Young Lions can roar into senior side
England Under-21 boss Aidy Boothroyd believes Tammy Abraham will only get better after his starring role against Scotland.
The striker scored a penalty and set up Dominic Solanke for England’s third goal in Friday’s 3-1 Euro 2019 qualifying win over Scotland in Middlesbrough.
Abraham also hit the post and had another cleared off the line as the Young Lions moved top of Group Four after three games ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Andorra.
Abraham, on loan from Chelsea to Swansea, now has five goals in 13 England Under-21 caps and bagged three for the Swans this season, earning praise from Boothroyd.
He said: “He’s one of those players who will go through dry spells and doesn’t score goals but he is so capable and enthusiastic he lights up the dressing room and pitch when he goes out there.
“Everybody buzzes off him, he’s got a really good chance of developing into a really good player.
“I’ve never met anyone at 19 or 20 who is patient. They want everything now – they want to microwave everything – but that’s good.
“It’s good to be hungry and have ambition.
“He wants to get better, they’re all like that, and see the opportunity they might have in the senior team and they’re working hard to get there.”
The Under-21s’ victory – started by Josh Onomah’s stunning half-volley – came a day after the senior England side qualified for the World Cup.
And Boothroyd did not rule out the possibility of some of his young guns making the plane to Russia next summer.
“You can never say never, Harry Winks is an example of that.
“Nathan Redmond went up last year, Nathaniel Chalobah this year and James Ward-Prowse last year,” Boothroyd said.
“It was a great result, we’re all really pleased and it gave us a real boost going into the game.
“We’re going to a World Cup and so many big nations won’t or might not get there.”