Tottenham warned they may be about to miss out on the next Harry Kane

Tim Sherwood has urged Tottenham Hotspur to place their trust in youngsters, while also making a bold claim about Spurs’ Champions League chances.

The last couple of months have been poor for Tottenham Hotspur as they find themselves near the relegation places, with just 12 games left in the Premier League before the season ends in May.

Spurs are 16th and are five points away from 18th-place West Ham United and currently run the risk of being relegated should their poor run of form, which has seen them win just twice in the last 17 games, continue.

However, they are very much still alive in the Champions League after securing a top-four finish, booking their spot in the round of 16.

The Champions League run, however, was not enough to see Thomas Frank keep his spot in the Spurs dugout, with the Dane finally sacked following Tottenham’s poor Premier League form.

Tottenham told to put trust in youngsters to find next Harry Kane

With Spurs still in Europe, Tim Sherwood, speaking to Casinostugan, has now revealed what he wants Tottenham to do for the rest of the season, urging the club hand opportunities to academy talents. He even believes that such a move could lead to Spurs winning the Champions League.

Speaking before Thomas Frank was sacked, Sherwood said: “Are Tottenham signing youngsters like Wilson to try and find the next Harry Kane? I don’t know when the next Harry Kane would even get the chance to come through now, or any of the kids at Tottenham.

“They’re not getting a real opportunity to play because the club keep signing players who are not that good and they block the pathways and stunt the growth of these kids as footballers.

“If he were to go from now until the end of the season in the Premier League, play the kids, and rest his first team players for the Champions League, he can do what Ange Postecoglou did.

“I know the fans don’t like going to the stadium every week to see their team get beat but if they turn up and see the academy graduates getting an opportunity to build something for the future, I think they will cheer that on.

“Clubs need to let the kids be the ones to come in and bolster your squad. I don’t think it’s good that academies become like an expensive Fitness First, where players come in and train but never get a chance to play football.

“They need someone brave enough to stand up for them so they get given those chances. Whoever is running the Tottenham academy needs to speak up to Johan Lange and the other directors and say why aren’t we using the kids? These boys are ready. That’s exactly what I did at Tottenham. I wouldn’t let it drop. I was kicking and screaming for the kids to get an opportunity.

“People say if they’re good enough, they’ll make it in the end, and it’s the biggest load of nonsense you’ll ever hear. It’s about who gives you the opportunity, who puts their arm around you, and who shows you some love.

“It’s those sliding doors moments and these kids need them sliding doors moments, and I thought now in the Premier League that Tottenham had the perfect opportunity to blood some of them kids and see if they’re going to make it for the future.

“It hurts me to see people say the academy kinds aren’t good enough when down the road [Arsenal] are finding them, playing them and they’re top of the league by six points, top of the Champions League, still in the Carabao Cup and still in the FA Cup, and they’re playing their kids. Not all of them but they still have their eye on the academy and they’re not afraid to do it. Their player, Bukayo Saka, is an academy graduate.”

Spurs cannot make youth calls with relegation fight a reality

While giving youth sounds very logical, given how Tottenham’s season has gone so far, there are a few drawbacks to consider.

Spurs are currently in a relegation scrap and cannot afford to drop many more points, as that could pretty much see them relegated, especially with West Ham United finding form.

There are already question marks as to whether the current group of players have what it takes to come out of a relegation fight, and so far, results show that it is still to be decided.

The focus for Tottenham now should be safety in the league and then seeing how far they go in Europe before they regroup and plan for the summer.

• READ MORE: History shows exactly why Tottenham see Igor Tudor as perfect mid-season pick

The post Tottenham warned they may be about to miss out on the next Harry Kane appeared first on Spurs Web.