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Potts gets England U-18 call-up

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Potts (Getty Images)

The fight for Dan Potts is on.

A U.S.-eligible, 17-year-old left back playing for West Ham, Potts has been called in by England's Under-18 national team for a friendly against Poland next month.

Potts, who has dual eligibility for both England and the United States, has never previously represented England on the youth level, and he took part in a U.S. U-20 camp last year. Although he was born in England, his father, former West Ham standout defender Steve Potts, was born in Connecticut. Just appearing for the England U-18s in this friendly would not prohibit him from eventually playing for the United States, but this call-up is the first indication that England has shown in wanting him to represent his birth country.

Potts' rise to West Ham's first team this year has been well documented. He has made four starts for the first team after being pressed into action, and he is also the captain of the club's U-18 side, making him a promising defensive prospect on both the club and international levels.

What do you make of this development?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  3. Don’t forget, though, that we have Fabian Johnson, who can do a job at left back as he’s shown at Hoffenheim, and Eric Lichaj, who is coming through the ranks at Villa, and just logged 90 minutes at left back for their reserves. It’d be nice to have world class options at left back, sure, but we’re in a decidedly better position now than we were even a year ago.

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  9. Not delusional. if memory serves correct England finished behind the USA in the last world cup.

    We and england are like two ships passing in the night. the US is improving each and every year and England continues to be delusional about their quality.

    Their style of play is easly one of the worst on the planet.

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  10. Yeah because that sends a great message to youth national team players. You’ll get called up to the senior team even if you’re not ready or good enough to deserve a full roster spot if you’re since you have other international options.

    The kid isn’t currently good enough to make an impact on the senior team. No reason to call him up just to cap him.

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  14. I would call the kid up to the senior side vs italy. Who would you want to play for? The US National team or u18 england team

    We still dont have a LB, and having timmy chandler playing LB is getting old

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  15. Easy fells – going a little overboard on “losing this kid” … We haven’t lost anything.

    So Potts got called into the U-18 England team – it’s not that big a deal. If the kid has a decent brain he’ll realize that, given the competition in England, there’s only a small chance he’ll ever start for their men’s team. And even if he does, there’s an even smaller chance he’ll be starting for them during a World Cup.

    As for the US – if we honestly think this kid is the real deal then our reps need to sit down with him and gauge his interest on playing for the US. If he’s legitimately into it – then we need to cap him sometime in the immediate future.

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  18. I think you’re confusing the EPL with England itself. The EPL for the most part is head and shoulders above. Maybe LA, Houston, those sorts of teams could fight against relegation.

    But US vs. England is another question. Most good EPL teams are bolstered by their cosmopolitan nature. England itself is a more modest outfit these days that didn’t qualify in 94 and has made two rounds of 16 and two quarterfinals the last four tournaments. Not that much different than us on a good day.

    I’d water that down a little by saying this goes in cycles and one of those old, sloppy US teams that we get every 8-12 years is likely inferior. Along those lines, I’m a little bit worried about those who want to plan around Boca and Dolo, which sounds like Reyna and Lewis and the like from 2006 to me. But when we are on an upswing where the talent is generally young and most of the positions are well-manned, I don’t think we’re that different. Hence 1-1.

    Also, I think there are some positions like GK and wing where I think we are producing superior talent right now. Friedel, Howard, Guzan, et al. They clearly recognize it because that’s 10-15% of the netminders each weekend. And I think we have a young generation of quality keepers that’s about 5 years away from another burst. And then the Brits love Landon and Dempsey and are interested in Shea.

    And then you have to factor in the whole German infusion and basically what we will look like when we start fielding the true 18/11 and trying to win games.

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  21. Guys the one thing we have going for us in this situation is, we did call him up first. If his progression through the ranks with the Three Lions stalls he will surely not hesitate to come back to the US. Hell he’s damn near U-23 international caliber for us so he is much closer to seeing the senior team. Once 2014 rolls around that will be another card in our hand. Consider having Chandler back on the right and Potts on the left. Would be a beautiful thing indeed. In any case, we’ll just have to let the chips fall as they may.

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  26. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Lots of things can change. I’m sure Potts rather start for the USA, which is very possible given our LB problems, then sit the bench for the English or not get called up at all. Right now Potts is doing what is good for his club team future, where he makes his money, later on playing for the USA might be his best option…

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  27. Then don’t bitch when Johnny Bornstein’s 2018 equivelent lines up for us in World Cup 2018 as everyone else says “why don’t we have a good left back yet?”

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  29. You know what I say? I say I STILL hate Guissipe Rossi.

    Sounds like this kid here took an opportunity to play for our youth team to help springboard his career and will soon be offered a chance to do the same with the English youth teams. I can’t really blame him…

    But as long as he doesn’t parade around pretending to be an American while playing for another country I can’t be mad. As for

    “Captain America” and self-declared “all American kid” Rossi… hope you eventually move to and stay in Italy the rest of your life. Jersey has too many fist-pumping Italian wannabees already.

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  33. If you think we are better than England, you are deluded. We have an easier path to the WC and they may be underachievers, but they definitely have a superior national team. Yeah, I saw the tie at the 2010 WC. They dominated possession and we got a lucky goal. Doesn’t mean we’re as good as them.

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  36. It’s disappointing to lose any prospects, but let’s be honest. He was born in England and probably feels English.

    We expect players born in the U.S. to feel American and want to represent the U.S. no matter where they are from. Why wouldn’t we expect the same of someone like Potts?

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  39. I don’t because I think we are already better than England and will offer a better chance to advance in WC play. The English NT is sucktitude at it’s best

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  43. Just noticed he’s a left back. What can we do to get him to chose the USA? What do 18 yr olds like? Access to an experimental PlayStation 4? A week at the beach with female USMNT fans?

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  49. In the movie, “We Are Marshall …” there’s a scene where the Marshall football coaches are talking to a recruit they’d really like to land. As they’re leaving, a really big school’s reps come in to talk to the same recruit and the Marshall coaches see the recruit’s eyes light up as the other coaches enter.

    As a USMNT fan, should I feel like one of those Marshall coaches right now?

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