Steven Caulker happy to be given first-team chance
Spurs defender happy at being given chance at White Hart Lane by Andre Villas-Boas
Steven Caulker has expressed his delight at being given the chance to shine at Tottenham Hotspur this season.
After being sent out on loan for the past three seasons, Andre Villas-Boas has put his faith in the 20-year-old this campaign by starting him in Tottenham's last four matches after Younes Kaboul suffered a long-term knee injury.
The defender's performances have put him ahead of Michael Dawson in the pecking order, and also earned him a first call-up to the England squad for August's friendly against Italy, although he missed out on the squad for the latest round of internationals.
"You want to know that if you are playing well and you are training well you will be in the team,"
Caulker said. "It's not nice when there are favourites, I think AVB has brought that into the team and I am happy.
"The manager has come in, he's brought a few youngsters in, myself included, and he has pushed a few of us forward. When I came back he said I was in his plans, so I have to trust that and be patient and so far it has worked well.
"The main thing now is that I'm going into the international break having played in the team. I have played in a few games now and my confidence is up."
Villas-Boas and his assistant Steffen Freund have talked up Caulker as an England star of the future, something which has gone down well with the player.
"To hear that from the boss is fantastic," Caulker said. "You always have to have that self-belief that you can go all the way. That is what I am in the game for."
Caulker's performance in Sunday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa, in which he scored a first goal for the club, drew high praise from Villas-Boas.
"He looked impressive for the age that he is," the Spurs manager said. "He has come in to the team and has had no fear.
"It's thanks to the work of the development team and the Academy that we are bringing these quality players through."
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