Eric meets young US hopefuls at Hotspur Way

Eric Dier met a group of young players from the United States at the Club’s Training Centre on Thursday.

The group, aged between 12-15, were selected from last year’s Tottenham Hotspur America Trophy - a youth soccer tournament that takes place in Maryland annually and is set to expand to two new States this year.

The America Trophy, which has been running since 2012, is run by Elite Tournaments and sees the Club’s Global Coaching team cast their eye over some of the best young players in North America compete in small-sided games.

Elite performers from the tournament are then hand-picked to travel to London and train within the Club's world-class facilities, benefitting from top level coaching from our renowned Academy and testing themselves against English opposition.

A highlight of this year’s visit was the chance for the young hopefuls to meet Dier, an England international who joined the Club from Sporting Lisbon in August, 2014.

The group got to ask the 23-year-old a series of questions on what it takes to be a professional at the highest level, with Dier providing unique insight into his career to date.

Below: Eric talks to the youngsters at Hotspur Way

From this year, the Club and Elite Tournaments will now be taking the America Trophy to Houston, Texas and Orlando, Florida, in December.

It gives even more young players across the United States the chance of working with a Premier League club with a proven track record of producing young talent in recent years.

Grant Cornwell MBE, Head of Global Coaching, Tottenham Hotspur, said: “The Club is committed to developing the game at grassroots level throughout the world, with a significant programme being delivered across North America.

“Our coaches take methods used within an Academy that has developed the likes of Harry Kane and Danny Rose in recent years to improve young players around the globe.

“The Tottenham Hotspur America Trophy is a great example of this and has given some of the top young players from across the States a fantastic opportunity in recent years. We are delighted to be taking the tournament to three new locations from this year onwards.”

Matt Libber, Vice President of Business Development, Elite Tournaments, said: “This trip is an opportunity of a lifetime for these players. This is an experience that few others will ever have a chance to take part in and it will be something that these kids remember for the rest of their lives.”

We will be visiting the United States for the fifth time in the space of seven years this July as the Club takes part in the International Champions Cup.

We play friendly matches against Paris Saint-Germain in Orlando on July 22, AS Roma in New Jersey on July 25 and Manchester City in Nashville on July 29.

It will give the Club’s growing US fanbase a chance of watching the team play in their home country, with 64 Official Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Clubs currently in existence across North America - more than any other Premier League team.

The Global Coaching team, meanwhile, will be delivering its grassroots programme in all three cities alongside the Tour, building on an existing US youth soccer programme that includes ‘Super Club’ partnerships in Tallahassee, Florida, and the Bay Area of California.