Roy Hodgson wants to see some of his England stars line up for the Under-21s in next summer's European Championship. Providing they get through a two-legged play-off against Croatia, Gareth Southgate's Young Lions will take part in the eight-team tournament in the Czech Republic next June. The last time England qualified, an under-strength squad failed to get out of the group stage after losing all three of their games. They did not score once from open play. Roy Hodgson celebrates England's win over Switzerland earlier this month . Stuart Pearce was in charge of the England U21 team at the last European Championships . Jordan Henderson was part of the England U21 team that crashed out of the last European Championships . Lorenzo Insigne (not pictured) scores for Italy against England at the last European Championships . This time Hodgson wants to make the players in his senior squad who are eligible for the Under-21s available to Southgate to boost his chances of winning the tournament. The England manager said: 'I am certain there will be players (there) who will have made a (senior) appearance or will have been with us. 'We are going to say - "Look, just because you have been with us for a while that doesn't make you a 100% bona fide senior that never plays anywhere else. It just makes you an England player and we are going to use you where we think best".' Hodgson's view, which is shared by director of elite development Dan Ashworth, is that exposure to tournament football is vital for any England player, regardless of their age or talent. Jack Wilshere (right) is one of the senior England players who could still play for the England U21s . John Stones and Calum Chambers (right) have recently been called up to the England squad . Ross Barkley (centre) shoots for goal against Costa Rica during the World Cup in Brazil . It has not gone unnoticed that five members of the Germany team that beat Argentina in the World Cup final defeated England's Under-21s in the European Championship final six years ago. There are a host of players in the senior squad that Southgate could choose. Jack Wilshere, Phil Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, John Stones, Calum Chambers, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw are all eligible. After dropping just two points in their qualification campaign, Southgate is reluctant to draft in any top stars from the senior side though. The fact that England's seniors play a qualifier in Slovenia three days before the Under-21s championship starts would disrupt preparations for the Young Lions too. But should the Under-21s come through their October play-off, Hodgson will try to persuade Southgate to consider selecting some players who already have represented the senior side for the finals. Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil (right) were part of the Germany team that beat England U21s six years ago . Teenager Luke Shaw is still young enough to play for England if they qualify for the European Championships . Roy Hodgson wants the likes of Raheem Sterling (right) to get more tournament experience . 'That's what the FA would like to happen,' Hodgson said. 'It will just be a question of Gareth and I sitting down and deciding which ones are the right ones to send. 'There is always going to be a risk that he and I decide that although this player could have done both we are not going to ask him to because he already has tournament experience, for example, or we think it's a bit unfair he has not been anywhere near the other ones and all of a sudden he jumps in. 'But it will be a real discussion point between Gareth and I and we get on very well in that respect. We both sing off the same hymn sheet.' Hodgson appears open to the idea of allowing the likes of Sterling, Wilshere and Barkley to compete in the tournament. When asked whether selection of senior players for the Under-21s should be restricted to those who do not play regular first-team football for their clubs, Hodgson replied: 'No. I am not putting any riders on it at all at the moment.' Hodgson put his faith in youth on Monday night and it paid off as England's inexperienced XI recorded an impressive 2-0 win in Switzerland, in a Euro 2016 qualifier. Fabian Delph impressed on his England debut against Swizterland on September 21 . John Stones started for England against Norway and Switzerland but made 'technical errors' in the latter . Fabian Delph impressed on his full debut and although 20-year-old Stones was guilty of committing 'technical errors', according to Hodgson, he looked relatively comfortable in his first competitive start too. Jack Colback, Danny Rose and Chambers all earned their first call-ups as Hodgson looked to draw a line under the winless World Cup campaign with a fresh-looking squad. After beating Switzerland, England's biggest qualification rivals, in such impressive fashion, Hodgson was glad he decided against turning to older, more experienced players like Gareth Barry and Jermain Defoe, whose international careers now look to be over. 'It was a case of me holding my nerve,' Hodgson said. 'I've tried to force myself to keep looking two years ahead.'
Hodgson keen to give players more tournament experience .
Likes of Jack Wilshere and Raheem Sterling could play for U21s .
Gareth Southgate's side must beat Croatia to reach European Championships which take place next June .
Roy Hodgson wants to see some of his England stars line up for the Under-21s in next summer's European Championship. Providing they get through a two-legged play-off against Croatia, Gareth Southgate's Young Lions will take part in the eight-team tournament in the Czech Republic next June. The last time England qualified, an under-strength squad failed to get out of the group stage after losing all three of their games. They did not score once from open play. Roy Hodgson celebrates England's win over Switzerland earlier this month . Stuart Pearce was in charge of the England U21 team at the last European Championships . Jordan Henderson was part of the England U21 team that crashed out of the last European Championships . Lorenzo Insigne (not pictured) scores for Italy against England at the last European Championships . This time Hodgson wants to make the players in his senior squad who are eligible for the Under-21s available to Southgate to boost his chances of winning the tournament. The England manager said: 'I am certain there will be players (there) who will have made a (senior) appearance or will have been with us. 'We are going to say - "Look, just because you have been with us for a while that doesn't make you a 100% bona fide senior that never plays anywhere else. It just makes you an England player and we are going to use you where we think best".' Hodgson's view, which is shared by director of elite development Dan Ashworth, is that exposure to tournament football is vital for any England player, regardless of their age or talent. Jack Wilshere (right) is one of the senior England players who could still play for the England U21s . John Stones and Calum Chambers (right) have recently been called up to the England squad . Ross Barkley (centre) shoots for goal against Costa Rica during the World Cup in Brazil . It has not gone unnoticed that five members of the Germany team that beat Argentina in the World Cup final defeated England's Under-21s in the European Championship final six years ago. There are a host of players in the senior squad that Southgate could choose. Jack Wilshere, Phil Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, John Stones, Calum Chambers, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw are all eligible. After dropping just two points in their qualification campaign, Southgate is reluctant to draft in any top stars from the senior side though. The fact that England's seniors play a qualifier in Slovenia three days before the Under-21s championship starts would disrupt preparations for the Young Lions too. But should the Under-21s come through their October play-off, Hodgson will try to persuade Southgate to consider selecting some players who already have represented the senior side for the finals. Thomas Muller and Mesut Ozil (right) were part of the Germany team that beat England U21s six years ago . Teenager Luke Shaw is still young enough to play for England if they qualify for the European Championships . Roy Hodgson wants the likes of Raheem Sterling (right) to get more tournament experience . 'That's what the FA would like to happen,' Hodgson said. 'It will just be a question of Gareth and I sitting down and deciding which ones are the right ones to send. 'There is always going to be a risk that he and I decide that although this player could have done both we are not going to ask him to because he already has tournament experience, for example, or we think it's a bit unfair he has not been anywhere near the other ones and all of a sudden he jumps in. 'But it will be a real discussion point between Gareth and I and we get on very well in that respect. We both sing off the same hymn sheet.' Hodgson appears open to the idea of allowing the likes of Sterling, Wilshere and Barkley to compete in the tournament. When asked whether selection of senior players for the Under-21s should be restricted to those who do not play regular first-team football for their clubs, Hodgson replied: 'No. I am not putting any riders on it at all at the moment.' Hodgson put his faith in youth on Monday night and it paid off as England's inexperienced XI recorded an impressive 2-0 win in Switzerland, in a Euro 2016 qualifier. Fabian Delph impressed on his England debut against Swizterland on September 21 . John Stones started for England against Norway and Switzerland but made 'technical errors' in the latter . Fabian Delph impressed on his full debut and although 20-year-old Stones was guilty of committing 'technical errors', according to Hodgson, he looked relatively comfortable in his first competitive start too. Jack Colback, Danny Rose and Chambers all earned their first call-ups as Hodgson looked to draw a line under the winless World Cup campaign with a fresh-looking squad. After beating Switzerland, England's biggest qualification rivals, in such impressive fashion, Hodgson was glad he decided against turning to older, more experienced players like Gareth Barry and Jermain Defoe, whose international careers now look to be over. 'It was a case of me holding my nerve,' Hodgson said. 'I've tried to force myself to keep looking two years ahead.'
a two-legged play-off against Croatia, Gareth European Championships . Jordan Henderson was talent. Jack Wilshere (right) is one of the senior England players who could still play for Raheem Sterling (right) to get more tournament already has tournament experience, for example, allowing the likes of Sterling, Wilshere and