Blue Kipper
Mobile
England Under-19s kick off in the European Championships in Estonia tonight and boss Noel Blake is confident.
With Ross Barkley, John Lundstram, Hallam Hope and Luke Garbutt of Everton in the squad he should be! Ex-Everton youngster Eric Dier is also there. Blake has seen preparations hampered by injuries and call-ups to the under-21s and even senior group for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and goalkeeper Jack Butland.
Blake said: 'You look at someone like (Manchester United striker) Danny Welbeck - he played at international tournaments from aged 16 all the way through, there is now just the World Cup finals for him to go with the seniors.
'That is what the system is there for, to help these boys get the international experience.'
'The current great Spanish side, virtually all them will have played international tournament football time after time as an age group and they have evolved, so there has to be something in that.'
'I made five changes to the Elite Round squad, and we have lost Will Keane, which was obviously a blow, Larnell Cole and Nic Yennaris, who have all been an important part of the squad this season. We are also missing the likes of Josh McEachran, Connor Wickham, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Butland, but for nice reasons as they have moved up to the under-21s and seniors.'
'But we have got all of the players we requested from the clubs for this trip and I am confident that we have enough ability to do well in Estonia. We know what we face, but I have confidence in our players and what we have got," added Blake, who had spells with Birmingham, Portsmouth, Leeds and Stoke before moving into coaching and taking up his role working with youngsters at the Football Association in 2007.'
'Most of this squad have been through the system since they were under-16s, 17s, 18s and now at under-19s. We have a few under-18 boys in the squad too, who played at the Under-17 World Cup last summer after the Under-17 European Championships, so there is a lot of experience in the squad.'
England will kick off against Croatia today, and then also face Serbia and France in the last-eight group stage, looking to make progress which would secure a place at next year's Under-20 World Cup.
Good luck lads.