Leeds United and Wales youngster Charlie Crew spoke for the first time since it was revealed that England have been chasing his services.
Matty Jones revealed last month that England had been “aggressively pursuing” the services of Crew and of Lewis Koumas.
Interest from across the Severn Bridge had seemingly cooled since then, but when asked about whether the interest was true, Crew didn’t want to delve into any details.
However, one person who has been heavily involved in the situation has been Jones himself, and Crew was full of praise for the Wales U21 manager.
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“Matty is one of the best managers that I’ve played under. He ticks every box.
“He gets involved with us off the pitch, he gets involved on the pitch, and when you’re preparing for a game, you need to gain confidence from your manager and coaching staff, and that’s what he gives us.
“We go into every game with a great deal of confidence, and as you saw out in the Czech Republic, it means as much to him as it does to us.”
Crew has played at every level for Wales up to the U21, and while Jones hasn’t managed him at every level, he has been by Crew’s side throughout his early international career.
“Matty has shown great support for me back since when I was playing in the Victory Shield, when Brazil came over to play in Denbigh; he’s always been in and around our squad, even though he hasn’t been the manager.
“The fact he’s shown support from the start of my Wales career gives me even more confidence when I come into camps like this.”
Of course, the interest in Crew’s services stem from his good performances with Leeds United.
The midfielder made the move to Yorkshire 2022 from Cardiff City, and while it was a difficult decision, Crew thinks it’s one that’s certainly paid off.
“It was a very hard decision to make, but it was one myself and my family felt was right, and it really was a family decision.
“We did go back and forth on whether we should go or stay, and in the end, we decided to jump into it, take the risk, and in my opinion, it’s paying off.
“I’m really comfortable at Leeds and I’m loving my time up there.”
What comes across clearly when you talk to Crew is that he is someone who shows a tremendous level of maturity.
He is very aware of what is going on around him, and that’s something that certainly developed quicker while at Elland Road.
“Moving away from family and to a club where I didn’t know anyone, you have to mature pretty quickly.
“It definitely has helped me to become who I am, and that’s helped when I’ve moved up the age groups with Wales too, because I can integrate with people and settle in better than if I was back home in a comfortable environment.”
For now, Crew and the rest of the U21 are fully focused on the upcoming qualifiers at home to Iceland and Denmark, both being played at Rodney Parade.
First up is Iceland, who currently sit top of the group, and Crew is confident that they can pull of another big result.
“You always have to respect your opponents. Iceland will be a very well-drilled and aggressive side.
“We’ve done our preparation for the game and hopefully, that will be enough for us to get the job done.”
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