Academy schoolboy Andre Dozzell is set to win an England U16 cap in this evening’s Sky Sports Victory Shield game against Northern Ireland at Stangmore Park, Dungannon (KO 7.35pm). The 15-year-old has spent the week training with the squad at the national football centre at St George’s Park.
The central midfielder is following in his father Jason’s footsteps, the former Blue having won U16 caps in addition to playing for England at U21 level.
Dozzell senior, now a coach at the academy, spoke to TWTD last week and said his son, who has played for Town’s U18s and U16s this season and will start a full-time scholarship next summer, thoroughly deserves the call.
"I’m proud and absolutely delighted for him,” he said. "It’s a start, he’s got to keep working hard.
"The easy bit’s getting there, the hardest bit’s staying there. He’s just got to do what he’s been doing.”
Jason is flying over to watch the game, with academy coaches Kieron Dyer and Liam Manning also amongst those making the trip.
In August, Andre made his first appearance for the England U16s when he captained them to a 4-3 victory over Belgium in a two-hour long friendly.
Andre wasn’t involved in the opening game of the Victory Shield in Wales last month, which England lost 1-0, with the squad changing for each of the matches and a large number of players involved. Despite being sponsored by Sky Sports, unlike in previous years the competition is not being shown live on TV this season.
England U16s: Taye Ashby-Hammond (Fulham), Ryan Sandford (Millwall), Jaden Brown (Tottenham Hotspur), Trevoh Chalobah (Chelsea), Dujon Sterling (Chelsea), Japhat Tanganga (Tottenham Hotspur), Lewis Thompson (Manchester United), Ayotomiwa Bashiru (Manchester City), Jay Beckford (Leyton Orient), Sadou Diallo (Manchester City), Andre Dozzell (Ipswich Town), Keanan Bennetts (Tottenham Hotspur), Niall Enniss (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Mackenzie Heaney (Newcastle United), Adam Lewis (Liverpool), Dan N'Lundulu (Southampton), Okera Simmonds (Liverpool), Joe Willock (Arsenal).