England Blind: European Championship squad profiles

Sunday 23 Aug 2015
Keryn Seal holds off Darren Harris in an exhibition match

England Blind are in Hereford this week eager to prove their billing as one of the best in the world with a gold medal at the IBSA Blind European Championships.

A place in next Saturday's final at thePoint4 in Hereford will secure qualification for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro – but who are the 10 players charged with delivering success on home soil?

England captain Keryn Seal gave us a personal insight on his team-mates

Dan James
"He has been one of the best goalkeepers for some time. He’s been our No1 for the last couple of years and is really on top of his game. He’s a 6ft 4in keeper who really makes his size count – he’s an incredible athlete with great reflexes and flexibility"

Lewis Skyers
"He has been in the squad since 2009. As well as being a fantastic goalkeeper he brings a calmness and assuredness whenever he is in goal, and has great distribution"

Daniel English unleashes a shot in training

Daniel English unleashes a shot in training

Dan English
"The vice-captain. A big-game player, and the bigger the occasion the better. He’s one of our all-round players who can play in all four positions. Without doubt one of the best defensive players in the world"

Owen Bainbridge
"An incredibly hard-working and honest player who is probably one of the most deadly set-piece and penalty takers in Europe. If we get on to fouls and penalties in this tournament then he will play a big part for us there"

Roy Turnham battles with Keryn Seal in training

Roy Turnham battles with Keryn Seal in training

Roy Turnham

"Probably our most expressive player with the skills he brings. He has an outrageous ability on the ball combined with an incredible engine. I don’t think there is a fitter player in Europe"

Robin Williams
"Probably our fastest dribbler. He’ll be one of the players the other teams fear as he picks up the ball and runs at defenders. He has the rare talent of being able to score goals with both feet"

Jono Heenan
"He’s someone who has really come on over the last few years. He can cover ground very quickly with the ball at his feet and can go past a defender on either side. Another good all-rounder"

England

Robin Williams - England's fastest dribbler

Will Norman

"He has been around the game since 2008. He’s our only specialist defender but he is one of the best in Europe in that position. He’s got a fantastic ability to distribute the ball from the back, he is very calm and he communicates very well. He brings us real stability"

Darren Harris
"The old-stager. He is 42 years old now but is an out-and-out goalscorer who brings real energy and enthusiasm to the team on and off the pitch. He’s got that knack of scoring goals when you really need him to"

Keryn Seal
"A jack-of-all-trades, master of none! I can play in all of the positions and communicate well, and like to think I bring experience and a good level of leadership, putting the flair players in the position they need to be in to do a job for us"

By James Callow Content manager