As Arsenal used the Carling Cup to blood a steady stream of impressive youngsters in recent seasons, Tottenham's most talented teenagers were nowhere to be seen.

But as Spurs continue the defence of the trophy in tonight's quarter-final at Watford, that could all be about to change.

Nobody is suggesting Harry Redknapp will pack his team full of kids at Vicarage Road.

However, some could be involved in the tie and hopes are high that Spurs finally have a crop of youth players capable of making the step up to the senior team.

Redknapp knows a thing or two about developing young players, having worked with Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick and Jermain Defoe during his time as West Ham manager.

All five went on to become full England internationals.

Since arriving at White Hart Lane, Redknapp has given first-team debuts to 16-year-old midfielder John Bostock, striker John Obika, 18, and 17-year-old midfielder Ryan Mason.

Another 17-year-old, Dean Parrett, who has represented England at Under-17 level and is rated one of the best prospects in the country, signed his first professional contract with the club yesterday.

He and Bostock began their development at Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace respectively before being signed by Spurs for a combined fee which could reach £2.25million, proving how far the club will now go to secure the top young talent.

Alex Inglethorpe has been in charge of the Under-18s at White Hart Lane since the summer of 2006.

The coach, who was manager of the Exeter side who earned a 0-0 FA Cup draw at Manchester United in January 2005, says he has never been involved with a better crop of youngsters.

"The young players we have at the club are the most talented I have ever worked with. I am convinced that, although it is a lot to ask for now, they can establish themselves in the team.

"Harry Redknapp has a great record of bringing through youth players and his experience is what we need to develop the talent we have here.

"He has already involved five of the younger players with his own squad and we have a few more here who can also be involved with the first team in the future.

"There is so much yet to be done but the current group of players is amongst the most talented I have ever seen."

There is, of course, a risk in using this competition to give young players first-team experience.

Arsenal's youngsters have still to go all the way and, before last night's humbling at Burnley, were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in the 2007 final, before being hammered 5-1 at White Hart Lane in the second leg of last year's semi-final.

But Redknapp is clearly committed to testing the young players he has on his hands - and how Spurs fans would crow if the next group of teenagers to graduate from their Academy turns out to be more talented than the ones Arsene Wenger has nurtured.

The Spurs manager took some of youngsters to last week's UEFA Cup win at NEC Nijmegen and brought on Mason and Obika for the final minutes.

He said: "The UEFA Cup trip was a great chance for them to come along and see how the first team operates. I am sure they enjoyed it and it was a good experience for them.

"It was great to be able to send on a couple of kids in that game. The others will want to be part of it and when they break into the first-team squad, they will know what to expect. I am sure it was a terrific learning experience."

Where possible, Inglethorpe is keen for his youngsters to move on loan to lower-League clubs to gain experience of competitive football.

He cites the example of Jamie O'Hara, who spent five months at Chesterfield in 2006, and three at Millwall in 2007, before returning to White Hart Lane and securing a place in the first-team squad.

Inglethorpe added: "The way for these players to improve quickly is to play football that will challenge them. League football is one way to do it.

"At the Academy level, we play in a number of international tournaments every year. Earlier this year, we won an Under-20 tournament in Monthey, Switzerland, playing teams like Sporting Lisbon, Flamengo, FC Sion and Eintracht Frankfurt.

"It showed the players they could compete against top foreign sides and we believe that is hugely beneficial.

"Many clubs abroad are structured so their players experience football at a much younger age and that is something we need to look towards achieving in England."

Asked whether he believed Wenger's insistence on resting his first-team players for the Carling Cup was disrespectful towards the competition, Redknapp said: "It is not disrespectful. They have a group of kids who are good enough to play.

"They have several 19 and 20-year-old kids and so many of them are so fantastic that they can afford to play them in the first team.

"How many other clubs are able to do that?"

Before too long, Redknapp might be able to say the same about his own club.