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Ian Appleyard: Doncaster-born Rose ready to bloom after Pearce's call
FORMER Leeds United trainee Danny Rose is still getting over the shock of gate-crashing the England Under-21 squad ahead of the European Championships which start today.
Over the next two weeks, players from eight different countries have an opportunity to steal the limelight in Sweden – each knowing that one good performance can rapidly accelerate the pace of their individual career.
Since leaving Leeds to join Tottenham Hotspur in a 1m move two years ago, Rose has been quietly learning his trade in the shadows of the Premier League but a loan move to Watford at the end of last season provided his first tentative steps onto the main stage.
Only 18, the Doncaster-born midfielder is under less pressure than most in Sweden and unlikely to start England's opening game tonight against Finland. However, even if restricted to just a supporting role from the bench, Rose has every reason to feel satisfied with his progress.
"I'm still over the moon that I've been selected and, even if I don't play a minute of football at this tournament, I'll feel privileged just to be out there," he said.
"Stuart Pearce (England coach) must think highly of me to even consider taking me out with these kind of players at such an important tournament.
"I want to test myself alongside the best players in England so, hopefully, this experience will improve me and I can come back to Spurs and show the manager I'm good enough to be part of his squad next season."
Arsenal's Theo Walcott, former Leeds winger James Milner and Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor are among those in the party who have already been involved in Fabio Capello's full England squad.
Rose was called up last week after the withdrawal of Manchester United's Danny Wellbeck.
A former pupil of Danum School in Doncaster, Rose knocked on the door of the first team at Leeds and even made the bench for a League Cup tie against Chester City.
Without the departure of manager Kevin Blackwell just a few weeks later, he might have played for the Elland Road club.
"He was very close and I had involved him in pre-season training," recalls Blackwell, now manager of Sheffield United. "I always say that if they are good enough, they are old enough and, even at 16, Danny showed all the attributes.
"He has got terrific control of the ball and great vision and we will never know what might have happened if I had stayed at Leeds. I keep an eye on his progress and I am certainly not surprised that he has made the England Under-21 squad."
England have not won the European Championships since 1984 but, under Pearce's guidance, are capable of pushing tournament favourites Italy and Spain for the crown.
The eight competing teams are divided into two groups with the top two from each progressing to the semi-finals.
England are in Group B alongside Finland, Spain and Germany while, in Group A, hosts Sweden line up against Italy, Serbia, and Belarus.
Those supporters who missed England's involvement at Euro 2008, may view this tournament – which is being screened live on Sky Sports – as a smaller scale opportunity to restore national pride.
After tonight's game with Finland, England play Spain on Thursday followed by a clash with old rivals Germany four days later.
While Walcott is guaranteed to attract most attention from an England point of view, there are plenty of foreign youngsters who will attract interest from Premier League scouts.
German midfielder Mesut Ozil, 20, has been winning rave reviews in the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen and has already been linked with Manchester City.
Italian striker Mario Balotelli has helped Inter Milan lift this season's Serie A title but has not always seen eye-to-eye with Jose Mourinho and is looking for a move to England.
Spain's Bojan Krkic is on the books at Barcelona and the 18-year-old has already made one appearance for the full national side.
Another player carrying high expectations is Serbian winger Zoran Tosic, who moved to Manchester United from Partizan Belgrade five months ago, and who is tipped for a big future at Old Trafford.
Pearce is confident that England can 'compete' with the best at Euro 2009 but will be looking to go one better than two years ago when his side lost to Holland on penalties in the semi-finals.
"We have to push and test ourselves, but we have a competitive squad here," said Pearce. "We have one or two youngsters in there and they are all putting me under pressure. We don't know if we can win it, we're not naive enough to think it will be easy for us. The likes of Spain and Italy will be good."
Leeds-born defender Micah Richards, who plays for Manchester City, and Huddersfield-born Hull City target Fraizer Campbell are also in the England party.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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