'He will only get better' - Troy Parrott reaping rewards for working hard

Troy Parrott signed in for international duty and almost immediately was sent out to speak at length with the assembled press at the FAI headquarters in Abbotstown on Monday afternoon.

Sitting at the top table, his palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy; he's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready.

"You only get one shot," said Parrott. "Do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime…!"

Granted the young Dubliner did not go full Eminem and recite the entire Lose Yourself lyrics, yet it was clear that recent loan moves, most notably the misadventures to Ipswich and Millwall had, in fact, snapped young Parrott back to reality.

Not very long ago, the former Belvedere boy was making his Premier League debut for Tottenham, receiving a gift of the match ball from manager, Jose Mourinho, but such is the nature of teenagers trying to make it in the top-flight, they are oft farmed out to the lower leagues to gain experience, sink or swim to a certain extent, a chance to grow up and return ready to rumble.

With his immediate future secure at Spurs having signed a three and a half-year contract in 2020, Parrott hit the road, a short hop across the capital to Cold Blow Lane to sign on loan with Millwall in the Championship to start the 2020-21 season.

An injury-interrupted short spell would come to a conclusion the following January, before it was a trip further afield and a division down as Parrott travelled east to East Anglia, parking up at Portman Road.

Back to his parent club Spurs for pre-season after playing 18 times for Ipswich, but just netting twice, Parrott was again back on the road, this time MK Dons, 50-odd miles from his north London base, remaining in the third tier of English