Ange Postecoglou admits 22-year-old Tottenham player isn’t even fully fit yet

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Ange Postecoglou has admitted that Tottenham Hotspur new-boy Micky van de Ven isn’t even up to full fitness yet.

Van de Ven was handed his Tottenham debut yesterday as he came straight into the starting line-up for the clash against Brentford. 

The 22-year-old barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes and was unfortunate to turn Yoane Wissa’s shot past Guglielmo Vicario in the first-half.

Spurs eventually had to settle for a point after a 2-2 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium.

But there were plenty of positives for Ange Postecoglou and it seems the boss was delighted with his debutants after the game, especially Van de Ven.

Postecoglou says Van de Ven isn’t fully fit

Speaking to Spurs Play, Postecoglou admitted that Van de Ven isn’t even fully fit yet, despite naming the youngster in his starting line-up yesterday.

“I thought he did really well,” the Tottenham boss said. ”All the boys who played their first game in the Premier League – Micky and Destiny and Vic – that’s three of your back five who are playing the first time for their football club and in this competition, if we are ever going to be vulnerable it’s going to be in that area, but I thought they acquitted themselves well.

“Micky is probably not at the fitness level he wants to be but we just felt that we hold him in really high regard and the quicker we throw him in there the quicker he’ll adjust to being a Premier League footballer.”

Van de Ven was only snapped up by Tottenham on Monday and missed out on their final pre-season friendly against Barcelona the following day.

Many expected the former Wolfsburg man to be named among the substitutes yesterday, but Postecoglou chucked him in at the deep end in a difficult away trip to Brentford.

He performed well after a slightly shaky start and grew with confidence as the game went on.