Academy schoolboy Andre Dozzell is set to make his England U16s debut later today but his dad, former Blues midfielder Jason, won’t be there to see it. Dozzell junior, not previously capped at any other level, and the rest of the England youngsters face Belgium in a friendly at St George’s Park this afternoon (KO 3pm).
"It’s a proud moment,” Jason told TWTD earlier in the week. "The only problem is that I’m on holiday in Greece and I’m going to miss it!
"I can’t get away with it, I’m taking the little one with me you see! If I’d have been further into the holiday then I would have flown back but I’m only going the day before.
"His mum is going up. I’m gutted I’ll not be there but that’s life. I’m sure there will be plenty more chances in the future.”
He added: "They’re training on Monday, there’s a double session on Tuesday and then the game is on Wednesday. I’ll be waiting to hear from him.”
Andre and the other players will be looking to impress head coach Dan Micciche and win a place in the squad for this autumn’s Victory Shield games which will be shown live on Sky.
"There are 22 players in the squad so I would imagine they’ll play a team in either half,” Jason continued. "It’s a good opportunity to for him to get into that Victory Shield squad.”
Jason (second left) and Andre (fifth left) with the Town academy at the Galway Cup earlier this month
Dozzell senior, now 46 and a coach at Town’s academy, also won his first England caps at U16 level and famously made his Blues debut and scored aged just 16 years and 57 days when he came on as a sub in the 3-1 home victory over Coventry City in February 1984. He remains the youngest goalscorer in the top flight.
Does he have any concerns that Andre, who is 16 next May and has signed a scholarship with the academy starting next summer, might make his first-team breakthrough while even younger?
"He can make his debut, as long as he doesn’t score!” he joked. "No, he’s a long way off, physically especially. He’s a few years down the line, I would imagine.
"Physically it’s harder these days, they’re all athletes now. In my day it was maybe a little bit easier from that perspective.”
England U16s: Goalkeepers: Jarred Thompson (Chelsea), Thomas Dyche (Stoke City). Defenders: Tolaji Bola (Arsenal), Jaden Brown (Tottenham Hotspur), Lewis Thompson (Manchester United), Cole P Da Silva (Chelsea), Japhet Tanganga (Tottenham Hotspur), Dujon Sterling (Chelsea), Jordan Williams (Huddersfield). Midfielders: Ayotomiwa Bishiru (Man City), Odin Bailey (Birmingham), Andre Dozzell (Ipswich), Joseph Willock (Arsenal), Mason Mount (Chelsea), Charlie Gilmour (Arsenal), Eze Ebuzoemu (Millwall). Forwards: Reiss Nelson (Arsenal), Martell Crossdale (Chelsea), Kennan Bennett (Tottenham Hotspur), Owen Moore (Arsenal), Kairo Arlott John (Leicester City), Dan N’Lundalu (Southampton).