Fresh off the back of a defensive masterclass in Tottenham Legends vs AC Milan Glorie, Michael Dawson exclusively told Spurs Web that he thinks one current Spurs youngster deserves more credit.
Michael Dawson is a man who knows all about breaking into a top-flight club at a young age. In a 3-2 First Division defeat against Walsall back in 2002, an 18-year-old Daws made his first-team debut for Nottingham Forest.
The following season, Dawson made 42 appearances and scored five times for his boyhood team, all just a couple of years after he was legally able to drive a car or drink a pint.
When he eventually made the move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2005, the centre-back was an experienced pro, despite still only being 23 years of age.
In fact, we recently ranked the Dawson deal in the top ten January Tottenham signings of all time.
With all of that experience behind him, the Spurs icon thinks one current youngster deserves even more credit than he is getting, and even tipped him to become a legend of the future.
Michael Dawson heaps praise on Archie Gray for Tottenham breakthrough
Speaking after the Tottenham Legends vs AC Milan Glorie match, we asked Michael Dawson just how difficult it is for a young player like Archie Gray to shine in his debut Spurs season, all while playing out of position.
Dawson exclusively told Spurs Web: “It is [very difficult] – and the fact that Micky and Romero have been out, ultimately that has been the challenge for him. “You know, when you play alongside a more experienced player – Radu Dragusin came in – it’s not been easy.
“He’s done incredibly well. It’s a different position and a different way of playing than when we [Tottenham Legends] used to play as well, getting the ball down and playing out.
“We’ve been reminiscing about the centre-forwards we came up against physically, but it’s played in a different way now, so I think he’s done incredibly well. That’s a real bonus for him this season when there’s been a lot of negatives.”
Dawson is not alone in that praise, as Ian Wright recently stated that some of the senior Tottenham players could learn a lesson from young Archie Gray.
Former Leeds United wonderkid, Aaron Lennon also heaped praise on Gray for the way he has taken to life in the Premier League with shocking ease.
Is Gray a potential Spurs legend of the future?
With the likes of Robbie Keane, Ledley King, and Jermain Defoe on show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend, we asked Dawson whether Archie Gray has the talent to one day play in a similar event.
He told us: “Oh 100 per cent. I followed him a lot in the Championship living up in Yorkshire and seeing what he did for Leeds.
“When you come to this football club [Tottenham], there is an awful lot of expectation on young shoulders. I don’t think people realise that.
“We’re always talking about winning trophies, but it’s been a long time since that’s happened. But he just looks like a calm kid anyway and I can only applaud him for the season he’s having so far.”
READ MORE – Tottenham have a key advantage over Arsenal in the race to sign Archie Gray’s brother.