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Jamie Donley and Maksym Talovierov are having to be patient for game time at Stoke City at the moment

Jamie Donley can follow in the footsteps of Ashley Phillips and get his chance at Stoke City sooner or later as Mark Robins explains his hopes for squad competition.

Stoke supporters were buzzing when Phillips returned for a second season on loan from Spurs after such a strong finish to last term. But the 20-year-old centre-back has had to be patient for his chance after a stellar start to the campaign from Ben Wilmot and Bosun Lawal.

He got the nod to make his first league start on Tuesday as Lawal shifted to right-back so Junior Tchamadeu could be rested – and an injury to Lawal that night means the door is open to cement his position in the side, starting with this weekend’s trip to old club Blackburn.

Eric Bocat, Robert Bozenik and Lamine Cisse came into the team at Middlesbrough for their first Championship starts of the term too.

Donley, like summer signing Maksym Taloveriov and newly-fit Steven Nzonzi, are now waiting for their turn – with demands to be all-in from Monday to Friday as well as a match day to make sure they will be ready when the time comes. Donley, also 20 and on loan from Spurs, has started two Carabao Cup ties but hasn’t got on the pitch in the league since a cameo in the win at Sheffield Wednesday back on August 16.

“They’re all alright,” said Robins. “Obviously there will be levels of frustration but they’ve just got to be patient. The work they do is key to them making a breakthrough. I have to see certain things in each individual to make me think, ‘Right, you’re ready.’

“It takes different lengths of time for people to do that and, within that time, it’s how focused and how determined they are which will determine if they are going to get a lot of game time, a little bit of game time or none.

“I can’t just dish out appearances or starts or minutes for people, it’s not that, but I’m also mindful that we’ve got players here both ours and on loan who will be chomping at the bit – and if they’re chomping at the bit, they will, 100 per cent, get opportunities.

“If they don’t and it becomes too tough for them then it will set them back and it will set us back as well because I want everybody fighting and people should want to get in this team.

“Look, I’m happy with them. I’m not saying (any of) that is happening but I’m saying they’ve got to guard against that.

“Performances in training and if they get on the pitch give me a chance to really have a look at them. I know they are good players. All of them. But they’ve got to accept competition and really drive to get into the starting line-up and stay there.”

No player, Robins insists, has been banging his door down to moan about a lack of playing time.

He said: “I don’t think it’s about accepting things, they’re understanding that the team is playing well and if you’re not in the team then you’ve got to work really hard to get there. At some point, when we’ve got everyone fit, there will be people who won’t want to miss out on the match day squad – although I don’t think they’ll be thinking that far ahead, they’ll be thinking about opportunities now.

“My track record is there for everyone to see. I give young players opportunities, I give older player opportunities… It doesn’t matter, if you are performing to a level.

“If your opportunity comes because of an injury or suspension or whatever, if you have worked hard and you’ve been in it (you can take it), rather than ‘woe is me’ and worrying about not being in the team, when you can short change yourself and let an opportunity pass you by. I don’t want that to happen.

“I want to promote proper competition. You’re looking for people to have a real buy-in and a part to play in the group and the success of everybody. It’s not just 11 players or one person, it’s a collective. That’s the most important thing and, if they understand it, it really does bode well.”

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Ryan Shawcross is relishing the chance to work with a centre-back he sees himself in

Ryan Shawcross pointed to Ashley Phillips’ hunger to learn as much as possible as he looks forward to the chance to helping him develop this season.

Stoke City pulled off a surprise when they secured a season-long loan return for Phillips, having gradually become one of the first names on the teamsheet when they borrowed him from Tottenham Hotspur last term.

The 20-year-old hasn’t had much game action through pre-season and has been able to dip his toe in with a couple of substitute appearances and Carabao Cup start back with Stoke – but there are no doubts about the potential impact he can have over the next few months.

He namechecked the work done with Shawcross on the training ground for his progress last year and, in turn, first team coach Shawcross said: “It was his willingness to learn (that was his big strength) and I think that’s why there were such big strides between when we first saw him to the end, when we saw a real established centre-half, one of the better ones in the league. He became more dominant as the season went on.”

He added: “The guys in recruitment have done a great job to get him back and I’m delighted for Ash. He had a great year, improved massively showing everyone what he’s about and hopefully this year will be the same and he can improve even more.

“He’s a great lad, quite unassuming but really dominant when he needs to be. I can see a lot of myself in him in the way he trains and wants to improve. He’s desperate to do better and play at the highest level.”

Phillips is one of nine signings that Stoke have made so far this summer, with just under a fortnight to go before the deadline and the Potters believed to be still chasing another new face in midfield.

Sporting director Jon Walters expects that the new intake will help raise standards and can see a lot more to come from Phillips.

He said in an interview for Stoke's website: “There is still room for improvement in his game, as there should be for every player. A huge part of it is Ryan as well and how much he worked with him, having played so many games in that position in the Premier League and knowing all the small parts you can improve upon. I see huge potential in Ash, a future international player. He’s already done that through the age groups.

“It’s his attitude. We saw from when he came in here last year as a young 19-year-old a leader on the pitch. It’s not often you say that for such a young player.

“It’s not just the staff but the fans as well and how welcome he was made to feel. We’re creating and building a family here with players, staff and fans. Ash felt that connection.”

He added: “We said towards the end of last season that if we could get him back we’d be pulling off a coup because we were expecting him to play in the Premier League in some capacity or a big team in Europe. We had to beat competition but when we had the chance to go and get him, a fair bit of hard work went in from a lot of people at the club.

“He was a real leader for us on the pitch last season and I think everyone saw how much he grew. As every month and every game went on he improved.”

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Ashley Phillips is returning to Stoke City from Tottenham Hotspur

Stoke City have pulled off a coup by securing Ashley Phillips on another season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Mark Robins and Jon Walters have been working as secretly as possible to try to win a surprise return for the 20-year-old centre-half despite significant interest from Championship rivals and clubs in Europe.

Spurs had not been expected to sanction another loan move for this term and Phillips was keen to take the chance to impress new manager Thomas Frank in pre-season.

But they have been accumulating new signings in his position and when Phillips was told he would be allowed out again he was determined that Stoke would be his destination.

Walters said: “Being able to bring Ashley back to Stoke City despite plenty of competition is down to him loving his time here last season so much, and a lot of work that took place behind the scenes to make it happen.

“I know the support he received from our fans was a huge part of his positive experience of our club and I’m looking forward to seeing that bond develop even further.

“With the attributes he has and what he’s already achieved as a central defender at such a young age, Ashley, for me, is a potential full international of the future.

“To have him playing for us for another season is a significant coup and we all can’t wait to see him back on the field in a Stoke City shirt, doing what he does best for the Potters.”

Phillips came second in the player of the season voting behind Viktor Johansson in 2024/25 and joins Maksym Talovierov, Ben Wilmot and Ben Gibson in the centre-back department.

“It feels like unfinished business,” said the England youth international.

“I am absolutely buzzing to be back. I feel really valued, the coaching staff are brilliant, the gaffer has been amazing with me and presented me with the plan he has to help me to develop, it made it a no brainer.

“Working with Ryan Shawcross in particular is great for me. He helped my game immeasurably last year and I am sure that will be the case again this season.

“Also, through thick and thin, our fans have turned up and supported us. They have been great to me, I know they will continue to be, and we will need them throughout the whole season.”

Stoke are subsequently expected to make Slovakia striker Robert Bozenik their sixth signing of the summer.

The club is believed to have been working on a deal for the 25-year-old forward all through the summer but it has been a complicated process, particularly because of his contract situation at crisis club Boavista.

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Ashley Phillips talks about what he learned from Ryan Shawcross and how much he enjoyed his time at Stoke City as he is linked with transfer to Sheffield United

Ashley Phillips is hoping to make his mark in a fresh chapter at Tottenham Hotspur as he tries to build on a breakthrough year with Stoke City.

The 20-year-old centre-back emerged as one of the first names on the teamsheet at Stoke, making 39 starts and showing his potential under three managers as he helped eventually secure the club’s Championship status.

He has gone back to Spurs this summer under another new boss, Thomas Frank, and amid speculation linking him with another loan move, his first priority is to try to make his case as strong as possible that he is already ready for the Premier League.

“There’s a new chapter starting at Spurs and at the end of the day I want to be a Premier League footballer so it’s about making sure I have a good pre-season and seeing where that takes me,” he said in an excellent extended interview on the Every Step Along The Way podcast.

“Hopefully I can push for Premier League football this season but we’ll have to see. Hopefully that can come true. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited for the season that’s coming up.”

Stoke have already brought in a new centre-back this summer by signing Maksym Talovierov from Plymouth Argyle to join Ben Wilmot and Ben Gibson. There are loan suitors for Jaden Dixon while Freddie Anderson is already at Cork City and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mark Robins tried to make sure he went post-deadline day with four players in that department. Bosun Lawal can also play at centre-half, as he did in a friendly against Brighton on Wednesday.

A return for Phillips - who has also been linked with Sheffield United on either a permanent or loan move - is unlikely but he won’t forget his time at the bet365 Stadium nor what he learned, particularly from coach Ryan Shawcross.

He said: “Stoke is a fantastic club with great fans and they’ll be up there very soon. I wish you all the best for the future.”

He added: “The coaching staff are brilliant. There’s obviously (James Rowberry), the assistant at Wales, and (Paul Nevin) was my England coach with the under-20s. They’ve got great CVs and it’s definitely a great back room staff to have at the club.

“(Robins) could give pointers on what a striker wants from a centre-back and what they find horrible. There is also Ryan Shawcross who was really, really good with me. He gave me some great advice after every game. When you’ve got someone who has made that many appearances in the Premier League, learning from him was really, really good for me.

“He taught me just to be a little bit nastier, not letting the striker think he’s having a good game, letting him know early on in a game, almost winding them up in a sense and knock them off their game a bit. If they’re getting frustrated it helps you.

“I think that side of my game has come on and especially in the Championship you need it. You are up against really physical strikers and if you can get in their head a little bit you can knock them off their game.”

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Ashley Phillips impressed on a season-long loan at Stoke City before returning to parent club Tottenham Hotspur

Ashley Phillips has been warned he needs "the pre-season to end all pre-seasons" to avoid falling into a trap of never-ending loans slowly leading to a goodbye at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 20-year-old centre-half is back at Spurs for the summer after an impressive long-term loan at Stoke City, where he got his first taste of playing regular football over the course of pretty much a full season.

He joined Stoke in August and made a couple of cameos before forcing his way into the starting XI in late October and never dropping out, gradually becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet.

The England youth international ended up in a partnership with Ben Wilmot that helped Stoke eventually secure their status in the Championship - and both players were willing to play through injury in the spring to get the job done.

Phillips had joined Tottenham from Blackburn Rovers in the summer of 2023 and spent the second half of 2023/24 with Plymouth Argyle before his time in the Potteries. Now he is trying to stake his claim under new Tottenham boss Thomas Frank, who has welcomed two new centre-backs into his squad this window.

Kevin Danso has joined from Lens for £21 million and Kota Takai has arrived from Kawasaki Frontale for £5m. Luka Vuskovic is also now officially a Spurs player and Frank can also call on Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu Dragusin and Alfie Dorrington.

It is believed that Spurs haven't been planning to let Phillips out on loan to the Championship again but could test him in a European league. He has still been linked with Sheffield United.

But Football.London's Spurs reporter Alasdair Gold said: "Phillips never really got a chance under Ange Postecoglou, or was not rated by the Australian and his coaching staff, but did have two impressive loan spells in the Championship at Plymouth and Stoke where he earned plenty of plaudits.

"The centre-back turned 20 a couple of weeks ago and he will be fully aware that the arrival of Luka Vuskovic and Takai is going to only block the path further to ever playing a competitive match for Tottenham.

"Frank will want to have a proper look at the big centre-back but Phillips is going to need to have the pre-season to end all pre-seasons to ensure his Spurs career doesn't just become a temporary rest stop between loans before leaving permanently."

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Thomas Frank's anticipated move to become Tottenham Hotspur manager will step up the alert level on his Brentford defender Nathan Collins too.

It is claimed that Frank would like to take the Stoke City youth graduate to Spurs with him, as well as his Manchester United-linked teammate Bryan Mbeumo, in a deal that would cost a pretty penny. Collins, aged 24, still has four years left on his Brentford contract, with a club option for an additional two years beyond that.

Brentford would "demand a significant return", claims the London press, on the club record £22 million they spent to sign Collins from Wolves two years ago - and Wolves' ears will have pricked up because they agreed a sell-on clause as part of that deal. Stoke had a similar benefit when Burnley sold him to Wolves in 2022.

Collins has established himself as a Premier League and Republic of Ireland regular and he played every minute of Brentford's league campaign under Frank in 2024/25, topping the top flight statistics for most blocks by a centre-back (57), coming second (220) to Nottingham Forest's Murillo (242) for most clearances and joint-second with Virgil van Dijk (119) behind Dan Burn (148) for most aerials won.

The coaches who guided him through the ranks at Stoke will be frustrated that he isn't hitting those numbers in the right red and white stripes but he is still flying the flag for the academy. Freddie Anderson explained earlier this season how he was persuaded that Stoke was the right move for him after leaving Manchester City after being shown how Collins developed at Clayton Wood, as well as Harry Souttar.

It is work that has helped Stoke build up a little conveyor belt of very promising young centre-halves, including Jaden Dixon, Jake Griffin, Pijus Otegbayo and Owen Powell.

Collins hasn't forgotten that groundwork either. He joined Stoke at 15 from Cherry Orchard, who had a sell-on clause activated when he later joined Burnley for an initial £12m. There had been strong interest from Ipswich but he ran out for Stoke under-16s against Liverpool in January 2016.

He went on to play above his age group. He captained the under-18s and under-23s - and played in that surreal, frenzied Potteries derby when Stoke under-21s lost to Port Vale at Vale Park in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Academy director Gareth Owen said around that time: “It’s not purely his footballing ability but also off the field; his confidence in himself, his sacrifice and how he lives his life, how he is a leader, a communicator, how other players respect him.

“These are all old school values that can quickly be forgotten – but they are what make a player. He is doing everything he can to make himself better and that, matched with a fantastic football ability, means that he’s got a hell of a chance.”

At 17 in April 2019, he made his first team bow when Stoke had two men sent off at Swansea and his first start came 10 days later at Middlesbrough He became Stoke's youngest captain at the age of 18 years and 105 days when Nathan Jones gave him the armband for a Carabao Cup tie at Wigan in 2019. He has continue to be picked out as a leader for clubs and country.

He said earlier this year: “I always try to pick things from different captains I’ve had in my life. I’ve had some unbelievable captains. I think it’s different for everyone because we are all in different positions. I had Ryan Shawcross at Stoke and I had Ben Mee and he’s a legend."

They are qualities that have made him a key man for Frank and explain the current links - even if, this week, the talk from the Brentford end has still been about still hoping to keep Frank, let alone the player. But, Collins said himself, there will be a contingency plan.

Collins told the Irish media: "Every time I turn on the TV, I see (Frank to Spurs speculation). I can’t get away from it, unfortunately.

“But I have my own problems with the (international fixtures), staying fit and looking after myself. I haven’t taken too much of an interest.”

He added: "Brentford is a good club that whatever happens, they will have a plan. There are good people in the back room plan, so there will be a plan. If he stays, even better. We can only see what happens.”

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Former Stoke City midfielder Paul Bracewell is reported to have "offers on the table" after apparently leaving his coaching role at Tottenham Hotspur.

The 62-year-old has been in Spurs' youth set-up for the last seven years, initially working as professional development coach alongside Ryan Mason - who is thought to be close to being named as new West Bromwich Albion manager - and then becoming an elite development coach.

It is 45 years now since Bracewell made his full Stoke debut as a 17-year-old against Liverpool in the top flight and quickly became a first team regular under Alan Durban then Richie Barker. Born on the Wirral but having grown up in Shropshire, he had made nearly 150 appearances when he was sold to Sunderland in 1983.

He went on to help Everton win two league titles and the European Cup Winners' Cup, as well as win promotions with Sunderland and Newcastle United. He seemed on course to star for England until he was rocked by a broken ankle at the age of 22.

He ended his playing days and started his coaching career at Fulham, taking over as manager when Kevin Keegan accepted the England job. He had a spell in charge of Halifax Town too before coaching back at Sunderland, then at Spurs, where he has furthered his reputation as a top coach.

It is claimed that his role was made redundant last month but he "could now be set to join a new club, with offers already on the table".

The Stoke youth set-up that Bracewell came through also produced Steve Parkin, who is Phil Parkinson's assistant manager at Wrexham; Steve Bould, a long-standing Arsenal coach who was recently manager of Lommel in Belgium; Chris Maskery, who was a long-serving scout for Arsenal; and Steve Davis, who is player pathways manager at Wolves.

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Stoke City will have to be very patient if they want to pursue an unlikely return of Ashley Phillips following his successful loan spell.

Phillips, aged 19, worked his way into becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet during his season at the bet365 Stadium despite playing under three different managers in a team that was struggling at the wrong end of the Championship.

He has gone back to Tottenham Hotspur with his reputation enhanced to the extent that his parent club are believed to rate him at about between £10m and £15m. He was signed from Blackburn Rovers in 2023 when Spurs activated a £2m release clause.

At the moment, it is understood that they do not have plans to send him back out next season although they might be tempted to test him in a European league – or Stoke could try to make the case that he would benefit from another year with them.

Either way, it still took until August 23 last summer for Spurs to sanction an exit and few Premier League clubs let their highest-rated prospects out until the end of their pre-season schedule while they manage their own comings, goings and commitments.

Phillips only made one league start for Stoke until late October but he ended up making 35, including playing through injury in the spring to help make sure they stayed in the division.

Stoke made six loan signings in all in 2024/25 but saw Tom Cannon recalled by Leicester in January to be sold on to Sheffield United for about £10m.

How did Phillips do?

Stoke boss Mark Robins said at the end of term:“I think Ash has got a brilliant future ahead of him. He’s been superb for us. He’s been playing through the last month with injury and got through. Ben Wilmot’s the same, playing with an injury that he needs to have sorted out now the season is over. He’s got through that.

“Gibbo has been injured, we know that, ever since I came in in January. To play a game and get through that is a credit to him as well because it’s the first time I’ve seen him semi-fit. He’s almost fit! He needs a pre-season now, which he will get.

Stoke legend and columnist Mike Pejic said: "Ashley Phillips has been a popular loan signing and fans would be happy to get him back. He is a big lad and needs to be stronger. He’s still developing physically and he needs another two or three years of hard development to get towards his potential.

"At the moment he needs a dominant centre-back with him to help him and to learn from. He’s pretty comfortable on the ball. He reads it quite well. You’ve got to win your battles in there and you’ve got to step into it rather than sit off."

The search for a centre-half

A centre-half is high on the recruitment agenda as the exit of Michael Rose, who was released at the end of term, leaves Ben Wilmot and Ben Gibson as the only two senior players in that position.

There are also high hopes for emerging youth defenders Jaden Dixon, Freddie Anderson, Pijus Otegbayo and Jake Griffin, plus Owen Powell, who is a little bit younger. Such is the calibre at the moment that Stoke were prepared to release Irish youth international Christy Grogan, who has always been very highly rated, so he can find a clearer pathway.

Anderson, aged 18, is currently on a season-long loan with Cork City in the League of Ireland, hoping to add physicality to his game that can push him up the pecking order when he gets back to Clayton Wood.

“Hopefully later on in my career, it’ll be a bit of a breeze, the physical side of the game,” he told the Irish press.

“It’s a tough league. There are some really good players. You’ve got to be at it every game to pick up positive results. So yeah, I’ve been really impressed.”

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Mark Robins has saluted loan teenager Ashley Phillips as he returns to Spurs – particularly after playing through his last month at Stoke City with injury.

Phillips and fellow centre-half Ben Wilmot have been playing through pain over the final few weeks of the season to try to help Stoke stay in the Championship, as did captain Ben Gibson as he returned for the final game of term at Derby on Saturday.

Robins, as ever, has been coy on injury details but Wilmot can now get his problem resolved, Gibson can look forward to a pre-season programme while Phillips is going back to parent club Tottenham Hotspur to see what happens next in his career.

The 19-year-old, who is under contract until 2028, has clearly enjoyed his time at Stoke and a first season of playing regular men’s football. It remains to be seen what Spurs’ plans are, but there will be no shortage of suitors if they sanction another loan.

Stoke’s planning for 2025/26 has been ongoing in the background over the last few months, particularly since the arrival of Ian Torrance as the club's latest head of recruitment, and it will be interesting to see how their search for a centre-back develops over the next few weeks and months.

Robins said: “I think Ash has got a brilliant future ahead of him. He’s been superb for us. He’s been playing through the last month with injury and got through. Ben Wilmot’s the same, playing with an injury that he needs to have sorted out now the season is over. He’s got through that.

“Gibbo has been injured, we know that, ever since I came in in January. To play a game and get through that is a credit to him as well because it’s the first time I’ve seen him semi-fit. He’s almost fit! He needs a pre-season now, which he will get.

“We’ve been two steps forward, one step back for a while, but thankfully that’s done and we can start to plan once we’ve had a little bit of a breather.”

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