BEVERLY HILLS, April 16, (THEWILL) – The English Football Association announced on Friday, that Aidy Boothroyd, England’s Under-21 coach, had stepped down from his position effective immediately, in a move that was largely expected sooner or later.
Boothroyd took England’s youngsters to last month’s European Championship where they finished bottom of their group after two dire performances against Switzerland and Portugal. The Young Lions were on the brink of qualifying for the knockouts in their final game against Croatia before an injury-time goal saw their opponents go through instead.
But that was not Boothroyd’s first competition with the team. The manager led England to the semi-finals of the 2017 European Championships
However, since then, he has failed to make it out of the group at the last two.
Boothroyd, a former Watford manager, had until the summer on his contract, but, after a meeting with England manager Gareth Southgate and FA technical director John McDermott, it was decided that he will not extend his stay with the side.
He left with a statement about being honoured to have served England in his capacity as coach: “It’s been the greatest privilege to represent the FA and lead England teams into high-profile tournaments.
“While we didn’t finish in the way we wanted, I’m very proud to have been able to work so closely with players who I know will go on to have remarkable international careers and to have experienced some very special moments with them over the years.”
Southgate also added a word of appreciation: “I’d like to thank Aidy for his wholehearted support and dedication to developing English players and coaches across the last seven years.”
A “formal open process” will be conducted by the FA to appoint Boothroyd’s replacement. The former Spurs academy coach and England U17 coach Justin Cochrane is a top favourite.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
