VIDEO: Jones & Cleverley exclusive
Wednesday, 31 August, 2011
Manchester United and England duo sit down with FATV.
Watch the full, six minute video interview with the pair by clicking here.
The latest new faces in the England sat down with FATV ahead of Friday's trip to Bulgaria to give their thoughts on several different topics and what they hope the future holds for them and the team.
Manchester United pair Phil Jones and Tom Cleverley have both been regulars for various England youth teams over the last few years, culminating in this summer's European Under-21 Championship Finals in Denmark.
And after taking that experience back to Old Trafford, both players have made strides in establishing themselves in Sir Alex Ferguson's squad so far this season.
Their form has caught Fabio Capello's eye and after a few days with the senior squad now, both players revealed to FATV how they're looking forward to the trip to Sofia on Thursday morning.
"It's a good vibe, everyone is in good form for their clubs and, for me, it'll be my first experience of a senior international," said Cleverley. "So I'm expecting quite a hostile atmosphere, their fans will be up for it and so will the players, so we're expecting a tough test. We're preparing for a serious game."
Jones added: "It's an opportunity I probably didn't expect, but it's a great feeling for your family and friends, for your team-mates and everyone around you really. We all know that everyone is here for a reason, everyone is good enough and there are some world class players here. It's not just about the teams that are winning or the players in form with their clubs, it's about the collective team spirit and all gelling together to hopefully get the right result on Friday night."
Cleverley and Jones also feel that a number of their team-mates from Stuart Pearce's Under-21 squad could quite easily follow them into the senior set-up, with a real sense of young players having 'no fear' at the moment after cutting their teeth successfully at club level.
"That seems to be the case at the minute and it does help that a batch of us have come through at the same time," admitted Cleverley. "You're out there playing with people you know, and you know each other's games inside-out. At United we've played with no fear and we're playing exciting football, so if we can do the same with the England squad that will be fantastic.
"For us, it's an advantage as we know each other's games inside out. I think even if there's a mixture of players from different clubs, it's important you gel together and play good football."
Jones agreed with his Old Trafford team-mate, adding: "We all know why we're here, we're all playing well for our clubs and there's no fear. Just an excitement and enthusiasm to get out there.
"It's nice when you've got a bunch of lads and you all know each other's games inside out. You train together day in and day out, so if you can bring that to the international stage it's ideal."
Watch the full six minute interview with the pair now, as they speak about their England idols, Wayne Rooney's approach to welcoming them into the England squad and a red-faced moment for Cleverley in training.