Ollie Watkins has praised Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery for helping him get back in the England squad. The striker returned to the international scene for the first time since March 2022 and hit the only goal of the game as England beat Australia 1-0 in a Wembley friendly on Friday night. Watkins, 27, has scored four goals and provided four assists in the first eight Premier League games of the new season – including a memorable hat-trick against Brighton. He had scored just twice last campaign before Emery was appointed as Steven Gerrard’s successor in November but then hit 14 in 26 matches following the Spaniard’s arrival at Villa Park. Asked how it felt to return to the England set-up following time out of the squad, Watkins said: “I think my mindset has changed since the boss has come in, Unai Emery at Villa. “He’s filled me with a lot of confidence. I’ve definitely improved in these last 18 months since I was last in the England camp. I think my mindset has changed since the boss has come in...he's filled me with a lot of confidence Ollie Watkins on Unai Emery “I think it shows in my form and my performance here so I’m really happy and I’m delighted to be back in the squad and putting on an England shirt. “I envisioned it all (playing and scoring against Australia). I was itching to get on the pitch so I’m delighted I got my goal and it helped the team to win.” Realistically, Watkins is one of a number of forward options who will be vying to be the back-up to England captain and all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane at Euro 2024. Callum Wilson, Ivan Toney, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and newly-capped Eddie Nketiah are other strikers in Gareth Southgate’s pool but Watkins believes he is not a like-for-like replacement for Kane when he is given the nod. “I think I’ve got a completely different playing style to Harry, he can drop deep and play some unbelievable long passes – that’s not my game. I can’t do that,” he added. “My strengths are running in behind and stretching them so I can only do what I can do. When I put on the shirt I’ll try and do the best I can for my country and then it is the manager’s decision.” Read More Talking points as England face Fiji in World Cup quarter-finals Daniel James insists Wales can still qualify for Euro 2024 I feel sorry for the manager – Chiedozie Ogbene sympathises with Stephen Kenny Gareth Southgate questions why England fans booed Jordan Henderson Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible

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Five French soldiers have been charged with failing to assist 27 people who drowned trying to cross the Channel in the worst small boats disaster on record. A judicial source said nine people in total had been placed in custody over the tragedy and five were formally charged. The AFP news agency reported that those charged included three women and two men on duty at the Channel rescue centre at the time. The disaster sparked a row between the UK and France as each side tried to blame the other for failing to rescue the deceased. It took the UK and French coastguards 12 hours to respond following the first Mayday call. Call records released to lawyers by the French authorities as part of an investigation into the disaster found that the first distress call to the French coastguard was logged shortly before 2.15am on 21 November 2021. The boat overturned at around 3.15am. Shortly afterward, at 3.30am, a passenger reported that some of the group, mostly Iraqui kurds, were in the water. The French authorities replied: “Yes, but you are in English waters, Sir.” Those on board made more than 20 distress calls between 3.40am and 7.30am at sunrise. At around 2.00pm the rescue services arrived at the scene and all but two of the group had drowned or died of exposure. Throughout the course of the night the UK coastguard, responsible for logging emergency calls and coordinating search and rescue missions in the Channel, continued to deny that the dinghy was in British waters, repeatedly telling the passengers to call the French coastguard. The records from France suggest that the boat entered British waters at 2.30am. The charges were welcomed by a spokesperson for Utopia 56, an organisation representing the migrants. "We can only be delighted that things are progressing from a criminal point of view," said Flore Judet. According to AFP those in custody were from the French rescue service Cross Gris Nez, in charge of rescues in the Channel. Cross Gris Nez declined to comment. The Paris court in charge of the investigation was not immediately available for comment. Read More Migration by numbers: What’s really driving the surge in people coming to the UK? Immigration is a great British success story – politicians should tell the truth about it Scarred by war, Ukrainian children carry on after losing parents, homes and innocence Asylum backlog at record high as charities brand human cost of delays staggering Labour leads Tories in poll on immigration as figures set to show migration rise Starmer would stop lower wages for overseas workers used to fill UK jobs

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