Aidy Boothroyd wants EnglandUnder21 stars to show up against Germany

Manager AidyBoothroydhas challenged his EnglandUnder21 players to put up a performance when they take on Germany in the semi-final of the European Championships on Tuesday.

The Young Lions will be hoping to emulate the achievementsof the England Under-20 side which lifted the World Cup earlier this month by virtue of a 1-0 victory over Venezuela – the first taste of silverware for the nation in 51 years.

The England junior teams have managed a remarkable record of having gone 20 games unbeaten in competitive games with their last blemish being the Under 17s defeat to Spain on penalties in last month’s Euro final. Chelsea’s Nathaniel Chalobah and Southampton’s Nathan Redmond have been key to the Young Lions quest for the title, and Boothroyd is hopeful that the duo pass fitness tests ahead of the key encounter against Germany.

“We want to make sure that we aren’t just a team that are good at qualifying and getting out of groups. We want to be known as a team that win tournaments.

The Under-20s have done that and the Under-17s came really close and that’s what we want to do. But we know we’ve got a very tough opponent and we have a great deal of respect for the German team and it will be a very difficult game for us as well. But I hope that we can execute the game plan,” He is quoted as saying on Guardian.

While the nation has yet to overcome the disappointment of England’s surprise Euro 2016 exit, the fans could have a moment to rejoice, should the Under 21s manage to clinch their respective title. England bowed out of the showpiece event in France last year after they succumbed to a surprise 2-1 defeat at the hands of Iceland in the round of 16.