Weird interview, though I can see his point about the first team taking the best players, there's so much young talent in this country, we should surely still be competitive? England Under-21 manager Aidy Boothroyd believes it is not possible to succeed in the role, as his side face a second successive group-stage exit from the European Championship. Defeats against Switzerland and Portugal mean England must beat Croatia to have any chance of reaching this summer's quarter-finals. "The England senior men's job was called the impossible job," he said. "The England U21 team is the utterly impossible job." Former Watford manager Boothroyd has led England Under-21s since 2016. Boothroyd's side won the Toulon Tournament in 2018 but exited the last European Championship in 2019 at the group stage without winning a game. England have not won the Under-21 Euros since 1984. Boothroyd said the way the England international set-up is structured limits the chances of the under-21s winning tournaments. "It's not possible to win at all levels," Boothroyd said. "Part of the reason we haven't won this for 37 years is [that the under-21s' role is] to get players to the first team." Former England defender Micah Richards said Boothroyd has to be judged on the under-21s "winning things" and questioned England's mentality towards the team. Boothroyd said he thinks he has done a "successful job" and revealed he has been in regular contact with senior boss Gareth Southgate while Football Association technical director John McDermott is in Slovenia with the side. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56586818
He has got a point about feeding the senior team with his players. However that point is somewhat diluted when you compare France, Spain and Germany equivalents over same time scale AND compare their senior teams records against our senior team. Maybe the last couple of U21 teams players ( now playing for seniors ) is the start of things which kicked off with St George’s Park opening. Maybe the next couple of seniors tournaments might see us win things with ‘Boothroyds Boys’. (There is a slight whiff of nepotism as to how he got his job, as well)
Yep, he is an absolute bloody disgrace, been stealing a living nearly his whole time with the U21s. Shocker of a manager.
While the best youngsters are being drafted into the full England squad it won't matter who the manager is - the best under 21s should be going to under 21 tournaments to give them a chance of experiencing getting to finals and possibly to winning things. St George's is a brilliant set up, but it's predominantly set up for the full squad.
This bits wrong. St G was set up to cultivate England's 'DNA' by copying France's successful operation at where ever it was called. All teams were brought together to develop there not just the seniors. As it is after tonights showing Boothroyd should finally be shown the door. Not capable of inspiring quality kids. Be a good fit for Eddie Howe or Frank Lampard.
I know what it was set up for - I also know it's not fulfilling its brief; it won't matter who is coaching, not while all the best kids continue to be drafted to the full England squad. I'm no fan of Boothroyd but with Southgate pinching his best and the so called 'big six' often refusing to release players for 'mere U21 fixtures' he, and whoever replaces him, is onto a hiding to ****-all.
The point is that he doesn’t make the best use of the players available to him. I remember him leaving Foden out of the key game of the last championship. This time, having watched all three games, I’ve been amazed how he managed to start without Eze and Curtis Jones in the first two games. He is not very good. Please go.
