Cochrane in line for Under-21s coach’s job
Pressure grows as England head for Euros exit a known admirer of former Crewe midfielder
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Justin Cochrane has emerged as a strong candidate should Aidy Boothroyd lose what he describes as “the utterly impossible job” of England Under-21 coach.
Boothroyd’s contract expires this summer and the Football Association is considering whether it is time to make a change.
The side are on the verge of exiting the European Championship having lost to Switzerland and Portugal and failed to register a shot on target in open play.
England need a two-goal victory in their final group game against Croatia today, and help from elsewhere,
or they will be out. They are heading towards a repeat of the 2019 tournament and the pressure on Boothroyd to go would be overwhelming. The FA may decide it is time for a change come what may.
Boothroyd says the job of winning at tournaments is hampered by his best players being part of the senior set-up.
“The England senior job has been called the impossible job,” said Boothroyd. “Well, the Under-21s job I think is the utterly impossible job because of the amount of players that have to be produced for the senior team and the expectation to win. There’s a reason why we haven’t won this for 37 years and there’s a reason we have not progressed as much as we thought we would. That’s because our primary aim is to get players through to Gareth [Southgate] and that’s what we have done.”
If Boothroyd were to leave, the
task of finding his replacement would fall to John Mcdermott, the FA’S new technical director, although Southgate, Boothroyd’s predecessor, is also expected to have an input. Boothroyd has been in charge since 2016, and the FA would consider internal and external candidates as part of a shortlist. The highly rated Cochrane would be likely to feature prominently and is well known to Mcdermott, having worked with him at Tottenham, where he was assistant head of development (11-16-year-olds) and then an under-23 coach.
The 39-year-old was appointed
England Under-15s coach and then moved through the age groups to take charge of the Under-16s and then Under-17s. A former international with Antigua and Barbuda, London-born Cochrane started his playing career at Queens Park Rangers, although he made his most appearances with Crewe before going to non-league football.
However the former midfielder has built a strong reputation within the FA through his coaching ability. During a discussion last year on ending white privilege in football and the lack of BAME representation, Southgate described Cochrane as a
potentially “top coach” and it appears that view is shared throughout the FA. Even if Cochrane does not succeed Boothroyd, he would be likely to be interviewed and could be part of a new under-21s set-up.
England’s hopes of beating Croatia in Koper, Slovenia, have been hit by Callum Hudson-odoi, the only player in the squad with senior caps, flying home with a shoulder problem. Emile Smith Rowe is a doubt after a knock against Portugal.
Croatia U-21s v England U-21s 5pm, Sky Sports