2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

This tournament is coming up in a few weeks, it's held in Israel. They're airing it live in my country, as we're competing in it. Only 8 countries in total, but with England, Germany, Russia, Spain, Netherlands and Italy in it it should be pretty interesting. The tournament starts the 5th of June.

My country, Netherlands, is taking the tournament pretty seriously. Many younger players that are part of the actual national team already will be competing in this, it's seen as preparation for the 2014 World Cup for them, to gain some extra experience. Players like Adam Maher, Kevin Strootman, Bruno Martins Indi, Stefan de Vrij, Marco Van Ginkel, Jordy Clasie, Ola John, Ricardo van Rhijn and Tonny Trindade de Vilhena are all part of the preliminary squad and should also make the final one.

For England Wisdom, Jonjo and Henderson are in it from us. Tom Ince will also be in it. For Spain players like Isco, Iker Munian, Tello, Canales, Deulofeu. For Germany Draxler, Gundogan, Herrmann, Holtby. For Italy El Shaarawy, Verratti, maybe our Borini too? Not all squads are final yet.

I'm excited to see some of these games.

Some very good players on show there. Will try to watch a good bit of this if I can, even if it is to just try watch players I wouldn't be able to see too much of before that have a lot of potential, like Veratti, Hermann, Strootman & de Vrij. The names that keep cropping up.

Sounds like it's gonna be a good competition.

For Italy El Shaarawy, Verratti, maybe our Borini too?

I hope Borini gets selected. I think Borini needs some morale boosting games with good performances of his own to reinvigorate his confidence for next season. This tournament is filled with renown established young players and it's going to be competitive with some high quality football produce. I'm not supporting any team just will be watching our young players who are involved and see how they all fare.

Very much looking forward to this. Are those times local, Bier? Or CET?

Only England have confirmed their squad so far it seems.

Very much looking forward to this. Are those times local, Bier? Or CET?

CET mate.

Live on Sky Sports in the UK

Group B looks so much stronger! Germany, Netherlands and now Spain usually have quite a lot young talents. Should be an interesting competition.

Group B looks so much stronger! Germany, Netherlands and now Spain usually have quite a lot young talents. Should be an interesting competition.

Our scouts should pretty much be watching every single player in this group. Some future superstars in there.

Final squads:

Spain squad


Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Manchester United FC), Diego Mariño (Villarreal CF), Joel (Wigan Athletic FC).

Defenders: Marc Bartra (FC Barcelona), Dani Carvajal (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Nacho Fernández (Real Madrid CF), Álvaro (Real Zaragoza), Iñigo Martínez (Real Sociedad de Fútbol), Marc Muniesa (FC Barcelona), Martín Montoya (FC Barcelona), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla FC).

Midfielders: Thiago Alcántara (FC Barcelona), Ignacio Camacho (Málaga CF), Sergio Canales (Valencia CF), Asier Illarramendi (Real Sociedad de Fútbol), Isco (Málaga CF), Koke (Club Atlético de Madrid), Pablo Sarabia (Getafe CF).

Forwards: Álvaro Morata (Real Madrid CF), Rodrigo (SL Benfica), Iker Muniain (Athletic Club), Cristian Tello (FC Barcelona), Álvaro Vázquez (Getafe CF).


England squad

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City FC), Declan Rudd (Norwich City FC), Jason Steele (Middlesbrough FC).

Defenders: Steven Caulker (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton FC), Craig Dawson (West Bromwich Albion FC), Tom Lees (Leeds United AFC), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Luke Shaw (Southampton FC), Adam Smith (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool FC).

Midfielders: Nathaniel Chalobah (Watford FC), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool FC), Tom Ince (Blackpool FC), Henri Lansbury (Nottingham Forest FC), Jason Lowe (Blackburn Rovers FC), Josh McEachran (Chelsea FC), Jonjo Shelvey (Liverpool FC), Andros Townsend (Queens Park Rangers FC).

Forwards: Marvin Sordell (Bolton Wanderers FC), Connor Wickham (Sunderland AFC), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace FC).


Germany squad

Goalkeepers: Oliver Baumann (SC Freiburg), Bernd Leno (Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Timo Horn (1. FC Köln).

Defenders: Tony Jantschke (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Jung (Eintracht Frankfurt), Jan Kirchhoff (1. FSV Mainz 05), Sead Kolasinac (FC Schalke 04), Matthias Ginter (SC Freiburg), Oliver Sorg (SC Freiburg), Stefan Thesker (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Lasse Sobiech (SpVgg Greuther Fürth), Shkodran Mustafi (UC Sampdoria).

Midfielders: Christian Clemens (1. FC Köln), Patrick Funk (FC St Pauli), Patrick Herrmann (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Lewis Holtby (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Christoph Moritz (FC Schalke 04), Sebastian Rode (Eintracht Frankfurt), Sebastian Rudy (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Emre Can (FC Bayern München).

Forwards: Pierre-Michel Lasogga (Hertha BSC Berlin), Peniel Mlapa (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Sebastian Polter (1. FC Nürnberg), Kevin Volland (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim).


Netherlands squad

Goalkeepers: Marco Bizot (FC Groningen), Nick Marsman (Go Ahead Eagles), Jeroen Zoet (RKC Waalwijk).

Defenders: Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse), Daley Blind (AFC Ajax), Mike van der Hoorn (FC Utrecht), Kelvin Leerdam (Feyenoord), Bruno Martins Indi (Feyenoord), Bram Nuytinck (RSC Anderlecht), Ricardo van Rhijn (AFC Ajax), Stefan de Vrij (Feyenoord).

Midfielders: Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Leroy Fer (FC Twente), Marco van Ginkel (Vitesse), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Kevin Strootman (PSV Eindhoven), Tonny Trindade de Vilhena (Feyenoord).

Forwards: Memphis Depay (PSV Eindhoven), Ola John (Benfica), Luuk de Jong (VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach), Florian Jozefzoon (RKC Waalwijk), Jürgen Locadia (PSV Eindhoven), Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven).

Germany and England have yet to call up replacements for the injured Arslan and McManaman. Italy and Russia haven't announced their final squads yet.

Spain's squad looks very strong, so much talent.

Strootman in the Dutch team.
I presume that's because they are eligible from the start of the qualifiers.
He'll be head and shoulders above the other midfielders,
apart from Isco.

Strootman in the Dutch team.
I presume that's because they are eligible from the start of the qualifiers.
He'll be head and shoulders above the other midfielders,
apart from Isco.

Yeah, players are eligible if they were born on or after 1 January 1990.

Our Jack Robinson have been included in the squad as replacement for Luke Shaw of Southampton. Hope all our young players will be involved and have key involvements from the start.

Begins today with the first game between Israel and Norway kicking off at 5pm. England play Italy at 7:30pm. Both games live on Sky Sports 2

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Wisdom and Borini could all be in action.

Begins today with the first game between Israel and Norway kicking off at 5pm. England play Italy at 7:30pm. Both games live on Sky Sports 2

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Wisdom and Borini could all be in action.

Please don't get injured.

Henderson, Shelvey, Robinson, Borini will be all in action today and Wisdom is on the bench. No injures please!

I will watch this game.

England U21: Butland, Clyne, Dawson, Caulker, Robinson, Henderson, Lowe, Redmond, Shelvey, Sordell, Wickham. Subs: Steele, Smith, Wisdom, Lees, Chalobah, McEachran, Zaha, Lansbury, Delfouneso, Rudd.

Italy U21: Bardi, Donati, Bianchetti, Caldirola, Biraghi, Florenzi, Marrone, Verratti, Insigne, Borini, Immobile. Subs: Colombi, Capuano, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Bertolacci, Paloschi, Saponara, Regini, Rossi, Crimi, Leali.

Definitely going to watch this.

good to still have some decent football to watch! young jonjo out there as the CAM, captain henderson in central midfield, robbo at left back and fabio borini the young italian should be up and about.

borini paired with 'immobile', so it's good that he has great movement.....

Insigne is a fantastic talent. Rafa has a gem there at Napoli.

All of them played decently. Henderson was calm playing as a caption. Robbo needs to think more before tackle players.

just getting ready to watch spain u21s take on russia, lots of familiar names in the spanish team

The Dutch look sensational

The Dutch look sensational

They do indeed.

Hope they're sh*te in the 2nd half though.

Waitin on Germany to score for a bet!

Great fight back.

Shelvey and Robinson dropped to the bench today. Henderson playing in the #10 role.

England picking a much stronger team today then.

F**k knows how Lowe gets a game though.

Hendo with a lovely 40 yard pass there, he's started well. Other midfielders not so much. Lowe is sh*te.

1-0 Norway.

Can't believe Wisdom isn't in this team.

England 2-0 down. Oh dear.

Stuart Pearce

With Hodgson and Pearce around please for the love of god just consign this period of English football to its dark history. The FA really run the national game at such a god awful standard. Crimes against football are committed by this nation and that organisation.

3-0. Spanking.

3-0. Spanking.

Finished 3-1.

If Stuart Pearce gets out of this still with a job then the FA are even more of a joke than I thought.

Finished 3-1.

If Stuart Pearce gets out of this still with a job then the FA are even more of a joke than I thought.

Mate you ain't seen nothing yet.

With Hodgson and Pearce around please for the love of god just consign this period of English football to its dark history. The FA really run the national game at such a god awful standard. Crimes against football are committed by this nation and that organisation.

The FA in all it's glory, evaporating expectation at a stroke.

The scary thing is some actually rate Pearce.

.. and the owl!

The FA in all it's glory, evaporating expectation at a stroke.

I think it's definitely fair to say that because of the FA, England are now moving backwards at a more alarming rate than ever before in the past 20 years. It's in a shocking state the country finds itself in and it is all the fault of the Football Association. They must rank alongside the North Korean government as the most incompetent/butchering regime of the present era.

I think it's definitely fair to say that because of the FA, England are now moving backwards at a more alarming rate than ever before in the past 20 years. It's in a shocking state the country finds itself in and it is all the fault of the Football Association. They must rank alongside the North Korean government as the most incompetent/butchering regime of the present era.

Kim Jong il would be offended with the anology.

Tuned in Just as Norway scored the 2nd with ease, our defenders showing a total lack of awareness and ran back as if were in quick sand, pearce might have been a decent full back, but as far as managing goes, even Kean at Blackburn was better. 

Stuart Pearce say England Under-21 deserved their exit from the Euro Championship after losing 3 - 1 to Israel.

''I don't think the players have done themselves credit to be honest with you, individually and collectively,'' said the U-21 coach.
''You get what you deserve in football.''

If Pearce had a shred of credibility he would he would collect his P45 and get his arse round to the job centre.
Players who don't deserve credit ''individually and collectively'' are all a product of his tutoring and instruction.
Surely the blame he attributes to others belongs closer to home.
Coming under the FA umbrella as he does Pearce will be well versed in blame deflection in all it's forms.

Wijnaldum with a quality goal for The Netherlands!

Stuart Pearce say England Under-21 deserved their exit from the Euro Championship after losing 3 - 1 to Israel.

''I don't think the players have done themselves credit to be honest with you, individually and collectively,'' said the U-21 coach.
''You get what you deserve in football.''

If Pearce had a shred of credibility he would he would collect his P45 and get his arse round to the job centre.
Players who don't deserve credit ''individually and collectively'' are all a product of his tutoring and instruction.
Surely the blame he attributes to others belongs closer to home.
Coming under the FA umbrella as he does Pearce will be well versed in blame deflection in all it's forms.

If this was Hodgson we'd be hearing about 'a quality performance against a top class side'.

That time will come no doubt. The U21s are just serving as a precursor to the main disaster event that inevitably will come the way of the senior squad.

Netherlands 5-1 Russia

Didn't watch the match but apparently the Dutch have formed an interesting group of youngsters just for a change!

This Spanish team is just full of super players. End product hasn't been there as Germany have defended well but the likes of Isco, Rodrigo, Illarramendi (who I F***ing love) just super talents

Overhyped, overpaid England fails miserably yet again.

Must have been that group of death they were in.

Israel 1-0 England.

3 straight defeats 

Bloody hell. A pure laughing stock are England now. Players and coaching staff and indeed the FA will be wearing paper bags over their heads from this day forth.

Also it doesn't please me in the slightest that Shelvey and Henderson have been part of this mess either.

Bloody hell. A pure laughing stock are England now. Players and coaching staff and indeed the FA will be wearing paper bags over their heads from this day forth.

Whilst ever they insist on employing old school coaches with no worthwhile International experience, they will get exactly what they deserve. 

They keep whinging about young English players not getting a look in with their respective Clubs in the EPL, then when they get called up for the National team they expect them to learn something from coaches who know f**k all.

I bet our lads who have been coached by the likes of Rodolfo wonder what the f**k they've gone to.

Whilst ever they insist on employing old school coaches with no worthwhile International experience, they will get exactly what they deserve. 

They keep whinging about young English players not getting a look in with their respective Clubs in the EPL, then when they get called up for the National team they expect them to learn something from coaches who know f**k all.

I bet our lads who have been coached by the likes of Rodolfo wonder what the f**k they've gone to.

Backwards, primitive....pure awful. I genuinely wonder what the hell the likes of Stuart Pearce, Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington (f**king Ray Lewington?!) tell their players on the training ground.

edit: And to be fair on him this is why I have immense respect for Brendan Rodgers who, as a British manager, breaks the trend for other British coaches by wanting his teams to be innovative, creative and of a good standard technically. In that respect he is the anti Roy Hodgson/Stuart Pearce.

Backwards, primitive....pure awful. I genuinely wonder what the hell the likes of Stuart Pearce, Roy Hodgson and Ray Lewington (f**king Ray Lewington?!) tell their players on the training ground.

edit: And to be fair on him this is why I have immense respect for Brendan Rodgers who, as a British manager, breaks the trend for other British coaches by wanting his teams to be innovative, creative and of a good standard technically. In that respect he is the anti Roy Hodgson/Stuart Pearce.

They make good players look bad with their archaic methods mate.  Surely to god someone at the FA can see this and make changes from the bottom up.

I agree with your points on Brendan too, he's certainly bucking the trend against the stereotypical British football coach. 

I am sorry don't think sitting here blaming Woy or Pearce is the way to go about it.

For me the reality is the whole youth set up is flawed and this should be a wake up call to the way football is structured and operated in England. Simply enough the players are not good enough in addition over paid and over hyped by the English media, funnily enough very few reported on the embarrassment and debacle of the U-21's.

I am sorry don't think sitting here blaming Woy or Pearce is the way to go about it.

For me the reality is the whole youth set up is flawed and this should be a wake up call to the way football is structured and operated in England. Simply enough the players are not good enough in addition over paid and over hyped by the English media, funnily enough very few reported on the embarrassment and debacle of the U-21's.

I don't think we're blaming Pearce or Hodgson. We're blaming that culture which seems to continuously puts these ill equipped and poor managers on a pedestal that is considered good enough. It's the same culture that says 'F**k those foreigners we'll do it our way'. But the English way isn't good enough. Hodgson is the epitome of that failure and he and the FA go hand in hand perfectly. Rather than being coached by Grade A UEFA coaches the kids (and the seniors) are getting coached by Grade A morons. The coaching culture is god awful. As you rightly point out the national youth setup is fu**ed up and non existent compared to the setups seen in the likes of Spain and Germany where the national bodies in those countries take a hands on role in the development of youth. Th

I don't think we're blaming Pearce or Hodgson. We're blaming that culture which seems to continuously puts these ill equipped and poor managers on a pedestal that is considered good enough. It's the same culture that says 'f**k those foreigners we'll do it our way'. But the English way isn't good enough. Hodgson is the epitome of that failure and he and the FA go hand in hand perfectly. Rather than being coached by Grade A UEFA coaches the kids (and the seniors) are getting coached by Grade A morons. The coaching culture is god awful. As you rightly point out the national youth setup is fu**ed up and non existent compared to the setups seen in the likes of Spain and Germany where the national bodies in those countries take a hands on role in the development of youth. Th

Agree there with you.

I made specific mention to Hodgson and Pearce in relation to this particular championship only. The talent should have been there to do better then they did.

The problem lies deeper then these two as you rightly pointed out.

B teams, or a loan system that allows a sporting partnership between clubs, would allow teams to focus more on technical development of players.
Replace the win now mentality with a genuine want to develop players and the entire football community of England would benefit.

Exhibit A:

rondo espana
Spain U21 V Russia U21

This stat probably explains why England are unable to compete with other European countries.

In 2010 only 2,769 English coaches held Uefa's B, A and Pro badges.  Whereas Spain had 23,995, Italy 29,420 and Germany 34,790.

Until this is addressed England will continue to fall further behind.

Also not sure if this is also a problem but there were quite a few U21's who could have played in this tournament but didn't because they were with the senior squad playing friendlies.

BORINI!!!

Lovely goal from the lad. Touch, turn and finish.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x10xiy8_ita-1-0-hol_sport#.UbzKXfnrwVU

Great point reddebs.
Never realized that the imbalance if coaching standards was quite that bad.

This stat probably explains why England are unable to compete with other European countries.

In 2010 only 2,769 English coaches held Uefa's B, A and Pro badges.  Whereas Spain had 23,995, Italy 29,420 and Germany 34,790.

Until this is addressed England will continue to fall further behind.

Also not sure if this is also a problem but there were quite a few U21's who could have played in this tournament but didn't because they were with the senior squad playing friendlies.

No surprise Debs especially when the other three countrie's FA's are prepared to pay to set up courses for new coaches and have been doing for at least the last few years.

The FA are only now getting this sorted with the opening of that new St Georges Park.

No surprise Debs especially when the other three countrie's FA's are prepared to pay to set up courses for new coaches and have been doing for at least the last few years.

The FA are only now getting this sorted with the opening of that new St Georges Park.

As far as I'm aware most Sports Science college courses have coaching qualifications in the curriculum.  My son completed his BTec in 2005 and he's qualified to U18's for Football and U16's for cricket which he uses voluntarily for his local teams.  I also worked at a hairdressers in Barnsley in the early 2000's where all of Barnsley's academy players came for their hair cut and they all studied Sports Science as part of their training.  The idea being that if they didn't make it as a pro player they had qualifications to fall back on.  I'm sure most Academy's do this.

What I'm trying to say is, there must be thousands of people in their mid to late 20's who have completed some FA Coaching badges.  Surely it wouldn't take too much investment to fast track them through the system.  It's not like they'd (the FA) have to start from scratch.

When's the final on?

This stat probably explains why England are unable to compete with other European countries.

In 2010 only 2,769 English coaches held Uefa's B, A and Pro badges.  Whereas Spain had 23,995, Italy 29,420 and Germany 34,790.

Until this is addressed England will continue to fall further behind.

Also not sure if this is also a problem but there were quite a few U21's who could have played in this tournament but didn't because they were with the senior squad playing friendlies.

That's a shocking statistic but well spotted Debs. As a coach myself, the main issue I have over the coaching badges are the costs. I would love to do the badges as I am keen to learn. However, the prices are ridiculous, even for the level 1 badge, in which you basically turn up and they give you the certificate.

Final on at 7!

Italy U21: Bardi; Donati, Bianchetti, Caldirola, Regini; Florenzi, Rossi, Verratti, Insigne; Immobile, Borini

Italy bench: Leali, Colombi, Biraghi, Capuano, Marrone, Bertolacci, Crimi, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Paloschi, Saponara

Spain U21: De Gea; Montoya, Bartra, Inigo Martinez, Moreno; Koke, Illarramendi, Thiago Alcantara; Tello, Morata, Isco

Spain bench: Marino, Joel, Nacho, Marc Muniesa, Alvaro, Carvajal, Camacho, Sarabia, Rodrigo, Muniain, Alvaro Vazquez

Final on at 7!

Italy U21: Bardi; Donati, Bianchetti, Caldirola, Regini; Florenzi, Rossi, Verratti, Insigne; Immobile, Borini

Italy bench: Leali, Colombi, Biraghi, Capuano, Marrone, Bertolacci, Crimi, Gabbiadini, Destro, Sansone, Paloschi, Saponara

Spain U21: De Gea; Montoya, Bartra, Inigo Martinez, Moreno; Koke, Illarramendi, Thiago Alcantara; Tello, Morata, Isco

Spain bench: Marino, Joel, Nacho, Marc Muniesa, Alvaro, Carvajal, Camacho, Sarabia, Rodrigo, Muniain, Alvaro Vazquez

Is it F**k, already kicked off!!!

2-1 Spain. Just caught the Alacantra goal.

Thiago and Isco are bossing the game.  Some players.

And that's a pen! Tello brought down.

3-1 Hattrick for Alacantra

Is it f**k, already kicked off!!!

2-1 Spain. Just caught the Alacantra goal.

My bad. That was local time

My bad. That was local time

Hahaha don't worry, was watching LFCTV at the time and clocked the convo in the Borini thread!