AZ Alkmaar striker Troy Parrott opens up on his stint with Tottenham Hotspur ahead of Europa League clash
As football fans, nothing hurts more than seeing a player who has come through the academy of your club and then begin to thrive elsewhere.
Tottenham Hotspur find themselves in a similar state, as former academy starlet Troy Parrott has been scoring goals consistently in the Eredivisie this season.
Considered the most exciting young talent in the Spurs academy a few years ago, Troy Parrott was let go by the club last summer. He joined Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar and has netted 17 goals in 38 appearances across all competitions—including four in 10 Europa League outings.
The Republic of Ireland international will be raring to prove a point by adding to his tally this evening when Tottenham travel to the Netherlands to face AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16. Ahead of the big game, Parrott confessed he has “no regrets” about his time at White Hart Lane and looks back at the stint with “good memories”.
“For me it just didn’t happen [with Spurs]. I’m OK with that,” Parrott told BBC Sport.
“I look back with a smile. It’s a place where I grew up. I moved away from home quite young, so when I went there I was in a phase of going from a kid to a teenager and then past that.
“It helped me become the person and player I am now, so I can only look back on that with good memories.”
Parrott spent five loans away from Tottenham but had the best time at Dutch side Excelsior, where he netted 17 goals in 32 appearances. However, Excelsior were relegated from the Eredivisie last season despite the 23-year-old’s rich goalscoring exploits. The forward then decided to leave Tottenham permanently for AZ Alkmaar last summer, and he now looks much more at home.
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Despite failing to break into the senior Spurs squad, managing just four appearances in total, Parrott has no ill-feeling towards the North Londoners. Going by his form in the Eredivisie, it would lead many fans to wonder if our club made a mistake selling him in 2024.
With his great form in front of goal, Tottenham defenders will need to be wary of Parrott. A lively, smart and fox-in-the-box poacher who is a clean finisher in the box, Parrott will be eager to show Ange Postecoglou and Co. exactly what they are missing.
