Lee Carsley is demanding more from Curtis Jones to become a talisman for England’s Under 21s and eventually force a way into the senior set-up.
The Liverpool midfielder ran the game as England won 2-1 away in the Czech Republic on Friday, putting them within one victory of qualification for next summer’s European Championship.
Carsley wants that wrapped up against Albania tonight but has an eye on pushing some of his stellar names on to improve further during this international window.
‘It’s important to me that Curtis doesn’t play within himself,’ the Young Lions boss said. ‘He’s got to be the best player every day, every game.
‘I think he can score more, I think he can assist more. When he gets in front of goal, he’s got that quality.
‘He needs to show it on a regular basis, consistently, for us. You’d like to have this conversation at the end of the camp where you’re swooning about him, saying “what a player”. I still think he’s building his reputation with the Under 21s in that respect.’
Jones made 10 Premier League starts for Liverpool last season and was part of Aidy Boothroyd’s England side that fell at the group stage during the 2021 Euros.
‘He’s got energy, he’s fast, he’s got real power, he’s got a real natural balance on the ball, he can take it either side,’ Carsley added. ‘He’s got the ability to go either way, off either side, which is a real skill to have and an attribute of a top player.
‘I expect more from him. The players that are almost your middle of the road ones – when they do well, you’re like “that was brilliant, well done”.
‘But the really talented ones, when they do well you actually want them to do better, you push them more than the players that are striving to get there. I’m not saying Curtis is there yet but he has such ability, as have three or four of them, that he can really kick on.’
Emile Smith Rowe and Jordan Ramsey would be included within that cluster and Carsley believes there is a chance for some within his group to stake a claim for a World Cup place.
‘It’s down to them,’ he said. ‘Gareth [Southgate] has shown in the past if you are playing well for your club, you’re going to get a chance.
‘You want lads to be inspired to go up. It’s an open door, it’s a cowboy door. As soon as you’re ready, you go through it.’