Ionlfrilday A CRACKER FOR FUTURE
JACOB RAMSEY says he can afford to play a waiting game as far as England is concerned – and his Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard agrees.
The home-grown youngster was named as part of Lee Carsley’s England Under-21 squad this week, having been an outside bet to make Gareth Southgate’s seniors.
Brummie Ramsey, who scored the winner in a scrappy 1-0 victory over Southampton, believes he can make the step up for his country. But perhaps not yet. He said: “Last season, I went on a run with my goals and there were a few shouts about the seniors.
“At the moment, Villa haven’t started the season that well, and I’ve been a part of that – so all my full focus has to be on getting myself back in the form I had and pushing us back up the Premier League table.
“As a team and individually over the last five or six games, we just haven’t been there. “I’m still young and I’m still learning – against Manchester City I was playing as a 10, and this week it was different again, I was playing as an eight. I’m still adapting.
“Getting called up to the 21s is still a big achievement, and I’ve got time.” Gerrard (above) went into Friday night’s game against the Saints under mounting pressure following a slow start to the campaign.
But Ramsey’s matchwinner against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, following on from a hard-fought point against Manchester City, has given Villa overdue momentum – and the young goalscorer a shot of confidence.
Gerrard said: “We want to build this around ‘JJ’ – the most important thing is that we think he’s good enough. He’s got all the attributes.
“He’s got a lot of development and a lot of growing up to do, but we can build a really good team around him.
“I know people want to talk about the World Cup but I don’t think that’s fair on him. From an international point of view, there’s no rush for him. He will get there.
“But he’s only just broken through, and he’s only just becoming a regular.
“We are asking him to perform different roles in different games. That helped me to grow and develop when I was a player – and that will help him, too.
“I’ve got every confidence this kid will become an elite player and an international.”