English eligible players involved in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship: Canada: Jamie Knight-Lebel (Bristol City) Jamaica: Coniah Boyce-Clark & Jahmari Clarke (Reading), Luke Badley-Morgan (Chelsea), Dexter Lembikisa & Tyler Roberts (Wolves) Saint Kitts and Nevis: Xander Parke (Shrewsbury)
Of these names, both Boyce-Clark & Badley-Morgan have been involved with England in the past. Omari Hutchinson was also in Jamaica's preliminary squad but presumably pulled out.
Hull City academy attacker Sincere Hall is with Bermuda for the U20 CONCACAF. Hull City's official website indicates he is a tri-national who was born in the USA of Bermudan heritage and raised in England. Philadelphia Union center back Brandan Craig is with the USA U20 and is eligible for England. Born and raised in the US to English parents. He trained at Liverpool's academy a couple of years ago. Likely not good enough for England youth teams at this point, but he's a legitimately good prospect by US youth standards and one of the best players in the new MLS Next Pro league. He's arguably the top U20-or-lower center back in the US system at this point, checks the boxes from a physical and ball-carrying/passing standpoint. There are definitely at least a few UEFA federations eyeing MLS players. New York Red Bulls midfielder Bento Estrela plays for Portugal U17. Chicago Fire keeper Slonina was called up to Poland's senior team for Nations League which he rejected. Both were born and raised in the US. Estrela actually lost to the US U17s in a tournament last month.
The Commentator on Fox Sports apparently keeps calling Matty Cash the Englishman even when he scored for Poland.
The rumour is that Paul Hall wants him involved with the senior side and is basically reserving him for that - we face Mexico on Tuesday. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. If that rumour is true, I personally would have preferred he still remain with the U20s, but we will see how things work out. Word is he was training well but may have suffered a minor injury. I was a bit surprised at the exclusion but c'est la vie.
As a Jamaican I'd very much love for him to be wrong, but he's probably right. Like, there's a minority shot that he's off, and I hope that minority wins out, but I strongly suspect he'll follow the norm for most of our high upside prospects in recent years. If we get to 2025 and he's just not looking likely to make it onto Southgates plan to the USA in 2026 and he missed the boat on Euro 2024, then maybe Jamaica enters the picture. Things are about to get very interesting for Jamaican-British right backs. As noted already, both Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier (ironically both of Jamaican heritage themselves) are possibly aging out. England is crowded at RB, but since TAA is not rated it seems it'll really only be James with a solid lock at the position, no? In that case, things get wide open for the next tier of RB hopeful, a large chunk of which are also Jamaica-eligible: guys like Kyle Walker-Peters, Max Aarons, Djed Spence. There's even time for a guy like Ben Johnson or Ethan Laird to work his way into the picture by Euro 2024. Granted this picture is still pretty crowded and somebody is going to get left out when all is said and done, but it will be an intriguing watch. We're 6th in the region right now despite shambolic campaign organization and preparation. In 2026, being a top 6 team will be enough to get you to the tournament (and there will be 2 additional playoff places on top of that), so the odds aren't really too bad at all. The odds of us still finding a way to screw it up are also high, granted, so it's correct to hold the horses and taper the optimism. I think it's actually 2 group games, no? Appearing at a world cup is a big enough deal that I don't think that really impacts things much as far as recruiting goes. If we are able to offer a seat on the plane, it's going to be a big boost regardless.
Here is a list of players in the USYNT system with access to English passport who are not cap-tied to the US and have legitimate potential to be a future US senior player, even if most/all won't be good enough for England. GK Chituru Odunze (Leicester) F Charlie Kelman (QPR) CB Jonathan Tomkinson (Norwich) CB/RB Tayvon Gray (NYCFC) CB Casey Walls (San Jose Earthquakes) CB/CM Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union) Winger/CAM Jude Wellings (Real Salt Lake) CB/LB Christian McFarlane (NYCFC, trained at Dortmund) F Charlie Rosenthal (LAFC) Walls and McFarlane were born in England to English parent(s) and raised in the US. Kelman was born in England and has spent about equal time between England and the US. Odunze was born in the US and raised in England. Pretty sure the rest were born and raised in the US to English parent(s). The two biggest prospects are Craig and Wellings who start for the US U20s and U17s respectively.
Malcolm Ebiowei is linked with a move to United and Crystal Palace. He's played for England and Holland in the past and also qualifies for Nigeria. He hasn't played international football since 2018. Anyone with any knowledge on the situation?
I think this lad played for England or trained with us a while back? Must of been in hiding when Emran Soglo went to Marseille. Left Chelsea summer 2021 - trialled at clubs across Europe including BayernSigned February 2022 pic.twitter.com/O1NtzvjFwV— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) June 21, 2022
One to keep an eye on 16-year-old David Obou, Palace fought off interest from European clubs this summer. Dougie Freeman and Palace rate him highly! Brilliant 1v1 flair! Expect him to be invited by 🏴 🇫🇷 for national camps next season #cpfc pic.twitter.com/mlHgoWJV6f— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) June 22, 2022 No doubt another one we will lose to France despite him at least being born in England.
What his connection to France? Obou as a surname is most common in the Cote D’Ivoire so he might be from a French speaking home. (Unlike Olise who can’t speak fluent French).
I’m not sure but the Secret Scout has the France flag next to the England one so presume he qualifies for France one way or another. I know he’s born in England so maybe there’s a small chance but it seems whenever there’s a fight with France, they win even with kids that hardly even speak French.
Delusions of grandeur some of these kids. They think one day they will play alongside mbappe when in reality they've more chance of having an international future with England
Did Cho or Lo - Tutala play in a competitive fixture?. Just as French citizens they wouldn’t have needed to take up British citizenship and could have been in a Carvalho situation. Due to what year he was born Obou could be in the same situation but the process of applying when he was younger was easier (if not cheaper - over £1000 for a child born in the Uk but not a citizen to register once they reach their tenth birthday.)
Maybe I thought there was more but Ali Cho, Olise and Boga were the lads I was thinking about even though the latter has since switched to Ivory Coast but to be fair not sure how strong his connection was to us other than moving to England as a kid.
Ali Cho has signed for Sociedad so will be one to keep an eye on. Lo-Tutala has just been released by Spurs which is slightly surprising given how many youth caps he has for France. I take your point on Ali Cho given how long he was in England for. I guess with a French Moroccan mother and Ivorian father he likely would've spoken French at home and had a partially French cultural upbringing which could've swayed him. That and France being the best international team recently.
All the Spurs websites reporting were also surprised. He made the traveling swaud for a PL match this season. Sounds like he might move to a club in Italy or Spain.