Spot-kick woe improved me, says England U19s striker

The Middlesbrough forward has been named in the England Under-19s squad that will travel to France next week to take on the hosts, Denmark and Azerbaijan in their Elite Round qualifiers for the European Championship.

The Boro hotshot has netted four goals in five appearances this season for Sean O’Driscoll’s side, the first of which came in a 1-1 draw away to Germany in September, but it was not his strike that had the biggest impact on the 19-year-old.

“I’ve got a few goals this year but I missed a penalty against Germany,” he told TheFA.com. “I’m the type of player that all I was thinking about was that for weeks after.

“After I missed that, when I got back to Boro all I did was practice penalties after training knowing that the next time I had the chance to take one, I’d be confident enough to take it and finish it.

“It made me mentally stronger, and I don’t care how many I miss, I’ll always want to take the next one.

“Luckily, I’d come off the bench against Belarus and we won a penalty. Patrick Roberts had won it and wanted to take it, but thankfully he let me have it and I put it in.”

Bradley Fewster is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring against Germany

Fewster, who has 12 goals in 16 games for his country at all levels, is one of a number of attacking threats within the U19s squad.

The Young Lions have fired in 19 goals in five games this campaign, and the youngster admits he loves playing in such an attacking-minded side.

“We like to attack teams. We’ve got some younger players in there, like Izzy Brown and Pat Roberts, who are from the year below, and that is also promising.

“The midfield is very attack-minded too - we are an offensive team that enjoy playing football and scoring goals – and being a forward that’s great for me.

“It makes my job a lot easier. I just have to stand there and put them in.”

Fewster, who has featured in the Middlesbrough first team on several occasions, is by no means a one-trick pony – but it is as a traditional No9 where he feels he is most effective.

Bradley Fewster prides himself as a natural No9

“I can play out wide, but I feel my best position is down the middle where I am closer to goal. I feel more comfortable there,” he said.

“People say international football is different, and it is. You always have to stay concentrated on the game, and as a forward, you know you are always going to get a chance at some point and you have to take it. There’s no better feeling than doing that for your country.

“I managed to get a hat-trick last year against Belgium and that was a dream. I’ve still got the matchball in a cabinet at my house.

“My mum’s kept it, with the boots I wore and a picture of me scoring, it’s all in there.”

Fewster and his team-mates will meet up at the weekend as they embark on their quest to reach the Euros which will be held in Greece in July.

They qualified with a 100 per cent record from the First Round of qualification, defeating Belarus, Luxembourg and Belgium.

Bradley Fewster scored a hat-trick against Belgium U18s last season

And despite regulars Dele Alli and Fewster’s Boro team-mate Bryn Morris ruled out of their upcoming clashes in France through injury, the goal-getter is still in confident mood.

“This season has been exciting - we have a good standard of players and we’ve got a real good team unit,” he added.

“The early stages of my involvement in the England camps saw quite a bit of changes with the players, it was maybe a little bit harder to get that settled feeling of a team, but this group has been together all of this season and most of the last campaign, we know each other really well and it seems to be working.

“Bryn and Dele will be a big loss, they have been brilliant for us. Bryn was captain, and a very good mate of mine from Boro, so we will miss them but we have a good squad and the players that come in to replace them will be at the same level.

“They will gel right in and I’m sure they’ll be giving it their all to do well and help us qualify.

“We want to win the Euros, that is our No1 aim.”