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England Under-21 captain James Ward-Prowse is eyeing a senior call-up, but admits he may be forced to bide his time. The Southampton midfielder trained with the first team at St George's Park on Tuesday to whet his appetite for more action with Gareth Southgate's side. He is preparing for Thursday's friendly with Italy in Southampton as the Young Lions get set for Euro 2017 in Poland, but is looking for the next step in his career. "It felt like when you were 15-years-old training with the first team for the first time, you had those butterflies and nerves,'' said Ward-Prowse, who was joined in the seniors by Under-21 teammates Nathan Redmond and Nathaniel Chalobah. "That's the place where all England players want to play. To be in an environment with top-class players and be on the same team as Wayne Rooney in training, you don't do it every day. "Everyone is desperate to get there, but it's a case of time and it'll happen at the right time. I have got to prove on a weekly basis I can perform for the club which merits the England call-up. It'll happen with time, but that's the end goal and I'm working hard to get there. "As a group we have worked hard to get to Poland. We had disappointment last time in the Czech Republic and we want to put things right.'' Southgate made Ward-Prowse full-time Under-21 captain after their Euro 2015 exit before he replaced Sam Allardyce on a caretaker basis in September. And the 22-year-old revealed his pride at the chance to lead his country out at St Mary's, after joining Southampton as an eight-year-old. "I've always wanted a fixture to come up here and finally it has,'' he said, with Aidy Boothroyd's side also facing France in Paris on Monday. "I'm not in charge of tickets -- I have got enough requests to deal with! I need to get the numbers, I think I have had 17 requests so far. Usually it's only seven or eight at the most. "It's a proud moment. It's obviously a honour to be captain, but to be captain at my home stadium, in front of my family and home fans, then it is something special.''
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