenham debut to 16-year-old Alfie Devine at Marine in the third round of the FA Cup, with the youngster finding the back of the net to become Tottenham's youngest ever goalscorer.

With homegrown players of an ever increasing value to Premier League clubs, Mourinho sees the academy as a source of English players but has warned fans to be patient.

Mourinho said: "How can you have more English players? English players from the academy. Then you have to basically try to help the academy, but at the same time you depend on their work, you depend on generation, you depend on talent.

"Honestly, I don't know if I should say it or not, the players that I feel are more talented in the academy are not the eldest ones. They are very young. We are speaking about kids of 16-year-old, we are not speaking about 18 or 19, let's say men that just need the last push. I feel that the biggest talents are very, very young.

"Of course we have to help in their development in collaboration with the academy but we have to wait a little bit more."

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