I’ve got Shearer in my sights

NATHAN REDMOND has one eye on Alan Shearer’s goalscoring record as he targets glory with England Under-21s here in Poland.

Southampton winger Redmond, right, struck his 10th goal for the Young Lions as they came from behind to beat Slovakia on Monday.

He is now just three behind former England captain Shearer’s all-time record and hopes to stay on the goal trail with the semi-finals in sight.

A win against hosts Poland tomorrow will guarantee Aidy Boothroyd’s side top spot in Group A and a place in the last four in what will be Redmond’s last finals, and the 23-year-old said: “I’m aware, I’m just going to keep plugging away for the team and if the chances come, take them.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my Under-21 and England youth-team career. The whole development stage has got me to this point.”

While Redmond’s goalscoring feat is already impressive, it is not a patch on Shearer’s, who scored his 13 goals in just 11 games. Redmond has taken 36 to get to 10. But he will have a shot at beating the former Blackburn and Newcastle star’s total if England capitalise on their win over the Slovaks.

Defender Alfie Mawson says his team will not crumble under the pressure because the woman behind their bid for glory has created a new breed of Young Lion.

The Swansea defender claims sports psychologist Rebecca Symes is helping to prove this generation will not fit the stereotype of the mentally weak England flop.

Symes is in line for a promotion with England manager Gareth Southgate considering her to work with the seniors at next summer’s World Cup. Mawson, who scored the equaliser on Monday, said: “She is a vibrant, positive soul and wants to pass on positivity, which is what we need.

“Different players take different things from her. Personally, she said, ‘Remember three things you do when you have had a good game’. It might be a block or a positioning thing. Strikers could think of the way they have struck the ball for a goal, or a good run. Little things like that creep into the back of your mind.

“People might say the English can’t hack it but we showed that there is a breed of players coming through who are progressing the right way.”