UEFA European U19 Championship
Elite Qualifying Round
18-22 May, Belgium
For the full match schedule click here

28 February 2006
England 3-0 Slovakia

With a Lee Holmes corker getting them on their way, the Young Lions make light work of Slovakia at Sixfields.

Martin Hunter has named an experienced squad for the upcoming Elite Qualifying Round for the European U19 Championship in Belgium, which will begin next month.

Lee Cattermole joins the squad after breaking into the Middlesbrough team in recent months, while Lee Holmes retains his place after scoring a tremendous goal as captain for England U19s in February.

Micah Richards who scored a dramatic equaliser in The FA Cup earlier this season is part of the 18-man squad, and will be looking to build on his experience of captaining Manchester City to The FA Youth Cup Final.

England will face Belgium in their first game on 18 May in KSK Ronse, followed by Northern Ireland two days later in Tubize. The final game of the qualifying round comes against Serbia and Montenegro on 22 May.

England U19 coach Martin Hunter is confident that the prospect of qualifying for the European Championships in July will be more than enough to lift the players coming to the end of their club season.

"It's a long season for the players, but hopefully they will be in good shape for this tournament as it is a great opportunity for them.

"We will be playing three very different sides over there; Northern Ireland will be just like a local derby, Belgium will have the home support and Serbia and Montenegro will want revenge for our victory over them last year in the Semi-Finals of the European Championships.

"The style of football that each side play is very different and that will be a test in itself as the players will have to adapt to three separate ways of playing. But this is exactly the kind of test you need at this age group."

Martin also spoke about the importance of having so many young players with first team experience, with Lee Cattermole joining the likes of Nathan Dyer, Lee Holmes, Ben Alnwick and Richard Stearman who all have a number of senior appearances with their clubs.

"I'm looking forward to working with Lee, he is making the step up from Under-18 level but I'm confident he will acquit himself well.

"He is one of many players we have to choose from who have learned a great deal this season, games like the one Middlesbrough played in Rome will only make you a better player.

"But we are lucky in having a squad of 18 experienced players and it should be a very entertaining tournament with some great matches, and fingers crossed we can be successful.

"It is a valuable experience for the players to play in such a competitive arena, you really can't replicate it. Hopefully these players will make it to Under-21 level and perhaps even senior level for their country, and what they learn from this tournament will make that step up much more manageable."

Name

Club

Ben Alnwick

Sunderland AFC

Moses Ashikodi

Rangers FC

Nathan Ashton

Charlton Athletic FC

Lee Cattermole

Middlesbrough FC

Mark Davies

Wolverhampton Wanderers FC

Nathan Dyer

Southampton FC

Joe Garner

Blackburn Rovers FC

Anthony Grant

Chelsea FC

Joe Hart

Shrewsbury Town FC

Lee Holmes

Derby County FC

Adam Johnson

Middlesbrough FC

Billy Jones

Crewe Alexandra FC

Ben Parker

Leeds United AFC

Micah Richards

Manchester City FC

Gary Roberts

Crewe Alexandra FC

Richard Stearman

Leicester City FC

Stuart Nicholson

West Brom FC

David Wheater

Middlesbrough FC