Mourinho wants to give young players a chance, insists Tanganga

Jose Mourinho has been a great help to Japhet Tanganga, who believes the Spurs head coach is good for young players.

Japhet Tanganga, Tottenham defneder

Japhet Tanganga thinks it is unfair to suggest Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho does not give young players a chance.

Spurs defender Tanganga, 21, was given his professional debut by Mourinho in January's Premier League match against leader Liverpool.

He feels there is past evidence of the ex-Chelsea and Manchester United manager giving other youth players the opportunity to make a breakthrough, despite critics often hitting out at the Portuguese's record in that department.

"Even before, I'm pretty sure that when he was at Real Madrid, Raphael Varane was very young and in the team," Tanganga told reporters.

"The same at United, Scott McTominay came through there.

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"He's the same as every manager – they want to give young players a chance but it's up to the young player to show them they're capable of coping in whatever league they're in, Premier League or La Liga.

"It's not just down to the manager wanting to play you, it's down to the young player showing the determination to the manager that they want to play as well.

"He has taught me a lot. In training he's given me a lot of information, a lot of details, ways to improve. How to defend one v one, how to defend set-pieces or work in wide areas and at corners. 

"He's given me a lot of information and I feel playing right-back and left-back has added to my game and allowed me to be adaptable and defend in all areas of the pitch, not just at centre-half.

"He has really been very helpful."

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Focussed

Tanganga has remained part of Mourinho's plans and now has 11 first-team appearances to his name, with an England call-up another of his targets having previously played at youth level for his country.

He added: "In life you have to have goals and one of my goals is to be capped at senior level for England. For me, all I can do is what I can on the pitch and leave it with the England manager to select me.

"All I'm doing at the moment is following the guidelines and waiting for the government to decide when we can go back to football or not. Right now, that's all I'm focusing on.

"Fikayo [Tomori] has done that and now I'm in a similar position. I see it as an opportunity and an example to follow and hopefully one day I can get capped and achieve one of my goals."