England Under-21 manager Aidy Boothroyd believes Manchester City starlet Phil Foden will remain with the junior team for now, rather than making the step up to the full international side.
Foden was left out of the starting XI for England’s second game at the U21 European Championships, despite scoring a wonderful goal in their first game against France.
Defeats in both games left England eliminated from the tournament at the first hurdle.
Boothroyd left Foden out because he believed the 19-year-old stood a “really strong chance of being injured” and thinks that he will remain with the setup for the foreseeable future as they look to qualify for the next edition of the competition.
“I think his next three to six months will be an indicator of where he gets to and what he is ready for internationally,” Boothroyd told a press conference.
“But, right now, September-time, I’d imagine he’ll be with me.”
The former Watford boss has two years to run in his current contract with the Under 21’s and intends to see it through.
Despite the disappointment of an early exit in Italy Boothroyd believes his team is functioning well in terms of developing a culture and style of play right the way through the age groups to the full national side.
“We are asking [the players] to take the ball off the goalkeeper in World Cup finals in front of millions of people. We have got to grow them and allow them to have their say,” the-48-year-old continued.
“The job of the reserve team coach, me, is to get players into that team and to try to win games.
“The Under-20s, Under-19s, Under-18s, because their teams have done well have been pushed up to me.
“Gareth [Southgate] has obviously taken the best players that he wants and he needs. There is a lot of thought that goes into it.”
Foden, who forced his way into the first-team reckoning at City last season, will hope to be a part of that pipeline, but his current international boss believes he may have to wait to represent the first team.
