Football News: Ollie Watkins Awaits Opportunity as England’s Euro 2024 Campaign Begins
As England’s Euro 2024 campaign kicks off, Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins finds himself in a familiar position – waiting for his chance to shine behind the team’s undisputed starter, Harry Kane.
With Kane leading the line in England’s opening 1-0 victory over Serbia last Sunday, Watkins has been preparing alongside Brentford’s Ivan Toney to provide backup for the national team captain and record goalscorer.
“I’m used to playing every game. I don’t enjoy being on the bench, I’m not going to lie,” Watkins admitted. “But I know my qualities, and I’ll be ready when I get the opportunity.”
Watkins, who scored 27 goals and provided 13 assists for Villa last season, is aware that chances may be limited for the understudy. However, he remains hopeful that he could potentially partner Kane in a front two, should England need a more dynamic attacking approach.
“I would like to play with H, because he drops deep,” Watkins said. “I feel it would be similar to when he was at Tottenham and picking the balls up and playing it through to Son [Heung-min].”
As England prepare to face Denmark on Thursday in their second Euro 2024 qualifier, Watkins and Toney continue to train as stand-ins for Serbia’s target men, mimicking the likes of Aleksandar Mitrović and Dušan Vlahović.
Manager Gareth Southgate will be hoping to extract more from his reserve forwards in this tournament, after substitutes like Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy struggled to make an impact at previous major championships.
Watkins, who is making his first appearance at a major tournament, remains patient and determined to seize any opportunity that comes his way. “You never know what can happen,” he said. “I know I’ll get an opportunity. It’s just about taking it.”
With the Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and Women’s World Cup also on the horizon, the football calendar is packed with exciting events. As England’s Euro 2024 campaign continues, all eyes will be on Watkins, waiting for his chance to prove his worth on the international stage.
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