Latest news with #Iling-Junior
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Loanee's Middlesbrough message - and reflections on Michael Carrick's coaching work
SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR feels his time at Middlesbrough has turned him into a better player, and has praised Michael Carrick for the one-one-one tuition he received from the former Boro boss at Rockliffe Park. Iling-Junior joined Boro on loan in January, having spent the first half of the campaign in Italy with Bologna, and made 11 starts and five substitute appearances for the Teessiders. Advertisement He played in a number of different positions, but was Boro's first-choice left-back for most of the last two months of the season, having been moved into the back four after Neto Borges suffered an injury. The 21-year-old enjoyed his time working under Carrick and was disappointed to see the former Manchester United midfielder dismissed last week. Iling-Junior is currently in Slovakia with the England Under-21 squad preparing for Thursday's opening game of the European Under-21 Championships against Czechia, and feels he is in a much stronger position thanks to his time on Teesside. 'There's definitely been a lot of lessons learned this season,' said Iling-Junior, who will return to his parent club, Aston Villa, for pre-season training later this summer. 'A lot of things that I can bring into my game and that's something that I'll take forward. Advertisement 'The biggest lesson, definitely, has been how to manage different loans because it's been my first time out. I was and am comfortable living abroad – it's something that I can adapt to and I've done it before – but being back home was exciting for me. READ MORE : 'I can only look at my time with Middlesbrough as a positive. And I've only got good things to say about Michael Carrick, who's a good gaffer and man-manager. 'Tactically, he could work with players one-to-one and he developed myself. He gave me trust and I was able to show that on the pitch. 'I definitely settled into the left-back role and going up and down the pitch. I enjoyed that, bringing my parts into the team with assists, tricks and being creative.' Advertisement While Iling-Junior was named amongst the forwards when the FA published England's squad list for the Under-21 Euros, he is one of only two realistic options for the left-back slot in Lee Carsley's team. He is competing with Newcastle United's Tino Livramento, who is more naturally a right-back, for a starting role, and is confident he will do himself justice if selected on the left of England's back four. 'It's an honour to be one of the players that the manager's chosen and I want to repay that on the pitch,' he said. 'Tino has obviously had that great season with Newcastle. The competition is always healthy. If I can bring out the best of him and he brings out the best of me and we go and win the tournament then it's happy days.' Iling-Junior has represented England at every age-group level since Under-15s, and is hoping to end his time as an Under-21s player with the high of being crowned European champions. Advertisement He will have a brief break at the end of this month's tournament, then will report back to Villa hoping to impress Unai Emery. Middlesbrough will be keeping a close eye on the situation in the hope that Iling-Junior might be made available for another loan, but the youngster will be doing everything he can to try to force his way into Villa's first-team group for next season. 'You have to put the World Cup in your sights,' he said. 'You have to knock on that door, or at least put yourself in a position to be knocking on that door. There's a pathway and there's always someone watching. 'All the boys that have made their debut from the Under-21s and are now in that (senior) squad, that just goes to show that if you keep putting your mind to it and work with the coaches, then you'll get repaid for your hard work. 'And I definitely want to get back into Villa after this tournament and have some conversations and make an impact there as well. Unai Emery has always had conversations with me, so that helps. and he's kept track of my loans. 'So, that's definitely a good relationship and once we get back after the tournament then we'll have those conversations. For now, it's about just focusing on the Euros, and we'll see (what happens) when I get back to Villa.'
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘There's always someone watching' – Samuel Iling-Junior out to gatecrash England's World Cup squad by starring for U21s
His CV is already pretty impressive when it comes to silverware SAM'S PLAN 'There's always someone watching' – Samuel Iling-Junior out to gatecrash England's World Cup squad by starring for U21s Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR hopes a successful European Championship can springboard him into Aston Villa's first-team - and World Cup contention. The versatile wing-back, 21, arrived at Villa Park from Juventus last summer as part of the deal that took Douglas Luiz in the opposite direction. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Samuel Iling-Junior hopes a big Euros will lead to a breakthrough with both Villa and England Credit: Getty 3 The starlet left Juventus to join Unai Emery's Villa last year Credit: EPA However, he stayed put in Italy to spend the first half of the campaign on loan at Bologna in Serie A and even scored for them in the Champions League. Weeks later Iling-Junior, who originally departed Chelsea for Juve in 2020, was back in England and heading to Middlesbrough. And it was while playing for the Championship club that he decided he wants his future to be at left-back. Iling-Junior, who is battling with Tino Livramento to start there for England U21s in Thursday's Euros opening against Czech Republic, said: 'I definitely settled into the left-back role and going up and down the pitch [at Boro]. I enjoyed that, bringing my parts into the team with assists, tricks and being creative. 'It's an honour to be one of the players that the manager has chosen and I want to repay that on the pitch. 'Tino has obviously had that great season with Newcastle. The competition is always healthy. If I can bring out the best of him and he brings out the best of me and we go and win the tournament then it's happy days.' Iling-Junior has represented England at every level bar the seniors and has seen several of his team-mates graduate into the Three Lions first-team. And he knows this month's tournament in Slovakia could lead to a huge season ahead for him at both club and international level as he revealed his ambitions for the coming 12 months. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS He said: 'You have to put the World Cup in your sights and knock on that door or at least put myself in a position to be knocking on that door. 'There's a pathway and there's always someone watching. All the boys that have made their debut from the U21s and are now in that squad, that just goes to show that if you keep putting your mind to it and work with the coaches then you'll get repaid for your hard work. England's biggest divers of the season crowned... as shocking record revealed 'And definitely get back into Villa after this tournament and have some conversations and make an impact there as well. 'Unai Emery has always had conversations with me, so that helps. and he's kept track of my loans. So that's definitely a good relationship and once we get back after the tournament then we'll have those conversations. 'But, for now, it's definitely just focusing on the Euros and we'll see when I get back to Villa.' Iling-Junior has already tasted Euro joy with England at U19 level and was part of the Juventus side alongside the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Adrien Rabiot that beat Atalanta to lift the Coppa Italia last season. 3 He added: 'Winning the Coppa Italia, winning a trophy, is one of the best feelings I've had. 'Juventus is a big, big club and I learned what winning actually meant there, and not just winning, dominating and that's a really nice feeling knowing that you're part of history. 'I enjoyed the pressure there. That gave me motivation each game to go out with a bit of pressure and do what I enjoy. Winning the Euros would definitely be up there with that.' England kick-off their Euro campaign against the Czech Republic on Thursday. They then face Slovenia three days later and finish the group stage against Germany on Wednesday 18 June with all of the Young Lions' matches being broadcast on Channel 4.
The Irish Sun
09-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘There's always someone watching' – Samuel Iling-Junior out to gatecrash England's World Cup squad by starring for U21s
SAMUEL ILING-JUNIOR hopes a successful European Championship can springboard him into Aston Villa's first-team - and World Cup contention. The versatile wing-back, 21, arrived at Villa Park from 3 Samuel Iling-Junior hopes a big Euros will lead to a breakthrough with both Villa and England Credit: Getty 3 The starlet left Juventus to join Unai Emery's Villa last year Credit: EPA However, he stayed put in Italy to spend the first half of the campaign Weeks later And it was while playing for the Championship club that he decided he wants his future to be at left-back. Iling-Junior, who is battling with READ MORE ON FOOTBALL 'It's an honour to be one of the players that the manager has chosen and I want to repay that on the pitch. 'Tino has obviously had that great season with Newcastle. The competition is always healthy. If I can bring out the best of him and he brings out the best of me and we go and win the tournament then it's happy days.' Iling-Junior has represented England at every level bar the seniors and has seen several of his team-mates graduate into the Three Lions first-team. And he knows this month's tournament in Slovakia could lead to a huge season ahead for him at both club and international level as he revealed his ambitions for the coming 12 months. Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS He said: 'You have to put the World Cup in your sights and knock on that door or at least put myself in a position to be knocking on that door. 'There's a pathway and there's always someone watching. All the boys that have made their debut from the U21s and are now in that squad, that just goes to show that if you keep putting your mind to it and work with the coaches then you'll get repaid for your hard work. England's biggest divers of the season crowned... as shocking record revealed 'And definitely get back into Villa after this tournament and have some conversations and make an impact there as well. 'Unai Emery has always had conversations with me, so that helps. and he's kept track of my loans. So that's definitely a good relationship and once we get back after the tournament then we'll have those conversations. 'But, for now, it's definitely just focusing on the Euros and we'll see when I get back to Villa.' Iling-Junior has already tasted Euro joy with England at U19 level and was part of the Juventus side alongside the likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Adrien Rabiot that beat Atalanta to lift the Coppa Italia last season. 3 He added: 'Winning the Coppa Italia, winning a trophy, is one of the best feelings I've had. 'Juventus is a big, big club and I learned what winning actually meant there, and not just winning, dominating and that's a really nice feeling knowing that you're part of history. 'I enjoyed the pressure there. That gave me motivation each game to go out with a bit of pressure and do what I enjoy. Winning the Euros would definitely be up there with that.' England kick-off their Euro campaign against the Czech Republic on Thursday. They then face Slovenia three days later and finish the group stage against Germany on Wednesday 18 June with all of the Young Lions' matches being broadcast on Channel 4.
