AIDY PICKS TEAM WITH A LITTLE AID
AIDY BOOTHROYD insists he will pick the team for England Under-21s tomorrow despite stepping in as an emergency replacement for Gareth Southgate.
The former Watford boss has stepped up from his Under-20s role after Southgate was promoted to caretaker England manager following the sacking of Sam Allardyce.
He will take charge in Kazakhstan tomorrow and against Bosnia at Walsall on Tuesday. ®
And he says there will be no repeat of February 2012, when Under-21s boss Stuart Pearce took charge of the seniors for one game but still picked the Young Lions side for a fixture the same day.
Easiest
“I will pick the Under-21s team,” said Boothroyd. “But I would be a fool not to go and have a chat with the guy who has been working with them for two years.
“We work very closely anyway so I know what’s in his mind and he knows what’s in my mind in terms of players.
“I have probably got the easiest job out of the lot because I know all the players.
“Gareth and Steve Holland have done all the work and the players of course have got themselves to a point where they need a couple of points to qualify for a major championship.
“So I’m delighted to be taking the job on and I’m excited about working with them.”
The Under-21s need just one win from their final two games to be sure of a place at next summer’s finals in Poland.
Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, Wolves defender Dominic Iorfa, Southampton full-back Matt Targett and Derby midfielder Will Hughes will not travel to Kazakhstan.
The quartet have picked up minor injuries but could be back for Tuesday’s final qualifier.