England's best young talents should be involved at the European Under-21 Championship next summer to gain valuable tournament experience, according to the Football Association's former director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking.
There have been increasing calls over recent weeks for at least a selection of England's senior stars who are still eligible for the under-21s - the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke Shaw - to be included in Gareth Southgate's squad for the finals in the Czech Republic.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his Everton counterpart Roberto Martinez sounded sceptical about the idea when asked about it on Thursday, but Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has said he was happy that Shaw had been included in the under-21 group for the play-off ties against Croatia.
Brooking told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme: "You need tournament experience - you play a game, there's another game every four days. You pick up a card, or you pick up an injury.you have to have a squad because 11 players aren't going to get you through.
"At times during qualifying you have just 10 days, you play two games and then you get another break. Tournament football is totally different so that's why it's crucial that we qualify and try to play a lot of our best players.
"The debate is interesting with the current crop because we've got probably more players (who are eligible for the under-21s) than ever in the seniors. Gareth and (senior team manager) Roy (Hodgson) will debate with the managers - it will depend on how many matches they play during the season.
"(Manchester United defender) Phil Jones has been injured a lot over the last two seasons - he might benefit from a tournament."
Brooking felt how well placed England's senior side were in their Euro 2016 qualifying group by next June should also be a factor in how the younger places are utilised, adding: "Is it worth playing them in the (under-21) tournament or just one qualifier (away to Slovenia), because the other game is a friendly (against the Republic of Ireland)?"
Brooking, who stepped down from his FA role at the end of August, felt the dialogue between his former employer and the Premier League was now a lot more likely to end favourably for the England under-age teams.
Asked if the FA had been reluctant to have a row with the Premier League in the past, Brooking added: "To be fair, we did have the row. But it was one that we didn't win at that stage.
"What I think we have done over the last few years is we have increased the structure fantastically. We have recruited a lot of people now where there is a lot of credibility within the FA staff and I think clubs accept that and respect that."
Source: PA
