Neil Dewsnip has hailed England Under-17s' hard work and dedication as they gear up for their meeting with Italy in Kidderminster on Tuesday evening.
Having kicked off their 2017-18 campaign with behind-closed-doors wins over Turkey and Scotland over the weekend, the Young Lions will hope to round off their mini-tournament in front of a big crowd at Aggborough.
England saw off Turkey 3-2 before coming from behind to beat Scotland 2-1 at The FA’s national football centre on Friday and Sunday respectively.
And head coach Dewsnip – who led the Young Lions to victory in the Toulon Tournament over the summer – is relishing a crucial game in preparation for next summer’s European Championships, which are being held on home soil.
He explained: “The players have played at stadiums already for England and I’m sure they’ll have played in stadiums for their clubs too.
“That said, we can’t give them enough of these experiences. The ultimate is obviously Wembley Stadium – 90,000 of your own passionate supporters.
“I’m sure the Kidderminster fans and local people will come and see the boys play.
“I’m sure, more than anything, he’s hoping that the lads will perform well and win.”
St. George’s Park will be the base for next summer’s Euro finals – the first U17 men’s tournament to be played in England.
And Dewsnip reckons this adds extra incentive for the already highly-motivated group to perform well in its first taste of under-17 football.
He added: “It’s a talent identification exercise, for sure.
“It’s also the first event in a pathway that leads up to the European Championships in England towards the end of the season.
“We obviously want them to win the Euros. We’re trying to embed that winning mentality.
“It’s a big year. Many of the players will have transferred from school into full-time football at their clubs so that’s a massive transition.
“In terms of England, they transfer from an environment that has been all about talent identification and preparation tournaments into their first competitive year.
“It’s a big year in many many ways for these lads but I’m delighted with what we’ve seen so far.”
Tickets for Tuesday's fixture are priced at £3 for adults and £1.50 for concessions, and can be purchased in person from Aggborough. Click here for more information.
England Under-17 squad to face Italy: Luca Ashby-Hammond (Fulham), Harry Seaden (Southend United); Luis Binks (Tottenham Hotspur), Max Broughton (Bolton Wanderers), Harry Clarke (Arsenal), Dylan Crowe (Ipswich Town), Pascal Kpohomouh (Manchester City), Clinton Mola (Chelsea), Bali Mumba (Sunderland), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Louie Sibley (Derby County); Faustino Anjorin (Chelsea), Danny Cashman (Brighton & Hove Albion), Thomas Doyle (Manchester City), Sonny Hilton (Fulham), Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest), Morgan Whittaker (Derby County); Arvin Appiah (Nottingham Forest), Bobby Duncan (Manchester City), Jack Nolan (Reading), Taylor Perry (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Rayhaan Tulloch (West Bromwich Albion), D'Margio Wright-Phillips (Manchester City)
