England’s World Cup elimination has seen the focus thrown on the country’s young emerging talent, but the refusal of top-flight sides to release their players is set to prompt a storm.
The Under-19 tournament starts in France next week and coach Noel Blake wants to include Blackburn’s Phil Jones, Aston Villa’s Nathan Delfouneso and possibly a quartet of youngsters from Tottenham in his final squad, which is announced this week.
Club England chairman Sir Dave Richards wrote to all top-flight teams asking them to prioritise the release of players before the official start to the new season.
But Blackburn want Jones, who made the breakthrough into the first team last season, to go on their pre-season tours to Austria and Australia.
And Spurs have written to the FA saying it does not make sense for their players – Steven Caulker, Andros Townsend, Ryan Mason and Dean Parrett – to be released because the championship comes too early in the pre-season programme. Arsenal – whose young top Gunner is Tom Cruise – Manchester United,
Chelsea, Fulham, West Ham, Newcastle and Sunderland are the other
Premier League sides being asked to release players.
Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football
development, and Blake, now fear England’s hopes will be sabotaged by
the Premier League clubs’ selfish outlook. “We have a European
Championship which will be a fantastic experience,” Brooking said.
“The Premier and Football League clubs said they
would support us and clubs would release players.
“But we have five lads we might have issues with. They
will never ever get that tournament experience against quality
opposition otherwise. Phil Jones, the Blackburn lad, a first-team
player, who is outstanding, will be a key man if we are going to do any
good in that tournament.
“We also need Nathan
Delfouneso, another key player and we want him released by Aston Villa.”
England meet up on July 12 and travel to Normandy
three days later for games against Austria, Holland and hosts France.
Spain, Portugal, Italy and Croatia are in the other
group. “With all the other countries, there won’t even be an issue.
Their players will be released,” said Brooking, who believes the new
National Football Centre in Burton is the key to England’s rejuvenation
as a major football power.
Having played a key
role in confirming Fabio Capello will see out the remainder of his
contract, Brooking is turning his attentions back to his day job as the
FA’s director of youth development.
“I am
acutely aware that there are no quick fixes and no easy answers,” said
Brooking.
“But I am convinced that the key to
securing this future is that we must have more and better coaches with
access to more kids at an earlier age.
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