THE classy performance put in by England Under-18s in their 3-1 victory over Holland at the JD Stadium last weekend left Bury boss David Flitcroft pondering the future of his own academy players.

A devastating display from 16-year-old Chelsea front man Dominic Solanke and a swashbuckling front four that also included Liverpool’s Sheyi Ojo, Tottenham’s Josh Onomah and Newcastle’s Adam Armstrong gave the Shakers manager food for thought.

While Flitcroft was buoyed by the possible future of English football, it also became clear that his own youth players had a way to go to match the physical and technical attributes of the Young Lions.

“When I look at the academy now and when I look at the profile of players that have got to come through, we have got to maybe look at a slightly different DNA profile,” he said.

“If that (the U18s team) is future of England and the future of English football then it is looking strong, it is looking powerful and it is looking dynamic.

“If we have got kids that cannot come up to those levels then we need to be very honest as a football club and make sure that we do right by our recruitment and our structure because it is really important we get the whole club functioning as one.

“But we are certainly making massive strides in that.”

England coach Neil Dewsnip was testament to the “strides” being made at Bury, and was glowing in his praise of the facilities and management at the club.

Dewsnip, who worked in Bury as a teacher at Broad Oak School before going on to manage the Everton academy, believes it could be in the England players’ interests to consider a loan move to the JD Stadium.

“I think it is potentially the right pathway,” he said.

“You get some, such as Wayne Rooney, who went straight into Everton’s first team and then into Manchester United’s first team, but they would be the exceptions I guess.

“We all know that it is so difficult to break into the Premier League – at the big clubs at least - that maybe they are looking at another pathway and that might be Bury Football Club.

“I am sure David was having a good nosey and seeing who he could entice here.

“What is important for us is that they can also go up through our pathway – in the England family – and hopefully progress so they can win a World Cup for us one day.”