‘Outstanding’ – Exclusive: Robinson claims Tottenham player got Poch attention with MOTM display
Paul Robinson showered Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks with praise following his display for England in their 4-0 win over Kosovo on Sunday.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider correspondent Laura O’Leary, the former England international shared that he thought Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino would have noticed Winks’ latest display as he submitted a Man of the Match performance for his country.
Pochettino has opted to not start Winks in his side’s last two Premier League matches, however, the 23-year-old did play 45 minutes of Spurs’ 1-1 draw with Sheffield United after replacing Tanguy Ndombele at the midway point.
Robinson revealed that he thought Winks showcased the offensive side of his game for England and highlighted the outstanding run he made in order to score his first-ever goal for his nation.
When asked if Winks put in a Man of the Match display which would have grabbed Pochettino’s attention, Robinson told Football Insider: “Yeah, a fit Harry Winks is an automatic pick for England for me.
“Gareth is playing a 4-3-3 because of the way Harry Kane and the two that play off him, play, he’s forced into that system as he wants four at the back, so he’s left with three in midfield.
“He’s had problems in that position, he’s chopped and changed, but for me, Harry Winks is an automatic pick when he is fit.
“He showed that he has an offensive side to his game, the run for his goal was outstanding, Harry Kane dropped into the midfield, pulled the defender out, and Winks saw the opportunity.
“He has that in his game as well as the defensive side, so if he’s going to play a three in midfield, the midfield has been an issue, I think Winks is a definite first-pick for him.”
Winks has played 11 times for Pochettino’s side across all competitions this season but is yet to register a goal or an assist in any of his outings with the 23-year-old often deployed as a defensive midfielder.
The Spurs midfielder rose through the youth system at the London club before breaking into first-team on a regular basis and has made 115 appearances for the senior team.
In other Tottenham news, Darren Bent claims Spurs would be “lucky” if this manager ends up being Pochettino’s successor.