AIDY: THIS IS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

AIDY BOOTHROYD has branded managing England Under-21s as the “utterly impossible job”.

The young Lions head coach admits passing all his best players to Gareth Southgate makes it difficult for him to win a European Championship – but says it is correct the seniors get priority.

Boothroyd says the FA system would be “flawed” if they hid their top talent in the Under-21s to try to win a tournament, rather than promoting them to gain experience with Southgate in the World Cup qualifiers.

Among those who could have played in England’s line-up in these group stages in Slovenia are Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.

Boothroyd’s side (training above) lost their first two Group D games and need to beat Croatia by two goals tonight and hope Portugal defeat Switzerland if they are to progress to the knockout stages later in the year.

Boothroyd (left) said: “The England senior men’s club has been called the impossible job. The Under-21 job is the utterly impossible job because of the number of players we have to produce for the senior team. And the fact we are expected to win.

“There is a reason we have not won this for 37 years. Part of that is because our primary aim is to get players through to Gareth... and we have.”

Asked why he cannot bring England’s best Under-21s to try to win a tournament, Boothroyd said: “Can you imagine a reserve team manager knocking on the door of the first team manager and saying, ‘Listen boss, I need to win today and you should give me the best player because we can win the reserve team championship’?

“That wouldn’t happen. Would you rather have an Under-21 team on an open top bus or the senior team to win?

“My job is not to say to Gareth we should take Jude Bellingham or Mason Mount or Phil Foden.”

Boothroyd confirmed he wants to stay on despite his contract ending in the summer.

But Frank Lampard and Nicky Butt are in the frame to replace him.

LIKELY LINE-UP ENGLAND UNDER-21:

Ramsdale (Sheff U), Tanganga (Spurs), Guehi (Swansea), Godfrey (Everton), R Sessegnon (Hoffenheim), Gallagher (West Brom), Eze (Crystal Palace), Jones (Liverpool), Madueka (PSV Eindhoven), McNeil (Burnley), Nketiah (Arsenal)