Six under-18s called up for international duty

Wolves under-18s have seen six of their squad selected for international duty this week, helped in part to their unbeaten start to the U18 Premier League North campaign.

Christian Marques, Lewis Richards, Callum Thompson, Jack Scott, Connor Carty and Joe Young have all left Compton Park to join up with their national team youth set-ups.

Despite having Portuguese citizenship, captain of the under-18s Marques is the skipper of the Switzerland under-17 side and will spend 10 days playing four games for country.

Lewis Richards and Callum Thompson have been called up for the Republic of Ireland under-19 side, Conor Carty is with Ireland’s under-18s, while Jack Scott will represent Northern Ireland’s under-19s this week.

Goalkeeper Joe Young, who has kept three clean sheets in four under-18 games this season, including making a match-winning penalty save against Manchester United, is among the keepers in the England under-17 camp.

Under-18 head coach Steve Davis believes the number of international call-ups among his young Wolves squad is testament to the high level of performance of the side so far this season.

On his international squad

“The international break is for a rest for a lot of the team, while the international lads spend time out with the counties, however, we send them out a couple of days early so they can visit home before they link up with their national teams.

“We’ve got six who have gone out this period which is one of the highest we’ve ever had, and I think this is mainly due to the high level of performance this season.

“Among the squad, we’ve also got Chem Campbell and Theo Corbeanu who have been called up for Wales and Romania’s youth sides respectively in the past, but they are not in the current camps.

“This shows the quality we currently have in the squad, especially someone like Jack Scott who is with the Irish under-19s, despite only being 16.”

On the under-18 Irish contingent

“Jack’s done really well to get this opportunity after also linking up with the under-23s in training this season. In games this season, he’s played at left centre-half against Liverpool but he’s also been at right-wing back, but he’s proved that he’s almost a man already, which is why he’s been called up at three age groups higher.

“He’s not been here with us long, but he’s settled in quite well which I think is down to us having quite a few lads his age also coming across from Ireland.

“Lewis got his first call up to the under-19s for their camp, despite only being 17, while Callum’s been with the under-19s for some time now.”

On Marques’ influence on his teammates

“Christian is captain of the Swiss under-17s and he’ll be involved in four games and will be there for the next 10 days. I think the Swiss have more camps than anybody else, so he’s there quite a lot, but he’s the captain and a key player for them.

“He’s also our captain and a big example not just on the pitch, but off it as well, with how professional he is, the way he prepares, how he does things right, eats right, lives right and loves football.

“I think that’s the most important thing for him, he loves every day in training and loves playing every day. There are days when we have to take him out of training because he’s fatigued, but it just epitomises how much of a great professional and role model he is.”

Under-18 players on international duty:

  • Christian Marques | Switzerland under-17
  • Joe Young | England under-17
  • Conor Carty | Republic of Ireland under-18
  • Lewis Richards | Republic of Ireland under-19
  • Callum Thompson | Republic of Ireland under-19
  • Jack Scott | Northern Ireland under-19

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