England squad has the potential to be special after
they beat Lithuania.
Stand-in England captain Phil Jagielka feels the country's young
squad has the potential to become something special after a 3-0
win over Lithuania on Monday sealed a 100 per cent record in
Euro 2016 qualifying.
The visitors cruised to victory in Vilnius thanks to a
deflected Ross Barkley effort, a Giedrius Arlauskis own goal and
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's powerful finish, making them the
only team in this year's campbaign not to drop a single point and
just the sixth ever to do that in European
Championship qualification.
Jagielka - captain for the match with Wayne Rooney and Gary
Cahill rested - was encouraged by what he saw from England's
fringe players and feels the squad has the potential to be great.
"We knew it was going to be a difficult task to win all 10, but
that was the gameplan from day one and thankfully we
managed to do it," he told ITV.
"Obviously the squad was mixed up a little bit but it proves what
good strength we have got and, obviously with the goalscorers,
what good youth we have got coming through. Hopefully if we
nurture them right they could be something special."
The Everton defender, 33, then turned his attention to the
upcoming friendly matches England have against Spain, France
and Germany - some of the favourites to win Euro 2016.
"They are massive," said Jagielka. "Obviously we have chosen
to play against some really tough nations before we travel out
to France so it is going to be difficult to try and get in the team.
"But if you get in the team they are going to be hard games to
go out and prove yourselves. But that is what we are all about,
we are all competing for the same goal, we want to be on the
plane to get out to France and once we get out there we want to
be part of a successful England team.
"The tougher the games the better, and hopefully all of us who
played here have done ourselves no harm."
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