By Ian Stafford
PUBLISHED: 16:17 EST, 14 April 2012 | UPDATED: 16:17 EST, 14 April 2012
Keen student: Kyle Walker
Each night Kyle Walker goes through the same routine. With his baby boy Roman tucked up in bed, the Tottenham and England defender goes back to 'right-back school', courtesy of his computer and YouTube.
'I watch Dani Alves [the Barcelona fullback] constantly on YouTube,' he said. 'He's forever in the box. He's a big hero of mine. It's fantastic how he gets forward and also how he defends as well.'
There are others, too, from a little closer to home.
'I study Gary Neville as well when he was still playing. Gary didn't have the best pace in the world but never got beat. If I can get my positioning right like he did, as well as everything else, then I hope to become the complete right-back, too.'
Walker has not done too badly himself since becoming a permanent fixture in Harry Redknapp's high-flying Spurs side this season - a season that has seen him win two England caps at Wembley, the second his first start against Sweden that resulted in a man-of-the-match award.
But he will still look to further his education this evening when Spurs take on Chelsea in the second FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and Walker faces the marauding Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole.
'People ask me about Drogba and Torres but, to be honest, it's the full-backs bombing forward that I'll need to cope with the most,' said Walker, 21.
'It can be difficult when you have players overloading you. You have to worry about your man and about the full-back as well.
'It will be good to play against Cole, though. He's one of the best left-backs in the world. That's only going to improve me. I'm going to make mistakes, but I'm 21 with two caps and still learning, while Ashley's 31 and got 93 caps, so I can only gain from facing a player like him.'
His laudable awareness of how far he still needs to go in football stems from teenage years in the Sheffield United academy blighted by his lack of size.
Bombing forward: Ashley Cole out to torment Spurs
'I used to play up front, but I couldn't really play there because I was too small,' he said.
'Centre-halves used to smash me up. The academy coaches turned me into a right-back and, once I switched, I didn't want to go back up front.
'Still, I was the last player in my year to get offered a scholarship. I was 15 and my parents and I were getting worried. I remember the coach, Kevin Fogg, telling me it wasn't his decision but Ron [Reid, the academy director] was going to give me a chance. My Dad was there and I could see the weight lift off his shoulders. He told me I'd have to go The Mail on Sunday April 15, 2012 out and prove the doubters wrong. It gave me the drive to do just that.'
Wembley return: Walker getting used to the international stage
Sunday's trip to Wembley will be his fourth appearance at the national stadium because, before his two England games, he turned out for his beloved United in a losing playoff final against Burnley.
'I'd only played four times for United and then, suddenly, I'm at Wembley in front of 80,000 people playing for the team I support.'
It is a day that left mixed emotions in the youngster's heart but he returns to Wembley much changed owing to his new standing at Spurs.
'When I first came to the club I was really nervous. I'd never been out of Sheffield and suddenly I'm sitting two places down from Peter Crouch. I saw myself as fifth choice when I arrived but I grew in confidence as players left, some loan spells helped, especially at Aston Villa, and I soon adapted to my new life. Harry [Redknapp] has been a massive influence. He gave me my chance.'
Now Walker has the small matter of a cup semi-final at Wembley.
'It's a massive game,' he said.
'The season hasn't quite turned out how we would have liked but hopefully the semi will get our season back on track. We've had a blip recently but beating Chelsea will not only get us to a Wembley Cup final but also prove to be a turning point.'
A turning point for Spurs, perhaps, but football student Kyle Walker is only going in one direction.
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