U21 European Championship

Was only wondering earlier how well this exact Spanish squad would do in a senior World Cup or Euro Championship. It is a fantastic squad

Their squad is ridiculous, an under 21 side able to bring Inaki Williams and Denis Suarez off the bench to freshen things up

Asensio will win the Ballon D'or in the future.

Some ridiculously good squads there alright.

Seen an article on Sky Sports about how Renato Sanches had fallen and is now playing u21..

Seriously English have learned nothing. Albeit he didn't have the best of seasons Sanches was eligible for the squad and Portugal brought their best squad to the tournament unlike the English who didn't include the likes of Rashford or Delle Alli.

The Italians done the same they told any player eligible to make themselves available for selection regardless of whether or not they had full caps. ditto the Germans they brought a good few players who you'd think could easily have gone to the Confederations Cup.

It's all preparation How many of the English squad will go to next year WC honestly maybe 2 Pickford and Redmond, Ward Prowse perhaps too.

If I look at the Spanish squad you'd have to say at least 4 or 5 could well be in their squad if they qualify same for the Italians and Germans.

Just looking at the qualification for this tournament - pretty interesting. Nine groups in total (7 groups have 6 teams, 2 groups have 5 teams), all nine group winners qualify and then the four best second placed teams go into a two-legged play-off to decide the final two slots (plus Poland as hosts). I'm assuming results against the bottom teams in the groups that have 6 sides are not included.

lassassinblanc wrote: Seriously English have learned nothing. Albeit he didn't have the best of seasons Sanches was eligible for the squad and Portugal brought their best squad to the tournament unlike the English who didn't include the likes of Rashford or Delle Alli.

Maybe it's not that simple.

For the 2015 Finals, the FA insisted England include their best players, even against the wishes of Hodgson and their club managers. Their squad included: Butland, Jenkinson, Stones, Ward-Prowse, Kane, Redmond, M.Keane, Lingaard, Ings and Chambers, all of whom had, or went on to gain, full England caps.

They won one game and lost two, finishing bottom of their Group, and several of the players (most notably Kane) were clearly "overworked" by the start of the following season.

And some of the squad who played, most notably Rueben Loftus-Cheek, can hardly be said to have furthered their career by dint of their participation.

Meanwhile, to take your example of Dele Alli this time round. He played 55 games by the end of the EPL season which was completed on 21st May. He then went with Spurs on a two match tour of the Far East. He then came back to play two senior England games on 10th and 13th June. He reports back for pre-season training with Spurs some time in early July, before embarking on a 3 match tour of North America, from 22nd to 29th July. The new EPL season then starts on 12th August. Alli only turned 21 in April.

Meanwhile, Rashford played rather fewer games last season, but I imagine his schedule with MU is similar. And he's still only 19.

Of course both might well have benefited from playing out in Poland, but these are fine decisions, which need to be applied individually, not across the board. Meanwhile, their replacements will surely have benefited in their place.


Edited by Territorial - 21 Jun 2017 at 4:08pm

He did in his bollox play 53 games for United this season

BrendanD88 wrote: Rashford played 53 games for United this season more than any other player, delighted he didn't play in the under 21 tournament.

Crikey! Hadn't realised it was so many.

But even if most of those were from the bench (as per Bhob), it still reinforces my point about overplaying young players.

irishmufc wrote: Territorial wrote: BrendanD88 wrote: Rashford played 53 games for United this season more than any other player, delighted he didn't play in the under 21 tournament. Crikey! Hadn't realised it was so many. But even if most of those were from the bench (as per Bhob), it still reinforces my point about overplaying young players. Whatever about winding up Liverpool, Fergie made that point in reference to Michael Owen who agreed that he played way too many games when he first broke into the Liverpool side. I'd say Mourinho would've been seething if Rashford had to play in it. Slightly off topic but Rashford and Delle Ali were on the beach in that Scotland game. Very poor showing from both of them.

Edited by Green Devil - 21 Jun 2017 at 6:47pm

bhob wrote: He did in his bollox play 53 games for United this season

Played 32 PL games, 11 Europe League games, 6 EFL cup games, 3 FA Cup games and 1 appearance in the community shield.

That's 53 games Bhob.