He needs to grow up – Manager slams on-loan Tottenham player who can’t get a game

Tue 6 March 2018 13:56, UK

By Richard Parks

Norwich City manager Daniel Farke has claimed that on-loan Tottenham youngster Marcus Edwards needs to “grow up” before he can make his debut for the Championship club.

The attacking midfielder completed a half-season loan from Spurs to Carrow Road in January but has failed to make the matchday squad in each of the team’s seven games since his arrival.

Farke was critical of the gifted 19-year-old attacker’s attitude when he first arrived in Norfolk and has explained that he still has some work to do on his mental and physical shape before he is ready for his debut.

The Norwich boss will not use Edwards in Tuesday night’s Championship clash against Nottingham Forest but explained that he intends to give him a chance later in March.

“He has every possibility,” Farke said of Edwards, as quoted by the Evening News.

“Our squad is not too big and at the moment without Tom Trbyull we have 21 outfield players available. So he is an option.

“In general, he has improved a lot, in terms of his attitude, but he can still grow up a bit more and also we have to work on strengthening his body to help his endurance and power.

“The last two weeks he was able to do proper training with us.

“He is not far away, not an option for this next game (against Nottingham Forest), because it is a bit too early and he has to improve a bit in some topics.

“At the latest, after the next international break but he might be involved before then.”

Football Insider verdict:

Farke’s verdict on Edwards will not be a surprise to Tottenham fans who are closely following his career. It follows the claim of Pochettino in his recently-published book that it would have been “impossible” for the the left-footed dribbler to have made it in times gone by due to his attitude and behaviour. Clearly, the youngster has major issues to overcome if he is to carve out a top-level professional career. It is one thing being a wonderkid ripping it up in youth-team football in front of family and mates, it is quite another delivering the goods against grizzled pros in high-pressure matches.