Hunter's pride

England U19s coach Martin Hunter was gracious in defeat after his side lost 3-1 in the European U19 Championship Final to France.

"I am disappointed to lose the match, but I am immensely proud of my players as they got this far," Hunter said.

"It is not easy and it is not often that you can get to the final of a European competition, and we have achieved this. France were the better team on the night, and I can take that on the chin.

"We simply couldn’t get the ball and pass it. Nevertheless, it was a great experience to get to the final and it is a real stepping stone for the careers of these players.

"Sven-Göran Eriksson entered the dressing room after the match and said exactly the same. Now they will move on to Under-20 level and there are already three players in the Under-21 squad and I think there will be others.

"But the players were very nervous tonight, especially during the first 20 minutes. I don’t think there’s that much difference in terms of technique between the two teams.

"We have great wingers in Holmes, Morrison and Smith. I also know that Noble and Leadbitter can see a pass. There is plenty of talent there, but tonight it wasn’t to be.

"The most pleasing aspect of the performance was that the team was willing to keep going. At 2-1 down, we kept going, showing bags and bags of character. Those lads never threw the towel in, and I would expect that from them because I know them.

"This has been a wonderful tournament to be involved in as we are playing the best players in Europe. You simply cannot put a value on it. Every side we have played has been different. That in itself is fantastic for the team as they are gaining more and more experience."