Martin Offiah's son, Phoenix, is rising through the ranks at Tottenham - with a helping hand from club legend Jermain Defoe . Ex- Widnes , Wigan and Great Britain winger Offiah became a rugby league great after scoring an incredible 501 career tries. Now the next generation of Offiahs are making their way in the professional sporting ranks, with 18-year-old Tyler on the fringes of the first-team at Gallagher Premiership leaders Bath . Phoenix, a 15-year-old striker, is being tipped for a bright future by Defoe, who has been helping him to hone his finishing skills. Dad Martin, 59, revealed: “Jermain was at Tottenham twice last week to help out with the under-15s. He messaged me afterwards to say, ‘Phoenix has so much potential and I’m going to come in more and more to work with him’. “I was chuffed with what he said after working with Phoenix, who is already 6ft 1in and has plenty of size and athleticism. Obviously Phoenix has a long way to go but what better way to learn than from such a Tottenham goalscoring legend in Jermain Defoe? “For Phoenix it’s a dream come true and he’s loving his time at Tottenham with all their fantastic coaches. It’s very much about developing his technical skills and he’s certainly in the right place to progress. Phoenix has a great appetite to improve and refine his craft of goalscoring into an art form.” Phoenix was snapped up by Spurs on an 18-month academy contract after impressing on trial in January. He has been banging in the goals for Tottenham’s under-15s and competing with players who have been there for many years. Offiah Snr added: “Phoenix is playing catch-up to a certain extent. He was at QPR for two years previously after playing rugby union, like his big brother Tyler, for Ealing Trailfinders when he was younger. Phoenix once scored a great try at Twickenham before turning his focus to football.” Where does Jermain Defoe rank among Tottenham's greatest ever strikers? Have your say in the comments section . Tyler, meanwhile, is making his way at Bath and is also involved in England’s under-20s squad. Offiah added: “Tyler is just under 6ft 4in, has size 13 feet and is also studying for a degree at Bath University. He’s already played in the Premiership Rugby Cup and is hoping to make his full Premiership debut this season. Again, the coaching at Bath is brilliant for his development.” Nephew Odel, 22, plays for Brighton and is currently on loan at League One outfit Blackpool . Offiah, known as ‘Chariots’ during his playing days, added: “My parents came here from Nigeria and I enjoyed a fantastic rugby career to make them proud. Now it’s time for the next generation of Offiahs to make a name for themselves and take it to the next level.” Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.