The UEFA Under 19 European Championships kick off on Sunday with four Arsenal representatives poised for key roles for their respective countries. England’s Thomas Cruise and Holland’s Oğuzhan Özyakup will face French duo Gilles Sunu and Francis Coquelin in a competitive group stage.
In a similar manner to the Under 17 setup, all eight teams that made the finals have been divided into two groups. Hosts France, England and Holland joining Austria in Group A, while Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Spain make up Group B.
Cruise has been a regular during England’s qualification, with the full back featuring in a wide left position. He’s part of a strong side selected by Noel Blake, and fresh from the Under 17’s winning their Euros earlier this summer, there is a real feel good factor in the ranks.
Özyakup has captained the Dutch side successfully and earned huge kudos in his homeland. The Oranje kick off their campaign against hosts France who boast Gilles Sunu and Francis Coquelin. Sunu has enjoyed spells as skipper while Coquelin has been one of the stars for Les Bleus.
You can catch all the Arsenal representatives in action on the first day, with Eurosport showing England V Austria followed by France V Holland. All of England’s matches will be shown on television, including their clash with Oğuzhan’s Netherlands.
The Under 19 Euros is seen as a very prestigious tournament, as it’s sorted the wheat from the chaff in terms of youth prospects. Many have had their futures decided in this competition, and former Gunner Thierry Henry revealed his admiration and memories when he competed at this level. Fernando Torres, Alberto Aquilani and Sotiris Ninis have all quickly gained full international recognition after winning the Golden Player award during the Under 19 Euros, and more stars are sure to be born during the next weeks.
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Why do we have the best youth team, according to the league, kids that can walk into most championship sides, yet England pick so few of our players?
I couldn’t agree with you more, I am baffled our 2008 youth cup team won the league, the play offs and the youth cup and yet players like Bartley, J.E.T, and Eastmond dont get a look in for England, this is typical of our F.A, they are a bunch of incompetent fools, for instance Stuart Pearce was a failure at Man City and yet the F.A. give him the under 21 job??? Capello had a clause allowing him to be released if we had a poor world cup, the F.A. in there wisdom had this removed a few weeks prior to the tournament on Capello’s request, Great move boys! Now we are stuck with a clueless manager nobody really wants, we produce “World Class” players who can’t pass or control the ball, and we play in what must be the most expensively built stadium in history on a pudding of a pitch, The likes of Phil Gartside and David Gill need to take a good luck at themselves and do the honourable thing, and resign in any other walk of life these truly incompetent imbeciles would have been sacked after the Erikkson fiasco, what did they do? gave us the wally with the brolly, who’s next in line for the job for the boys ” Fat Sam”?
come on ozzie!
Attention!
To all Gooners who is fed up with Barcelonas dirty and disrespctfull tricks trying to sign Cesc please join this group. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=116042895106146
Please tell youy likeminded friends aswell.
Cheese, the England coaches view our British talent as foreigners. They play a completely different way compared to the other talent on hand in England. It’s easier to go with the majority than to make an inquest and find out what the minority are about. I might be completely wrong here, but that is the impression I get, and I live in Canada. Also, some of our talent, like Wilshere, Aneke, Afobe are either in the under 17 or 18’s or are in the under 21’s (Wilshere). They aren’t in the under 19’s yet, or they have progressed beyond that.
All well and good being an U-17, 18 , 19 , 20 star but the real acid test in all players develop is how they develop from this point.
You’re never really fully ready to be a consistent performer until 22/23 bar a few massive exceptions (Messi, Cesc). Even Rooney has had periods of inconsistency until last season (aged 23/24).
The Gap from 18/19 to 22/23 is critical in a players development and the media are quick to slaughter lads who show promise at 17/18 yet then are not ‘world class’ at 19/20.
Walcott is a fine example of this. Still only 21 he has been recognised as a talent at a young age yet has had the media monitoring every kick since.
I hope and pray that our lads like Gibbs, wilshere, Lansbury etc. don’t get picked for England for a year or 2 yet as a knee jerk reaction and are allowed to develop at a decent rate then picked on merit due to consistent performances
Look at James Milner. Spotted as a talent at Leeds, then went to Newcastle and now at Villa. Plenty of U-21 caps until this season, allowed to develop at a steady rate and now at 24 had a consistent quality season. He’s not been under total and utter scrutiny from day one. Lucky lad.
J, Is it true that Boateng has signed a new contract? How highly do you rate him?
yeah what’s with chelsea and milan wanting to sign him
he’s not that good now is he
Couldn’t believe that story when it came it. Why would it come out? Who would leak that story or have an interest in trying to spread this shit except his agent trying to generate a feeling like this guy is quality.
I’ve seen him and at the moment he looks like a shit Titus Bramble, which is quite bad. Don’t see it.
Grats on your 500th post!
In which position Francis Coquelin plays in France U-19?
he will be in the midfield CM or DM
Arsenal boss Wenger steamed into Barcelona president Rosell over Cesc
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has made it clear to Barcelona president Sandro Rosell that he is furious over their conduct in pursuit of Cesc Fabregas.
After arriving in South Africa on Friday, Rosell was finally able to reach Wenger only yesterday. The encounter was brief – and heated – with Wenger making it clear to Rosell how disappointed he and Arsenal were with Barca’s behaviour.
Wenger is particularly annoyed that Rosell has failed to reign in the public touting towards Cesc – which was a major part of Barca’s strategy under previous president Joan Laporta.
The Frenchman, says Sport, informed Rosell that neither he nor the Arsenal board had any intention of selling Cesc this summer.
It’s a damn Arsenal youth blog…
Does anyone know what day/time on Eurosports each of these games are???
Thanks
The fixture list is at:
http://www.uefa.com/under19/news/newsid=1497009.html
Times are CET, UK is CET-1 I think.
England squad is here:
http://www.thefa.com/England/mens-u19s/Team
“He is a box-to-box midfielder who is athletically gifted, good timing of runs into the box, good stamina and good ball-striking but has technique deficiencies in tight areas that needs improving.”
By Sean Michael (last week)
This is a description of Dean Parrett. In this small paragraph alone, the England national team’s problem is quite clearly painted. This is why so many England fans will continue dreaming (fooling themselves) about international glory which will continue to elude them all because F.A bigwigs can’t see the simple problem which stems from grass roots level. They have so much money it’s an insult to the ordinary man but STILL fail to rectify the problem.
The paragraph above describes Frank Lampard to a ‘t’ and in this country, we develop midfielders like this when we should be developing players like Fabregas and Iniesta. England lack creativity big-time. They lack natural skill and close control, timing of passes and clever movement, yet, we persist in developing ‘decent’ midfielders.
It’s funny how when England get their arses handed to them at a major international tournament, you get clowns like this Roberts geezer who was on SSN earlier today talking about how England don’t have any truly ‘World Class’ players when before the tourny, Rooney was ‘The White Pele’ and along with Gerrard, will finally bring the WC back to England. It was the same story in Japan/S Korea in 2002 when it was Beckham and Owen who were gonna bring it home for us. Wenger has already touched on how the English let themselves down at tornaments when they put too much pressure on one or two of their players to deliver and it’s so true. I don’t mind telling you lot, i think the F.A and the way football at grass-roots level in this country is perceived by those in power are an absolute joke and at times all i could do is laugh at them……..along with the rest of the World.
Excellent post, TJ. I completely agree with you. Frank Lampard is exactly as described–a driven and athletic player with lackluster technical ability, but otherwise good ball control and an incredible strike. To be more specific, it is an accurate characterization of the sensibilities that appeal to English coaches and fans, and thus further exemplified in the wide ranging spectrum of players that England produces–whether good or not.
WTF Danny Boateng chelsea and Milan were after him? Is that a joke?
Its like Benikf afobe linked to barcelona. There is no way on this earth Benik afobe going to barcelona hes not good enough for arsenal let alone barcelona.
JS any news on Havard Nordvteit and Kyle bartley? any loan deals or will they be in the first team squad
So Barca’s interest in Benik were purely lies yeah?
omg let benik alone. bendtner isnt that good too at the moment. freeman and afobe are the future star strikers!!!
such an ass sometimes. Afobe being pursued by Barcelona isn’t a joke. I know how much it pains you that Afobe is a quality player for the team you profess to support, but get over it.
“…Afobe isn’t good enough for Arsenal…”? Most of the time you write such shit John!
I think maybe there was a minor misconception. One person was talking about Daniel Boateng and the other Kevin-Prince. Why would Milan or Chelsea go after our Boateng?
Benik afobe isnt technically good enough to play for arsenal let alone barcelona.
Come on man have you watched the arsenal under 18s, england under 17s the kid looks a decent finisher but has no link up play at all.
I agree with some of your opinions/assessments but you are very wrong on this one. He’s improved his link-up play a lot, not to mention his movement off the ball and over the next couple of seasons you will see what a great little player we have in Benik Afobe.
bendtners link up play was not good at all when he first came to the first team. put now 3 season after it is quite good. Probably one of the best in the world. Afobe can also improve greatly. He is only 17 FFS! THINK! He is doing fine both with the national team and Arsenal.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with Benik Afobe. He has excellent technical ability–that should speak for itself–and a wonderful striking sense as well. He is perhaps our most talented forward and I grow more irritated by the second as a result of your incessant lambasting of a player that, although overrated in some instances, is nevertheless one of our single best prospects.
Just seen AFC 1st team training pics on arsenal.com and in some of them was JET, Lansbury Simpson and wilshire.
Do reserves normally train with 1st team pre season or will they be in the squad next season?
They’re training with them because some are resting from World Cup and these players are likely to take part against Barnet. Wilshere’s first team anyway and maybe Lansbury will be promoted.
Is Ozyakup definately in the squad? very impressed with him when watched him at u17 and if he is shows what a talent he is as he’s only 17.
Who’s the guy in front of JET in picture 19?
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/33472/pre-season-training-exclusive-pictures
Conor Henderson
On the UEFA website is lists Sanchez Watt as well
http://en.uefa.com/under19/teams/team=300039/squad/index.html
He was used in qualifiers but not in the squad for the actual tournament
I see Ramsey is in training, just running or playing a full part?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw9FHf023Aw
John, check out the last goal of this match between Arsenal u18s and Chelsea u18s from 2008/09 season.. great goal from Afobe, showing his obvious technique and vision..
Stephan El Shaarawy
this is the player that we should watch out for
according to reports wenger is very interested in him
I just cant believe what i am hearing do you guys actually watch him play or judging him on a few clips?
Sorry but i am not having Benik Afobe has technically excellent lol. Hes exactly like a young darren Bent.
I remeber young Darren bent at IPswhich similar height, build, makes the same runs, great finisher but doesnt have the link up play or inteligence to use the ball in space and with time.
Everytime i see Benik Afobe he just reminds me of a young Darren Bent at Ipswich.
To play for Arsenal you need that x factor you have to stand out especially as a striker if your going to make it.
john everybody has there own views
you dont think afobe is good enough some do
J is Nortvedit training with arsenal first team?
guys, what do we think the line up will be for barnet?
he is training with Viking in Norway for the summer Andrew.. atleast thats what i’ve heard, i might be wrong