England boss Wright opts for youth with a few old heads

ENGLAND team manager Ian Wright is convinced a blend of youth and experience can see his side successful after he named his squad for the European Team Championships.

The 12-strong squad will get their European campaign under way at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on February 10.

England, top seeds in their group, have been draw with the Czech Republic, Wales and Scotland and Wright believes his youthful team can flourish against such familiar opposition.

"We've gone for youth and experience," he said. "This is the start of a new cycle and we are trying to phase in some of the younger players.

"With home advantage in Liverpool, this is the perfect opportunity to do that.

"We are also planning to take some of the other emerging players to Liverpool to wear the England track suit and sample the atmosphere.

"We want to start filtering in the young players as and when the opportunity presents itself."

Helen Davies looks set to make her home England debut in the group stages having celebrated her first senior appearance with a win in women's singles in the 3-2 defeat by Poland in Warsaw in early December.

Mariana Agathangelou, who won the Bank of Scotland International Championship and the Welsh Open with Scotland's Jillie Cooper, has also been selected.

And Olympic silver medallist Nathan Robertson, and European Champions Anthony Clark and Donna Kellogg will add some experience to the ranks.

If England reach the knockout stages then they can expect to face a likely quarter-final against Ukraine and a semi-final against Poland or the Netherlands.

 

Men
Chris Adcock             (Notts, age 19, 4 caps)

Robert Blair               (Leics, age 27, 46 caps)

Anthony Clark           (Notts, age 31, 82 caps)

Rajiv Ouseph            (Middlesex, age 22, 22 caps)

Nathan Robertson     (Notts, age 31, 93 caps)

Andrew Smith           (Hants, age 28, 28 caps)

Women
Mariana Agathangelou  (Avon, age 20, 3 caps)

Elizabeth Cann              (Jersey, age 29, 22 caps)

Helen Davies                 (Cheshire, age 22, 1 cap)

Donna Kellogg               (Derbyshire, age 30, 79 caps)

Jenny Wallwork              (Yorkshire, age 22, 12 caps)

Gabby White                  (Yorkshire, age 18, 4 caps)