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| New England Under-21 captain James Ward-Prowse has used WhatsApp to bind the team together |
NEW captain James Ward-Prowse has turned to WhatsApp in a bid to help England Under-21s rebuild after their Euro 2015 shocker.
The Southampton midfielder has formed a team messaging group on the smartphone app as he looks to bind together Gareth Southgate’s squad for their next qualifying campaign.
Ward-Prowse has taken over the armband as the Young Lions try to bounce back from this summer’s European Championship, when they were knocked out in the group stage.
And he hopes to build a tight-knit team spirit by keeping players in contact when they return to their clubs.
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| Gareth Southgate's Under-21 side are rebuilding from their Euro 2015 shocker |
“It’s vital,” said the 20-year-old. “You are going to have ups and downs and it’s about making sure the team comes together.
“We have a WhatsApp group set up on our phones, so it’s a pretty efficient way of keeping everyone together.”
Ward-Prowse has taken over the armband from former skipper Jack Butland and will lead Southgate’s side in Preston tonight when they face USA Under-23s in a friendly.
They then head for Norway, where they play their opening Euro 2017 qualifier on Monday, and Ward-Prowse admits they still need to banish the pain of the summer, when they lost two of their three group games having arrived in the Czech Republic with high hopes.
“Emotionally it was very difficult to handle after working so hard for two years,” he said.
“It’s now a case of dealing with the disappointment.”
Liverpool duo Jordan Ibe and Joe Gomez are among a host of uncapped players who could make their debuts tonight.
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