Boothroyd challenges U21s to leave legacy

Aidy Boothroyd has challenged his U21 squad to leave a lasting legacy at this summer’s European Championship by keeping England’s conveyor belt of success at youth level going.

The Young Lions, favourites for the tournament in Italy and San Marino, get their Euro 2019 campaign underway with Tuesday’s Group C opener against France in Cesena, live on Sky Sports Football.

2017 was a golden year for English football at youth level; the U20 and U17 sides won their respective World Cups while the U19 team were crowned European champions.

Defeat in the semi-finals halted England U21s’ bid for silverware at the Euros two years ago, though, a result Boothroyd feels must be bettered to avoid the label of one-hit wonders.

“It’s got to be our aim [to win] because one swallow doesn’t make a summer,” he exclusively told Sky Sports. “We can’t just get the trophies that we’ve got and think that’s it now, we’ve arrived.

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England U21 manager Aidy Boothroyd is comfortable with his side’s status as one of the favourites heading into this month’s European championships

England U21 manager Aidy Boothroyd is comfortable with his side’s status as one of the favourites heading into this month’s European championships

“The really important thing for us now is to make sure that we keep winning after winning and that’s difficult with new squads.

“We’ve got some very talented players through the pathway, from U15s to the U21s and into the senior side.

“There’s enough there to keep the conveyor belt going for a little while yet and the system is set up in a way that we want to make sure we leave more of a legacy than just being a one hit wonder.

“I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully we can go two better than what we did last time and get a good result.”

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All you need to know about this summer’s tourament as the next generation of European footballing talent descends on Italy and San Marino

‘Now it’s time for football’

England’s squad for this summer’s tournament features familiar Premier League and Championship players, notably James Maddison and Phil Foden, while Reiss Nelson and Jake Clarke-Salter head to Italy and San Marino after seasons in Germany and Holland respectively.

For Boothroyd, the time has come to utilise the mix of talents and experience at his disposal, and it’s a challenge the England boss is relishing, despite finding themselves grouped with France, Croatia and Romania.

“The squad is young but experienced,” he added. “Quite a few of the players are getting a bit part in the Premier League and we’ve got lads who’ve played 40 to 50 games in the Championship.

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England U21 boss Aidy Boothroyd says the unwavering backing of senior manager Gareth Southgate stands them in a strong position to impress at the U21 European Championships

England U21 boss Aidy Boothroyd says the unwavering backing of senior manager Gareth Southgate stands them in a strong position to impress at the U21 European Championships

“On the other hand, there are lads playing abroad like Nelson and Clarke-Salter. It’s a squad that’s got good balance.

“There’s quite a bit of guile in there, there’s speed, there’s power in there and some really good defenders. It’s just a case of now putting it all together.

“This is the most exciting part of the U21 job for me. We’ve found out all the stuff we needed to know to get ready for the tournament and now it’s time for the football. This is what it’s all about, handling the occasion and getting the results we want.

“All of us look at the teams and we agree, they are all very strong teams. However, if you’re going to be the best you have to beat the best. It’s a big task ahead of us, but we’ve got the players to win.”

How to follow England in Italy and San Marino

All of England’s games at the Euro U21 Championship will be shown live on Sky Sports Football.

If you can’t watch live, then you can also follow the action with our live blogs on www.skysports.com and the Sky Sports app, with in-game clips and highlights throughout the matches.

2019 Euro U19 Championship on Sky Sports

Follow England U21s at Euro 2019 exclusively live on Sky Sports this summer!

All the ways to watch the tournament…

Every game during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports subscribers will also be able to stream the games via the Sky Sports app or the Sky Go app.

Non-subscribers can watch all the action through NOW TV.

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