Barlaser: 'Wearing Three Lions Would Be A Proud Moment'

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor
and Dan King - Newcastle United Digital Editor

Daniel Barlaser has spoken of the moment he learnt that he had been called up by England for the first time.

The 18-year-old midfielder is currently in Hong Kong, having played for Newcastle at the Citibank Soccer Sevens at the weekend, and was looking forward to a family holiday when he returned to the UK this week.

Instead, he will fly out to Moscow with England's under-18 squad for a friendly double-header against Russia after Tottenham midfielder Josh Onomah's withdrawal.

Gateshead-born Barlaser will join Newcastle team-mates Freddie Woodman and Adam Armstrong on the plane and told nufc.co.uk: "I found out this morning (Monday) from Ben Dawson, our coach.

"He called me to his room and asked if I wanted to know the good news or bad news.

"I said 'both', so he told me 'you won't be going on holiday but that's because you've been called up by England.'

"I've had to cancel my holiday to Turkey but that doesn't bother me. I would cancel anything to be called up by England."

Barlaser has been a regular for Newcastle at under-21 level this term and also impressed during the under-18s' run to the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup, but admitted that the call-up for Neil Dewsnip's Young Lions came as a shock.

He beamed: "It means a lot. It's my homegrown country and it is really difficult to get a call-up because there are a lot of very good players in the under-18 age group.

"It was quite a surprise. I thought I'd had a decent season but never thought I would have a chance of getting in the squad.

"Wearing the Three Lions is going to be a really proud moment. It would be great to make my debut and then kick on from there."

England under-18s face Russia at Arena Khimki in Moscow on Monday 8th and Wednesday 10th June.

Click here to watch Daniel Barlaser's GoPro training session from Hong Kong on nufcTV