Source: Team_Talk
Kyle keen to catch Fabio's eye
Kyle Walker is dreaming of another senior call-up after starring for England Under-21s in their European U21 Championship opener against Spain.[LNB] Walker was one of few players in Stuart Pearce's side to enhance his reputation in Sunday night's 1-1 Group B draw in Denmark, laying on Danny Welbeck's dramatic 88th-minute equaliser in a game England look destined to lose.[LNB]The Tottenham full-back also embarked on a succession of lung-busting runs and put in more than one decent cross, taking his chance with both hands after being named as a surprise starter in Herning.[LNB]The 21-year-old could hardly have picked a better time to impress with both England boss Fabio Capello and Spurs manager Harry Redknapp looking on at the MCH Arena.[LNB]Walker, who earned two senior call-ups while on loan at Aston Villa this year, said: "I'd love to play for my country - it's my ambition.[LNB]"When I first started playing football at seven, that's what I wanted to do.[LNB]"I just have to keep working hard on the training pitch and see what happens from there."[LNB]Walker certainly did enough as an attacking force to expect to keep his place for Wednesday night's clash with Ukraine.[LNB]He was also part of a solid England rearguard action led by Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.[LNB]Walker said: "I'm a defender - that's my main job. Attacking's just a bonus of my game.[LNB]"You're going to need to speak to other people to see if they liked how I defended."[LNB]Walker's display left head coach Pearce with a selection dilemma, with captain Michael Mancienne having been moved from right-back to midfield.[LNB]The skipper looked out of his depth and his substitution with a quarter of the game remaining had the desired effect.[LNB]Walker certainly had no intention of letting Mancienne pull rank on Wednesday night.[LNB]"I've missed out in the last few games," he said.[LNB]"There's a great squad there and it's difficult to get a place, so I was happy when my name went up.[LNB]"I just have to show that I do deserve the shirt and I'm going to keep it."[LNB]Pearce's other surprise selection, Tom Cleverley, failed to pay off, with the arrival of Jack Rodwell, Henri Lansbury and Scott Sinclair making a difference.[LNB]But the success of England's substitutions could not gloss over the fact they were alarmingly second best to a Spain side who, for 75 minutes, suggested their country's recent domination of world football was set to continue.[LNB]Overconfidence was perhaps their undoing and Walker admitted England's players were conscious of being embarrassed by their opponents' showboating in the closing stages.[LNB]"It is difficult," he said.[LNB]"You get frustrated sometimes but then you have to remind yourself to keep your head.[LNB]"We knew that they were going to have a lot of possession but we just had to keep focused and keep talking.[LNB]"I thought we upped it, to be fair, in the second half.[LNB]"The gaffer said at half-time we needed to press a bit more and I thought we did that and we got the goal.[LNB]"The players we've got in the dressing room are quality players and I always felt there was a goal in there somewhere.[LNB]"It's always good to get a point on the board first game and hopefully we can bounce into the next game.[LNB]"We've got good teams we're coming up against, Ukraine and Czech Republic, and we just have to keep concentrating."[LNB]Pearce admitted England could not afford to concede possession so cheaply if they are to qualify for the knockout stages.[LNB]But if they were to meet Spain again in the final, it is hard to see anything but the same type of game as Sunday night.[LNB]Walker said: "If that's what happens, that's what happens.[LNB]"We just want the result."
