Strength in depth pleases Peacock
Sunday, 29 August, 2010
England Coach is happy with U17s tournament victory.
England U17s Coach John Peacock was pleased with the Three Lions' victory in the International Tournament after sealing a 3-1 win over Portugal on Sunday.
After collecting three points against Australia on Friday to add to the draw with Turkey, Peacock new that a win would give them a good chance of taking the spoils. And with the Turks beating Australia it was by the narrow margin of goal difference that saw England lift the silverware.
But for Peacock it was about more than just winning the tournament this week.
“Obviously I’m pleased to win the tournament, but the real objective this week has been to have a close look at the players," he told TheFA.com.
“We’ve rotated the squad around, to give us a clear indication of the strength in depth, and it’s been very pleasing overall.
“We kept possession well against Portugal, but we’ll keep preaching to them when to play and look at the risks in safety.
“I was disappointed there were a few unforced errors, but it’s important to remember these are young lads who are still learning."
He added: “The conditions were tough with the wind, so it’s important to take that into consideration. We moved the ball around very well and scored some nice goals.
"There’s always a lot of value in this tournament. It’s an excellent one to have at the beginning of the season.
“We’ve played some tough opposition and it’s a great preparation for the Euro qualifiers. We’ve got a lot of important things out of it.”