A modern day Steve Perryman

Tim Sherwood saw something in Nabil Bentaleb nobody else saw, a determination to succeed, a winning mentality and knowing that is the most important factor in a player, gave him a contact to join the Tottenham academy.

A modern day Steve Perryman


When Sherwood took over he knew exactly what he had in Bentaleb and exactly what he could expect from him so introduced him away against Southampton and Bentaleb immediately made people sit up and take notice.

The fact Tottenham had found a player was immediately obvious and Gary Neville wasted no time in saying so, even though he'd never even heard of him. His passion shone through, none more so than against Benfica away in last seasons UEFA Europa League. In a makeshift team he excelled, spraying passes to both wings, one which led to a Chadli goal and another to Lennon, who should probably have won the game in the dying moments. He shielded the patched up back four and bellowed at Andros Townsend after he turned a promising free kick at one end into a Benfica counter attack at the other.

In that game he showed leadership qualities and marked himself down as a future captain. That view is supported by Tim Sherwood who reveals to Goal the winning mentality Bentaleb has.

"He came at 15 years of age after he was released by a few clubs in France so it's not like he was always going to be great, he had to work at it. Not only does he have the technical ability but he has the attitude and well. He showed everyone else how to train – his mentality was top class. 
"He trains like every day is the last day of his life. He cries his eyes out when he loses a five-a-side match. He would die for the club. 
"That attitude is why he is a future Tottenham captain and there are no doubts he will have a successful career. Even when he's not playing so well, you know he will give everything and be brave. He won't hide, he will get about the pitch, he will demand the ball. 
"He works so hard on his game, he's a very intelligent player and wants to get on the ball. He can do a bit of everything. I tended to use him in a more defensive role, mainly because I knew I could trust him to do what I asked. 
"But in his development at Spurs, he has always been a box-to-box midfielder and he has always scored goals in the junior age groups. He's not the finished article yet but he can develop into more of a goalscoring midfielder."

In a short space of time he has gained experience in the Premier League, at international level, in the heat of Africa, at the World Cup and now he'll be going to the African Cup of Nations. He'll need a rest when he comes back but the experience can only benefit him.

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A youngster who loves the club, who should be around for many years to come and may well end up captain, just what the club needs, a modern day Steve Perryman, Gary Mabbutt or Graham Roberts.