TheFA.com

Lions prepare for Euro challenge

  • Tuesday, 29 June, 2010
  • England U19s
  • That's the winner!
  • Noel Blake
  • Dean Parrett

Noel Blake's squad to meet for three days of training.

UEFA European U19 Championships
The Finals
18-30 July 2010
Normandy, France
Click here for fixtures
By Nicholas Veevers

England U19s get their preparations for next month's European U19 Championship Finals underway later this week, as the players are to converge for a three day training camp in the Midlands.

Noel Blake’s squad head out to northern France for the Finals, where they face Austria in their first game on 18 July, so the training will be primarily fitness based given the players are just about to start the pre-season programmes with their clubs.

Taking place at Warwick University, Blake has invited 20 players along for the meet-up which takes place between Wednesday and Friday before the players disperse at the weekend.

A squad of 18 players for the Finals will then be handed to UEFA next week, ahead of the squad meet-up on Monday 12 July, when the group will reconvene at Warwick University for more training before heading across the Channel on 15 July.

With the Finals taking place in Normandy, England will be based in Caen and face further games with the Netherlands and France after their opener with Austria.

England qualified for the Finals for the third successive year in May, when the Young Lions finished top of their Elite Qualifying Round group in Ukraine after beating Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina and the hosts and current European U19 Champions Ukraine.

The squad contains four players who were part of last year’s U19 squad which reached the Final of the European Championship, including striker Nathan Delfouneso who came home with the Golden Boot following his four goals in the competition.

England U19s training camp squad: Nathan Baker (Aston Villa), Matthew Briggs (Fulham), Reece Brown (Manchester United), Steven Caulker (Tottenham Hotspur),  Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace),  Thomas Cruise (Arsenal), Nathan Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Ryan Donaldson (Newcastle United),  Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers) Scott Malone (Wolverhampton Wanderers),  Ryan Mason (Tottenham Hotspur), Jacob Mellis (Chelsea), Lee Nicholls (Wigan Athletic), Ryan Noble (Sunderland), Frank Nouble (West Ham United), Dean Parrett (Tottenham Hotspur), Matthew Phillips (Wycombe Wanderers), James Severn (Derby County),  Josh Thompson (Celtic), Andros Townsend (Tottenham Hotspur).

What Do You Think?

  • I take your point, but where are the players of the same age as those you have mentioned who have gone on to play at the same or at a higher level than they currently are? It's natural players who are good at 16 don't always progress at the same rate and others catch them up. From that group, someone like Gary Cahill will make it, has all the attributes of a top footballer. By Lex Luther (33 months ago)
  • @ Lex Luther, first and foremost, i follow the youths at national level and clubs level so don't you dare tell me, i don't know half of these players. No one can pull a wool over my face, Mason & Cruise are the only one that don't predominantly rely on physical gift, big part of Delfouneso's game is speed whether you like it or not. Ryan Mason wasn't picked for U17s qualifiers 2 years ago because he looks fragile despite having the technical components to play at that level. Actions speak louder than words in the case of our youth national coaches who proclaim they are trying to develop players rather than win but when you study the attributes and intelligence of players picked then you really understand their motives. Look at the players that we have put into the system at U16s level to come out at the U21 level for integration into full international, Mark Nouble, David Nugent, Reo Coker, Muamba, Cattermole, Carson, Steven Taylor, Ebanks Blake etc, they are not and will never be top international quality needed to win major championship, consequently other big nations are able to promote quality from national youth level to regular full international more than us. Until we as a nation stop championing averageness then we will get nowhereBy Sean Michael (33 months ago)
  • Absolute rubbish Sean. You've obviously not seen half of this lot play, not all tall athletes in there. And in any case, that is a big part of the game nowadays. I think there's a good mix here. The likes of Delfouneso, Parrett, Mason are far from big, strong athletes. The only height in there from a striking capacity is Frank Nouble, who probably won't even start the games anyway. By Lex Luther (33 months ago)
  • Yes this squad might win it but it wont be because they have better technique, passing, vision and intelligence than opposition because this squad is filled with athletic or tall players meaning they are going to efficient on set-plays but we aren't going to develop players this way for the national team, Which is youth coach's job. Action speaks louder than words of Swain, Peacock, Blake, Eastwick & Pearce telling us that they are only interested in developing players.By Sean Michael (33 months ago)
  • I hope the team plays positively and in the right manner to benefit their development. Lets play players in their correct positions and try to maintain possession. I have watched many youth games in the past and we have failed to play the right way enough and tactically our teams have been set up wrong. I hope Blake can rectify these issues in his first campaign. Good luck to him and the players. Lets devise a formation that suits us and allows us to play good possession based football.By Barryfrom (33 months ago)