A Rose is rising
Monday, 27 February, 2012
Fleetwood midfielder relishing ICT opener against Italy.
by Glenn Lavery
Coming up against the best young players Italy have to offer will not concern England C midfielder Danny Rose a great deal tomorrow night.
Having learnt his trade in the Manchester United Academy, Fleetwood Town’s recent acquisition from Newport County played alongside Fraizer Campbell, Ryan Shawcross and Tom Heaton in the Reds’ reserve side, a side Rose would go on to captain, so he certainly has sufficient experience at the top level of the game.
With the Cod Army flying high in the Conference Premier, Rose is on the verge of a return to League football and he sees his stint with the England C team as a crucial part of his renaissance.
“Playing for this England team can definitely be considered as a stepping stone back into the League,” he said. “I’m not sure of the exact figures but I think over 100 players have gone from playing for England C to play in the Football League or Premier League, so there is no doubt that it can act as a springboard.
“I was at the highest level possible in terms of my youth and reserve team football with United and it is my aim to get back into the Football League with Fleetwood, and I really believe playing for England C can help me towards that.”
Manager Paul Fairclough has at his disposal England’s best, young non-League players for Tuesday night's International Challenge Trophy opener and the quality of opposition they regularly face in this tournament provides a stern examination of their credentials. The other participants in this competition choose to call upon their best young elite players and Rose believes competing against such talented individuals can only be of benefit to the Three Lions.
“This is a step up from the Conference,” he stated. “Our squad is made up of good, young players who play in the non-League, but we are coming up against the best young players from other big nations: when we played Portugal last year it was their U23 side and it’s good for us all to be testing ourselves against that calibre of player.
“And to be honest, other than the Gibraltar game in November [which England lost 3-1], we have matched these teams; Portugal, Belgium, Estonia. These players are playing in the first or second divisions in their own countries, so it is a really great experience for us, something we should all be making the most of."
And how is Rose feeling ahead of tomorrow’s game?
“It’s the first game of the ICT, which is an important competition, and having lost in the Final the last two times it’s important for us to get off to a good start.
“Personally, I can’t wait for the game,” he continued, “especially with it being on home turf. That makes it that little bit more special for me, but there’s no doubt it will be tough.
“We all know how good Italian teams are, no matter what level they’re playing at. They will be technically very good, solid defensively and they will try and disrupt our passing game. But we will have to be patient and will try and impose ourselves on them. That’s the way Paul has always wanted us to play.”