Radu Dragusin prepares to show Ange Postecoglou his first XI credentials against Aston Villa - as Tottenham boss insists the defender wasn't brought in 'to be an understudy'
- Dragusin is set to replace the injured Micky van de Ven against Aston Villa
- He will have the chance to make his mark on the back of his £25million transfer
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Opportunity so often arises out of adversity.
How long would Harry Kane have been forced to wait for his chance at Tottenham had Roberto Soldado not proved to be a total dud?
Were it not for injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto, would Gareth Bale ever have got the run in the side he needed to prove himself to Harry Redknapp?
And so that door of opportunity swings open once again on Sunday afternoon as Ange Postecoglou welcomes Aston Villa without the services of Micky van de Ven, ruled out until after the international break with a hamstring injury.
In his absence, Postecoglou will turn to Radu Dragusin.
Radu Dragusin is set to be given the opportunity to impress at Tottenham due to injury
The defender is set to step in and be given a run after his £25million move in January
Micky van de Ven will be out until after the international break after picking up a hamstring issue
The 22-year-old has started just five Premier League games since his £25million move from Genoa in January with reports that Napoli and Juventus are readying themselves for a loan move when the transfer window opens.
Dragusin turned down Bayern Munich to join Postecoglou's side but has found himself behind the formidable duo of Van de Ven and Cristian Romero in the pecking order, even if Postecoglou doesn't see it that way.
'I certainly didn't bring Radu in to be an understudy,' said the Spurs boss. 'I brought him in to have competition for Micky and Cuti and for himself. What I believe brings out the best in people is competition.
'I would hate to think any player in that dressing room thinks that they feel like "I'm part of this first team".
'If you ask any player I've ever coached, that's probably the first thing they'll say, that they don't really know where they stand with me.
'If he went to Bayern Munich, he wouldn't be guaranteed football either. They've got more centre halves than we have. He was leaving where he was where he was playing regularly for that challenge.
'That's how it has to be. Now he plays and has that opportunity. If he keeps improving his performances, then I hope that pushes Romero along, it pushes Micky along.'
Ange Postecoglou has insisted that he doesn't have a first-choice centre back pairing
The Spurs boss said that the Romanian wasn't brought in to Tottenham 'to be an understudy'
The Austria international seized his opportunity in a rare start against City on Wednesday night as Spurs booked their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Dragusin had a hand in Tottenham's opening goal and received a pat on the back from Postecoglou for his defensive work.
Now, he'll have the chance against Villa as well as games against Galatasaray in the Europa League and Ipswich before the international break. By the time Van de Ven returns, Dragusin will hope to have given Postecoglou a decision to make.
'I've never felt like he's the No 1 or that's my preferred line-up,' added Postecoglou. 'I purposely don't give that idea to players so they're constantly thinking "I need to keep getting better or somebody else will get past me".'
