Kyle Walker has let himself down and created a poor impression following the minor incident off the pitch – he’s in the public eye and a role model by default. But let’s not get too carried away here with this story. It’s only a story because Walker is playing at the highest level of English football and is a full international. If he were any other youngster, he’d have gotten a slap on the wrist at best; it certainly wouldn’t have been in the papers. It’s as groundbreaking as a player cursing all over Twitter. Sure, he’ll draw attention to himself, but everyone does it (swearing on Twitter, not inhaling nitrous oxide, although we all enjoy a ‘quiet drink’ on a Friday night).

The issue here is of Kyle Walker as a footballer and his lack of progression over the past 18 months. He may be young, but he’s not a teenager; if he’s old enough to sit on a contract that pays him thousands of pounds a week, he is old enough to act to the betterment of his playing career. He’s two seasons removed from his Young Player of the Year award, and though there were imperfections to his game back then, it would have been assumed by many that he’d have ironed those out to a large degree at this point.

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There is little doubt that the management at Tottenham will have a word about his off-field antics, but it’s also a given that Andre Villas-Boas will take action to ensure the player develops accordingly. It’s simply down to how much Walker wants it.

It should be a legitimate question as to why Walker is in the England team at present. Ok, Roy Hodgson isn’t spoilt for choice, but how much is the England manager doing to get the best out of a youngster who could hold the right-back position for the best part of the next decade? Walker is young, though it shouldn’t be forgotten that other young players with plenty of promise have gone south for one reason or another.

Walker is rightly labelled as an attacking full-back with the ability to perform as a winger to a high standard, in theory of course, but that isn’t the most important aspect of his game. He appears to have a carefree attitude in the way he handles things on the pitch, as if to say he’s earned his spot in both the Tottenham and England teams and the job is done. He’s a footballer, he can wear whatever he likes – and footballer’s do have a habit of abandoning all sense of style when throwing together an outfit – and he can pick up all the traits of a youngster, with tattoos and odd hairstyles. But unlike, say, Cristiano Ronaldo, he hasn’t earned the right to be cavalier or outrageous; he may have a personal accolade highlighting his achievements two seasons ago, but he hasn’t really done anything else.

For Tottenham, the club are clearly not in the business of standing still. They’ve bought well and have reinforced areas of the pitch where it seemed as though they were already strong. Who’s to say they’ll stop at full-back? In fact, many assumed that further additions would be made due to Walker’s poor form in his own half. Even more so, if Walker is going to force his way into people’s minds as an attacker first and foremost, he needs to produce. It’s all well and good having the pace to cause damage to opposition backlines, but without the intelligence to do something productive it becomes quite useless.

Walker may not be the brightest, but he certainly needs to accept that life hasn’t been conquered at this stage. With little to no development over the past year, it’s very easy to look as his career with two possible outcomes. It’s down to him to prove that he can grow as both a footballer and an individual.

Is Kyle Walker’s form becoming a major concern for both Tottenham and England?

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