Wednesday 21 March 2018 09:17, UK
England won the Under-17 World Cup in October but soon it will be the turn of the next age group as the country hosts the European Under-17 Championships in May. Adam Bate checks in with coach Steve Cooper to find out how they are progressing.
It is not yet five months since England's Under-17 World Cup triumph in India but some of the stars of that talented group are now beginning to get their rewards in senior football.
Golden Ball winner Phil Foden featured for Manchester City in their Carabao Cup win at Wembley. Morgan Gibbs-White, another of the World Cup final goalscorers, is on course for a Championship winners' medal with Wolves. Jadon Sancho, a key figure in the group stage before being recalled by Borussia Dortmund, has since made his Bundesliga bow.
For under-17 boss Steve Cooper, it is a source of pride. "When you work with young players and you see them improve, it doesn't get much better than that as a coach," he tells Sky Sports. "But the clubs are the ones who are doing a fantastic job. There is so much talent around. We just have the difficult but rewarding job of trying to select the right ones."
Even amid the warm afterglow of three major tournament victories for England's age-group sides in 2017, that process does not stop. In fact, Cooper moved on immediately. He will be leading the new under-17 side at this summer's European Championships. England are hosting the tournament this May and it will be a huge occasion for the players.
"For these boys on their journey, the first official tournaments they play are at under-17 level," explains Cooper. "Yes, we play other tournaments but this is their real introduction to FIFA and UEFA events and the scrutiny that comes with it. You are never really sure what you are going to get because it is a new experience for them.
"What's a real plus at the moment with the FA and the development teams at St George's Park is that a lot of these boys have been in the system since they were under-15s so this is actually their third season as England players. So just because they have different staff around them, not too much needs to change for them.
"I had my first tournament with this group in November, but their England journey is much bigger and much more important than the staff they are with. It is always a continuation of the work. Sitting above all of our work is making sure that it is all joined up and we are working towards creating a successful senior team for Gareth Southgate."
Cooper took the team to the Algarve Tournament last month and saw his England side beat the Netherlands 2-0 and draw 1-1 with Germany, but only after suffering a chastening 4-0 defeat at the hands of the hosts Portugal in their opening game. Others might have been alarmed but Cooper is too experienced to worry about a rogue result.
"I have been in youth development for 15 years now and that happens," he explains. "You cannot get too carried away when things go really well and likewise when they don't go so well. It is all part of youth development. You see the highs and the lows. That will always be the case. But the key is to understand why things have happened and you learn from them.
"Whether it is a fantastic performance and a comfortable win or the opposite, you have to look at it for what it's worth. We compare it back to how we expect the team to play, the performance levels and the expectations of the fans who are there, but we also look back at individuals as well and make sure they learn from it."
The way that the team bounced back from the initial defeat was an encouraging sign and there is talent in the group. Arsenal duo Xavier Amaechi and Tyreece John-Jules got the goals against the Netherlands, while Bobby Duncan, currently unattached after leaving Manchester City, scored the opener against Germany.
"These young players are all at different stages and they all have their own stories behind them," says Cooper. "That is the exciting thing about youth development, you take the talent that comes in and you try to turn that into a team. That is one of the challenges of international football because you have limited time to get them playing the England way."
In this international window, there will be another tough test - two games against Brazil. "Every other European country is playing the elite round of qualifying so an obvious problem as hosts is that we have no European teams that we can play," adds Cooper. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't different. We have had to be a bit creative and that's what we have done.
"It will be a good test for us. It is our last window before we meet up for the European Championships and we want to make the most of it. We want to show England supporters that we have got good, young players. We want to make sure that we don't just play good football but we play with the right attitude and focus as well.
"We are really clear now what we want the England teams to look like. We want people to see a team that is proud to be representing them. We have to thrive on that and be excited about it. Certainly, we can't let it add extra pressure or demands. We have to look forward to it and embrace it and that goes for everyone. Personally, I cannot wait."
