Driver wants to play his part as England kick-off

Published on Sunday 14 June 2009 23:04

HEARTS winger Andrew Driver could make his England under-21 debut this evening when the Three Lions youngsters kick-off their Uefa Championship bid in Sweden.

Stuart Pearce's star-studded outfit take on Finland in the opening match of the finals in Halmstad and Driver is hopeful of being involved at some stage.

Having been left out of the 7-0 friendly victory over Azerbaijan last Monday because of a slight injury, it may be a tall order for the 21-year-old to force his way into Pearce's plans.

However, the Oldham-born youngster, who pulled on the dark blue of Scotland at schoolboy level after being brought up north of the border, is simply relishing chasing glory with the likes of Theo Walcott, Micah Richards, James Milner and Gabriel Agbonlahor.

He said: "The team thinks we can win it. If we win the first game it's a massive start and then we can go from there.

"It would be unbelievable. It's been a long time coming for an English team to win a tournament. I imagine it would go down pretty well."

Walcott will take centre stage Pearce is adamant England have more than one matchwinner in their squad with the likes of

Fraizer Campbell, Joe Hart, Adam Johnson and Mark Noble also key members, even if the pressure is on Walcott to deliver.

"We hope he is a matchwinner. But I am also looking at Agbonlahor, Campbell, Johnson, Noble.

They have all been matchwinners in the past and have been over a two-year period. I also think our keeper can win us matches," said Pearce.

The Premier League quality in Pearce's squad means they start as one of the favourites with Germany and a Bojan Krkic-led Spain also in their group and providing tough opposition.

Walcott's face has been on the front of promotional magazines for the tournament but Pearce is treating the Arsenal winger, fresh from seniors duty against Kazakhstan and Andorra, like any other member of his team.

"He is one of the younger members of the group but he will come in or go out on merit," Pearce said. "Theo is just one who is in the mix and going for a place in the starting line-up.

In tournaments, reputations and being well known count for nothing. We have got to go flat out in every match and see where it takes us."