England kids are cocky? Let them learn the trade then
NATHAN TROTT, a 20-year- old goalkeeper on the books at West Ham, could have played in the biggest match of his life at the weekend.
Milton Keynes Dons versus AFC Wimbledon. Doesn’t sound much, but in League One it’s a pretty big deal. Plenty of history, plenty of needle and lots of pressure, too, with Wimbledon already in a battle against relegation. There were a lively 8,627 at Stadium MK for the game, which the home team won 2-1.
Trott, however, had more important things to do. He had watched England’s Under 21 team play Turkey in Izmit on the Friday night. Trott didn’t actually play in that match. He just sat there. And not on the bench either. Ellery Balcombe, of Brentford, was the designated substitute goalkeeper, meaning Trott was in the stand.
So when Les Reed, the FA’s technical director, next wonders why England’s young players are becoming arrogant, he might be redirected towards his own policy. The one that implies they are too good for League One; that prizes a ticket for an Under 21 fixture above a place in a professional game. For, last season, Trott would have been allowed to play for Wimbledon on Saturday. And Wimbledon know this, because they had England’s Under 21 goalkeeper back then, too.
His name is Aaron Ramsdale and he joined Wimbledon on loan from Bournemouth on January 4, making 23 appearances before the end of last season, including one that brought him to national attention, when Wimbledon eliminated West Ham from the FA Cup. Ramsdale was outstanding in a 4-2 win and went on to be named the club’s Young Player of the Year, despite only featuring in half a season. Undoubtedly, the experience was positive for him. Returning to Bournemouth this season, Ramsdale is now first- choice, keeping out Artur Boruc. Amir Begovic has left the club for Qarabag in Azerbaijan, as he is surplus to requirements.
So League One football served a purpose. This is probably why, last season, when Ramsdale was away on international duty, he was permitted to return to Wimbledon if he wasn’t going to be involved in the game.
It made sense. Men’s football is very different to age group. Harder, more demanding. That’s why Premier League teams can often get turned over if they play too many kids in a cup tie against lower league opposition. Liverpool were fortunate to escape in the FA Cup at Exeter in 2016 when Jurgen Klopp picked nine out of 11 from the youth setup and drew 2-2 with an equaliser 17 minutes from time. Playing for Wimbledon in Milton Keynes is far more of a test than Trott (left) will have experienced through much of his career. It is an environment in which boys become men. The arrangement last season was that Ramsdale would train with the Under 21s until Thursday and, if not selected, return home to be with Wimbledon. And even from Izmit, a two-hour drive from Istanbul, that could have been done.
So what changed? Not England’s Under 21 manager, Aidy Boothroyd. He allowed the arrangement last season and as Ramsdale is now his first-choice, can’t have been too unhappy with the results.
So might this be a policy implemented by Reed, who only last week was accusing England’s Under 21 players of arrogance? And what is more likely to create arrogance than making a special case of a third- choice England age group goalkeeper? What is more likely to keep a player grounded than proving his worth in League One?
Many of the names that are crucial to Gareth Southgate’s current England team, from Harry Kane to Jordan Pickford, learned their trade on loan in the lower leagues. It worked for Ramsdale, too. Let’s hope Trott’s seat in the stand at the Kocaeli Stadium had a nice view of this season’s shiniest innovations. Otherwise, one might be forgiven for thinking he was wasting his time.