Martin Offiah’s son has been tipped as a potential Tottenham Hotspur first-team player this season, despite being just 16 years old.
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Offiah is a rugby league legend who scored more than 500 tries during his career, making him the third-highest try scorer of all time and the highest-scoring English player.
The former winger was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 2013 and is now immortalised alongside other rugby league greats with a statue outside Wembley Stadium.
He also had brief spells in rugby union with Bedford and London Wasps after the sport turned professional.
Sporting talent clearly runs through the Offiah family. His son Tyler Offiah is an England U20 international who has already made his senior debut for Bath, featuring in three PREM Rugby Cup matches at just 20 years old. Like his father, Tyler plays on the wing.
Now, younger brother Phoenix Offiah is attracting attention in football with Tottenham and has already been tipped for an England youth call-up.
The 16-year-old stands at 6ft 2in and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign with Spurs, scoring in their thrilling 5-3 victory over Fulham in last season’s Under-16s Premier League Cup final.
His impressive form has continued into the new campaign. Phoenix scored all four goals in a 4-1 victory over Wolves this month and has also trained alongside Roberto De Zerbi’s first-team squad.
Martin Offiah told SunSport: “Phoenix wasn’t really on anyone’s radar at the start of last season — but he certainly is now.
“He scored four in a 6-0 win over West Ham last September and never looked back since.
“He did well in big games, scoring and creating goals against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
“It was a fantastic first full season in the Spurs academy and he went full-time this summer on a two-year scholarship.
“Phoenix recently got his first wage packet, so he’s living his best life.”
Offiah believes Tottenham could benefit from giving opportunities to some of their academy prospects, particularly after narrowly avoiding relegation last season and missing out on European football this campaign.
He has also revealed that Phoenix could potentially spend time on loan with Wigan Athletic, where his father became a club legend after scoring 186 tries in 159 appearances for Wigan Warriors.
“Tottenham’s first team survived relegation last season but you always need a thriving academy to produce players.
“Wigan Athletic have already said that Phoenix can go on loan there and get some first-team experience in League One.
“That would be a great story after my exploits for Wigan Warriors!”
Sporting ability extends beyond Martin’s two sons, with his nephew Odel Offiah also pursuing a professional football career with Championship side Preston North End. The defender has an impressive 37 first team appearances at Preston under his belt at just 23.
“Phoenix and Tyler have both been practising their rugby or football skills from a very early age. It was something I’d have them doing before school every day.
“It’s just fantastic to see the next generation of Offiahs making their way in professional sport and hopefully they can go on to enjoy careers at the highest level, just like I did.
“I’m immortalised in a statue outside Wembley Stadium and Odel is a professional footballer, so Phoenix is not short of inspiration.
“It’s now about how hard he’s prepared to work and how much he wants it — but it’s definitely exciting times ahead.”
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