Callum Olusesi shows Ange Postecolou he is one to keep an eye on despite Tottenham U18s defeat against West Ham
Tottenham Under-18s will end the year top of Premier League Two but must come back stronger after tasting defeat against London rivals West Ham Under-18s in their final game of 2023.
Spurs have coped well in recent weeks without star man Mikey Moore, but it seems the wheels finally came off on Saturday 16 December as they were beaten 4-2 at Hotspur Way by their bitter rivals from east London.
Key players James Rowswell and Oliver Irow joined Moore on Spurs’ list of notable absentees, and facing their toughest test of the campaign against second-placed West Ham without these players proved too much in the end.
While they will still spend Christmas on top of the tree, the loss saw their lead at the summit cut to just two points, and Stuart Lewis and his players will be relieved to get a breather after a busy run of fixtures which seems to have left the majority of the squad running out of steam, except for one midfielder, Callum Olusesi.
Having scored in his previous two matches heading into the clash with the Hammers, Olusesi was looking to make it three in a row, and it took the 16-year-old just over 20 minutes to do exactly that.
Having weathered an early storm from West Ham, Olusesi opened the scoring for the hosts, prodding home Archie Chaplin’s flick-on from a corner on 23 minutes, making it four in three to end the year on a personal high note.
In the end, the visitors turned the game on its head, leading 2-1 at one point and although Damola Ajayi stepped up to equalise midway through the second half, West Ham scored twice more late on to seal the three points.
Nonetheless, the mood should still be high among the camp after a high-flying start to the 2023/24 season, and Olusesi in particular will be hopeful of his future opportunities after a string of impressive performances.
Although he is still only 16 years old, he will have his sights firmly set on the first team setup at Hotspur Way, and his ability to grab a goal from midfield will have certainly caught the attention of Ange Postecgolou.
Alfie Devine was only 16 himself when he first scored for the Tottenham first-team, and there is no reason why Olusesi shouldn’t also be aiming high.
Spurs will hope this winter break allows them to regroup and offers time for some of their injured stars to rest and recover, before a big 2024 where the club will look to push on in the FA Youth Cup, a competition which could offer Olusesi plenty more opportunities to showcase his talent.
In other Tottenham news, ex-Spurs scout Bryan King believes one first-team star has a point to prove after revealing some behind-the-scenes tension.