Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho wary asking too much of Troy Parrott.

Parrott could start up front at FA Cup opponents Middlesbrough, but Mourinho said it was too soon for the teenage Irishman to fill hamstring injury victim Harry Kane's boots in the medium term.

"I think too soon [for Parrott]," the Portuguese said. "I think one thing is potential and another thing is conditions to express potential and I think he needs time. Having minutes, being involved is one thing. Another thing is what you call the direct replacement. To be that he needs to work.

"He's 17 years old. When you are 17 you are a baby, at 17 you just have to be in your father club where you feel at home, where you are at home, where you train and develop with the first team. Where some minutes will arrive like it happened against Burnley, and step-by-step but not in a situation where we see Harry Kane is injured and Parrott is the man to resolve our problems."