England Under-21s’ Tommy Doyle admits Manchester City’s treble winners have given him inspiration for Euro glory.
The midfielder watched as his parent club won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League while on loan at Sheffield United.
Doyle also won promotion with the Blades after finishing second in the Championship.
He is in Georgia ahead of England’s Group C opener with the Czech Republic in Batumi on Thursday and feels Pep Guardiola’s superstars have provided added motivation for him.
“It’s massive to see and gives you inspiration as well to go on to win and get yourself in that team as well to enjoy success,” said the 21-year-old.
“It was special. Of course you want to be there as well and be involved but you have to respect where you’re at at this moment.
“I was 110 per cent focused on Sheffield United and what I needed to do there but, as well as a player of City, I’m a fan as well so I was always watching. I had my fan hat on more because I was at a different club.
“It’s massive for the club. They deserved it, they were brilliant and when it got to the business end they stepped up another level.”
The Young Lions go into the tournament as one of the favourites in Georgia.
Cole Palmer won the treble with Manchester City this season, Ben Johnson helped West Ham win the Europa Conference League, Max Aarons has won the Championship twice and Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes and Emile Smith Rowe lifted the Under-17s World Cup in 2017.
Gareth Southgate believes the senior side have serial winners and Doyle feels the Young Lions, who also face Israel and Germany in the group stage, are the same.
We have lads who love to win, want to win and who have won before. That obviously does help— Tommy Doyle
He said: “Yeah, of course. It’s on a little bit of a different scale. A lot of the lads in the seniors, the ones I know from City, have just come off the back of winning a treble and that is obviously massive for anyone as a player.
“But lads here have won a lot, whether that be at academy level or stepping up and winning promotions or whatever that is.
“We have lads who love to win, want to win and who have won before. That obviously does help.”
