Everton's John Stones hopes a successful run in the European Under 21 Championship will help him nail down a place in the England senior side.
Stones’s immediate aim is to end England’s 31-year wait to win the youth tournament this month – “I think we can win it, definitely,” the centre-back said.
Beyond that he is hoping to establish himself as a regular part of Roy Hodgson’s starting XI.
England have never really been able to work out how to fill the considerable space left by Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.
Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka were Hodgson’s original first-choice pairing but both failed to impress, and while their games have improved of late questions still persist about Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.
So does Stones view this tournament as a good opportunity to stake his claim?
“I think so, yes,” the 21-year-old said.
“That goes for the whole of our team. There’s a lot of players who bring different things that we’ve not seen before, there’s a few defenders who are not playing for England who used to do what I do.”
Stones was top of Hodgson’s World Cup standby list last summer. Had Jones not recovered from a shoulder injury, the Yorkshireman would have been on the plane to Rio de Janeiro.
The experience of taking part in the warm-up camps in Portugal and Miami was enough to whet his appetite for senior football.
“Last summer was very exciting and strange,” said Stones, who has four England caps.
“I’ve watched these players play all my life. And then I was playing with them.
“I would have loved to have gone to the World Cup but it was just a great pleasure to even be involved with the squad.
“It was a great experience and once you have been there you always want to get that feeling back. I am hungry to try and get back into the squad.”
Stones’s official England World Cup suit, handed to him before the squad departed for Florida, is hanging in a wardrobe at home. He was given a new one when he was called up to the seniors for the first two games after the tournament.
Hodgson had no hesitation throwing the then 20-year-old into the starting XI for the August friendly against Norway and the crucial qualifier in Switzerland.
It was one of the former Barnsley defender’s proudest moments.
“You get called up to the senior squad you can’t be any more happy,” he said.
“Your confidence is there because you deserve to be there. For him (Hodgson) to put his trust in me like that gives you that confidence.
“It was a big game for us after the defeats in the World Cup and we won it. That set the standards.”
Hodgson is not Stones’s only admirer.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez, as well as coaches Duncan Ferguson and David Unsworth are fans, and Gareth Southgate has used the centre-back regularly during qualification for the U21 championship.
Speaking at St George’s Park ahead of the U21 tournament, which starts next week, Southgate paid Stones a huge compliment by likening his game to one of the best English defenders of the last 30 years.
“Rio had that comfort on the ball and the ability to turn out and start again, step into midfield and use the ball intelligently,” the England U21 manager said when asked if Stones reminded him of any recent England internationals.
“I suppose Rio went through similar processes of learning to be a better, stronger defender. That will be the bit we want to keep seeing with John.
“Physically he is still filling out but has great physical attributes.
“He is as composed as any young defender I have seen on the ball.”
Before heading to the Czech Republic for the tournament, Stones will return to Oakwell for the first time since he left his hometown club for Everton two years ago.
Stepping out for the U21s in their friendly against Belarus in Barnsley on Thursday will be another proud moment for the player and those close to him.
“Loads of my family will be there as it is on the doorstep,” Stones said.
“My mum and dad came to every home and away game – they put some miles in – so for them to see me at Oakwell again will be special.”
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