Phillips return is another positive sign for Potters...

Ashley Phillips has returned to Stoke City for another loan spell after impressing last year.

- By Mike Pejic

HAVE high hopes for Ashley Phillips. He slotted in well at Stoke City last season and he's got good experience under his belt from that time, further knowledge that he needs for his own development. He will keep kicking on.

He's got the right attitude, the right temperament, he reads the game quite well and his distribution at centre-half is decent - but the main job in his position is to defend. There is always temptation to think about what else a centre-back can offer but first and foremost, don't forget you're there to keep clean sheets.

I was watching the women's Euros semifinals this week and the Germany goalkeeper AnnKatrin Berger was keen to be in the action and she did everything else in the game apart from the job that she needed to do when the occasion demanded it, protecting her near post.

Phillips will be a good player and I can understand why Mark Robins was pleased but there is still a voice nagging away at me that we're developing for Spurs. Yes, we know he can do a job for Stoke but I want the 19 and 20-year-old homegrown lads to be stepping up when there is a vacancy.

We've got nine subs and we're in the second division. This is the time to blood players and they should be good enough to be blooded.

We have seen Harry Souttar and Nathan Collins come through in the last few years so who is the next ready to grab the opportunity?