Having watched the recent World Cup qualifiers, and been totally underwhelmed by the just-doing-enough performances, I was delighted to see the U17 success this weekend. Beating Brazil and Spain to win the World Cup is a sentence I never thought I would be typing. All the England under-age teams have performed admirably recently, and we should be suitably proud.
And where was Gareth Southgate this weekend? At a Premier League game watching the usual suspects.
Can I make a serious suggestion, Gareth? When you pick your squad for the upcoming friendlies, select no one over the age of 20.
I, for one, would love to see English players who would be genuinely enthusiastic, ready to give their all for the team, and who, it seems, would have no shortage of skill. Contrast that to what I suspect we will see, lacklustre displays from most of the starting eleven, who will feel the need to leave something in the tank for their next Premier League match, and for whom playing for their national team no longer seems to motivate them.
So, come on Gareth! I dare you! I reckon the paying public would love the chance to cheer on these young lads and witness a level of enthusiasm rarely seen by our senior team. Remind these over-paid stars that playing for England should always be about pride and desire.