TOM GROVES
PLAYER FEATURE
ON CAPTAINING HIS COUNTRY
I TRIED TO ENCOURAGE
THE OTHER LADS
WHEREVER POSSIBLE
BUT BASICALLY I WAS
JUST GETTING ON
WITH MY OWN GAME
One of our emerging youngsters
captained England to international
glory during the close season -
and no one was more surprised
than the player himself.
Midfielder Tom Groves was
selected for the England Under
18 squad that took part in the
Lisbon Trophy and in the first two
games against Sweden and
Portugal he had to be content
with substitute appearances.
But come the final game of the
tournament against Spain, Groves
was asked to skipper the side and
did so impressively in a 2-0 win
that clinched the silverware.
He created one of the goals
in that match as England
maintained an unbeaten record.
But being selected to captain the
side still remains something of a
nice surprise for the Nottingham
youngster.
He admitted: "It came right out
of the blue but I was very happy
about it and obviously it provided
me with a big boost to be given
the captaincy of my country.
"It didn't really bother me too
much in the game. I was involved
in the toss-up and I tried to
encourage the other lads wherever
possible but basically I was just
getting on with my own game.
"We were not even told the team
untilthe morning of the match
against Spain and I was just
hoping to get in the starting 11,
never mind leading them out.
"But I was delighted to do so and
I hope I get the chance again."
KNGLAMQ
Groves didn't get the chance to
lift the Lisbon Trophy - it was
presented to manager Dick Bate
- but he's now hoping to be
selected for a friendly against
Bulgaria next month and
European Championship qualifiers
that follow later in the year.
In the meantime, he's trying
to further his career at The City
Ground and establish himself
at reserve level.
He added: "It's very important
for me to keep on developing at
Forest and after being involved
with the reserves last season it's
my aim to get more games under
my belt at that level this season.
"In the few reserve games I played
last season I found it more
physically demanding and quicker
than what I had been used to but
you do get used to it and it's all
part of the learning process."
Our Academy Director Nick
Marshall was in Lisbon to see
Groves skipper England to success
and he said: "It reflects very well
on Tom and the club as a whole.
"It's always a great honour to
captain your country at any level
and I am sure it will have given
Tom a great boost.
"He will be the first to admit
that he didn't have the best of
seasons by his standards last
year but he can take a tot of
confidence from his success
with England and push on here
at The City Ground."
www.nottinghamforest.co.uk 21
