Ange Postecoglou has asked for patience from anyone who is quick to judge Dominic Solanke following his £65 million (US$86 million) transfer from Bournemouth.
The 27-year-old became Spurs' club-record signing last month but has only made three appearances after suffering an ankle injury on his Leicester City debut.
Solanke is yet to score for his new club and looked in need of more fitness when he missed a couple of chances in last weekend's north London derby defeat to Arsenal.
Asked if the price tag and the increased level of expectations were something Solanke would have to get used to, Postecoglou said: “I don't know, because people are very quick to judge, man. It's a small sample size.”
“The kid has played less than two (full) games for us. If he's gone 15 games without scoring a goal, then I can answer that question or 15 games where he hasn't contributed, but I just think 'take a breath, do some yoga. Think about the world for a second and make an assessment after that'.
“We don't have to be so quick to judge all the time because the alternative is that he's had a great start, he's in form, he's scored in all four games, he's flying and then he goes through a period like all strikers where he doesn't score.
“I don't focus on those things. What I focus on is that he has arrived, he has adapted very well and, logically, he has suffered an injury that has altered the way he wanted to start his career, but he still has a lot of time for that.”
On Saturday, Tottenham face Brentford, who sold Ivan Toney to Saudi Arabia's Professional League team Al-Ahli earlier this month.
Spurs had been linked with a move for Toney and when asked if they were interested in the England international, Postecoglou said: “We looked at him but I said Dom was the one I wanted and it took us pretty much all summer to get him because he was the one that fit the profile of what we were looking for at the time.
“He's adapted really well. He has a lot more to give… because he got injured! He just needs to play a few games. But from what I've seen in the games he's played, he's going to be a great asset for us. I have no doubt that he'll be a great contributor.”
Postecoglou also called for a sense of perspective in the reaction to Tottenham's start to the season after winning just one of their first four league games, prompting some criticism of the Australian's management, including boos from the away end when he came on as a substitute. Lucas Bergvall during Wednesday's Carabao Cup win at Coventry.
He said: “People prefer to be the first to make a judgment, even if it is wrong, rather than wait for someone else to do so. That is how we live today. There are many more judgments than reasoned, opinion-based analysis, but that is the way the world is.
“I've always said that fans are more than free to feel what they feel. I'm not going to dictate to them the mood of what they do.
“It doesn't affect me or what we're going to achieve. We just have to stay clear-headed and focused on what we're trying to achieve here and the kind of football team we want to be.
“If sometimes that's swimming against the current, that's okay, there's nothing wrong with that: it makes you stronger.”
