Joe Hart is delighted with the progress Tottenham Hotspur’s young players are making this season under Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho used the closing stages of the 4-0 win over Ludogorets in the Europa League on Thursday as an opportunity to hand out senior competitive debuts to Spurs' academy youngsters.
Striker Dane Scarlett, midfielder Harvey White and goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman all came off the bench in the 82nd minute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The trio of debutants added to the positive feeling around Spurs at the moment and Hart, who was replaced by Whiteman, summed up the mood with an Instagram post.
“So happy for the boys tonight,” he wrote, tagging Scarlett, White, Whiteman and Carlos Vinicius, who scored his first two goals for the club. “Congrats.”
Hart joined Tottenham on a free transfer in August to provide back up to captain Hugo Lloris and while his impact on the pitch has been limited to Europa League games, his attitude has impressed those at the club and fans alike.
The 33-year-old, who signed a two-year contract with Spurs, is seen as the perfect mentor for younger players and a positive influence in the dressing room.
Supporters were delighted to spot Hart applauding Whiteman’s catch from a dangerous corner late on against Ludogorets and the 22-year-old goalkeeper was full of praise for his teammate post-match.
“To come on for Joe Hart… he’s amazing, he’s very supportive and a great role model to learn from,” Whiteman, who also received a supportive message from fellow academy graduate Japhet Tanganga, told the club's website.
“To have him around last night was great. He’s one of the best professionals around, the same for Hugo and Paulo (Gazzaniga), so it’s just about trying to absorb as much from them as I can.”
Spurs have high hopes for the academy trio, who can provide depth to Mourinho’s squad as they push for the Premier League title. Scarlett has been prolific for the club’s Under-18 side and made history when he came off the bench on Thursday as Spurs’ youngest-ever player at first team level at 16 years, 247 days old.
“I got goosebumps when I got the nod, but I was ready, I was raring to go and it was great to get on and try to take my opportunity," Scarlett said of his debut.
White, a 19-year-old midfielder, has also been impressive for the Under-23s, scoring against Manchester United last weekend.
"I couldn’t have asked for any more," he said of Thursday's game. "Now I need to push on and hopefully get some more games in the future.”
Now they have made their debuts they could well be involved in future match day squads for Spurs, who face a crunch match against London rivals Chelsea on Sunday in the Premier League.
