[12 FEB 02] COVENTRY CITY NEWS

Kid Lee Gets International Call-Up

by Stuart Linnell

With just a dozen Sky Blues first-team appearances under his belt, and having only played for his country previously at under-18 level, Fowler is in the squad that will face the World Cup favourites at the Millennium Stadium in his home city of Cardiff on Wednesday night.

His call up is a further accolade for Coventry City’s academy. Under the guidance of Academy Director Richard Money several of the club’s young players have developed into potential stars, with Callum Davenport, Robert Betts and Gary McSheffrey, as well as Fowler, being called on for first-team duty in recent weeks.

Although many fans will point to the return of more experienced players like Chippo, Safri, Hughes and Thompson as the key to the victories against Rotherham and Crewe, no one could accuse the youngsters of letting the club down.

Davenport has earned rave reviews whenever he has played at the heart of the city defence, Betts and Fowler have shown themselves to be more than capable in mid-field and McSheffrey is a fans' favourite after his spectacular goal at Crystal Palace and sensational near-miss against Gillingham.

International recognition for Fowler is just reward for the young player himself and for the Sky Blues Academy as a whole.