Strike selection

	1 Jul 2008
	VIDEO: U19 training camp
	See England U19s in training at the National Football Centre ahead of their trip to the Czech Republic.

With the start of the European U19 Championships just days away, England U19 Head Coach Brian Eastick has already had to call upon two players from his standby squad ahead of the trip to the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Firstly captain Ciaran Clark was withdrawn on Wednesday and replaced by Manchester City defender Ben Mee and then on Thursday, Manchester United striker Daniel Welbeck had to pull out, which resulted in a call-up for Tope Obadeyi.

The Bolton Wanderers striker has been involved with the U19s regularly over the season so is no stranger to the camp and following his arrival at the squad’s English base in Essex on Friday evening, Eastick was confident that he would prove a more than able replacement for Welbeck.

“We have had a few injury problems and they’ve all been genuine injuries too, so we’ve just been unfortunate there,” he explained.

“It is a terrific opportunity for people to come in and show what they can do though.

“Tope understands the way we play and has been around the group and the international scene before.”

Eastick admits that he found it a tough choice on who to replace Welbeck with, as both Obadeyi and Welbeck’s United club mate Fabian Brandy were next in line from the standby squad, and he is more than grateful to have had such quality to choose from.

“Both Tope and Fabian Brandy looked very good at the three day training camp we had last week,” he admitted.

“When Daniel was withdrawn, it was a difficult decision for me who to take between Fabian or Tope.

“I brought Tope in primarily because there is a slight doubt about Daniel Sturridge so if he were to deteriorate in the next two or three days then at least we have a similar type of forward here to come in.

“But it is nice to have the quality of these players on standby.”

The Squad