Young midfielder Luke Hyam again impressed manager Roy Keane during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham and could make his Championship debut when the Blues travel to Middlesbrough for their Championship opener next weekend.
Keane says the midfield holding role is ideal for the 18-year-old ex-Northgate High School pupil: "In terms of a sitting midfielder I think Luke’s probably suited to the role better than anybody. He’s still got a lot to learn, but that will come with experience.
"It’s a big ask for a young boy to start in the Championship and do that role for us, if that’s the way we want to go next weekend, but he’s done himself no harm.
"He’s in the team on merit,” added Keane, "I always say that the players at your football club pick the team. Luke’s come back for pre-season looking very sharp.
"The role is more suited to a more experienced player, but we haven’t really got anybody who can do it and he’s been given the opportunity and like any good young player he’s taken it.”
The Blues boss says he was generally pleased with his younger players against West Ham: "The young kids came on and did well, they’ll probably get more of an opportunity on Tuesday because I can’t take too many risks. If anything I thought they looked comfortable out there.”
Overall, Keane was happy with the performance against West Ham but is clear where Town’s main weakness currently lies: "We’re a week closer to the Middlesbrough game and we got out of it exactly what I thought we would and I’m pleased, particularly that we got no new injuries after the players we’ve lost over the last couple of weeks.
"I’ve learnt that we’re a team which creates lots of chances but doesn’t score anywhere near the ratio that we should, considering the chances we’re creating, and there has to be work done.”
Midfielder Colin Healy could be back in action against Tottenham having recovered from a hamstring injury, while Lee Martin, Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead are also expected to be involved having missed out against the Hammers.
Keane says he is yet to pick next Saturday’s team with Márton Fülöp and possibly others set to come in and Owen Garvan and perhaps one or two more on the way out.
Meanwhile, former Town loanee Giovani Dos Santos, who could be in the Spurs side facing the Blues on Tuesday, is being linked with AC Milan.