Roy previews a busy summer for various England teams

Wednesday 23 Apr 2014
Various England teams will be in tournament action this summer

With the nation celebrating the feast of St George, what better day to highlight all the England teams that will be in action in the months ahead?

Taking centre stage will be the Men’s Senior side when they fly to Brazil in June for what promises to be a carnival of football.

However, there is plenty to keep us occupied before then.

England Manager Roy Hodgson said: "We understand that there will be great focus on the seniors’ World Cup campaign but we must not forget the other England teams that will be in action this summer.

"Gareth Southgate will take a young Under-21s side to the Toulon Tournament next month and that will be a fantastic experience for the players involved

"The four teams they are up against will each offer a different style of play which should help the boys in the long term.

"We have two youth teams involved in European Championship action this year – and hopefully the U19s can make it three.

"Of course, the Women’s Senior side are well on course to qualify for the World Cup next summer and the U20s have already made it through to their own World Cup in August, so there is plenty going on to keep England fans entertained throughout the summer."

As Hodgson alluded to, the Under-21s will compete in the annual Toulon Tournament in May and they face opposition from four contrasting opponents – Qatar (on 22 May), Brazil (26 May), South Korea (28 May) and Colombia (30 May).

Southgate’s side will also finish their Euro 2015 qualifying campaign, having won six out of their seven matches to date. They will round things off against Wales (19 May), Lithuania (5 September) and Moldova (9 September) aiming to reach the play-offs in October.

John Peacock’s U17s travel to Malta early next month to compete in the Euro finals. They take on the host nation (9 May), Turkey (12 May) and Holland (15 May) – three matches you can watch live on Eurosport – in a round-robin group, with the top two teams making it through to the semi-finals.

The U19s will be hoping to reach their own European Championship finals when they host the Elite Qualifying Round in Burton and Walsall. Noel Blake’s Young Lions entertain Montenegro (24 May), Scotland (26 May) and Ukraine (29 May). The finals will be staged in Hungary in July.

Three different women’s sides will also be in action this summer as Mark Sampson’s senior side aim to continue their perfect start to their World Cup qualifying campaign.

New captain Steph Houghton & Co. welcome Ukraine to Shrewsbury Town’s Greenhous Meadow on Thursday 8 May before four consecutive away qualifiers – against Belarus (14 June), Ukraine (19 June), Wales (21 August) and Montenegro (17 September).

Pia Sundhage’s Sweden have been lined up for a high-profile friendly on Sunday 3 August.

Mo Marley has steered yet another Women’s U19 side to a Euro finals and England will learn their group fate on Tuesday 29 April.

And the Women’s U20s will round off an action-packed summer of tournaments with their own attempt at World Cup glory in August. They have been drawn in Group C alongside South Korea (6 August), Mexico (9 August) and Nigeria (13 August).

 

By FA Staff