Gradi is keen to protect young goalkeeper Ben Garrett

Crewe Alexandra manager Dario Gradi intends to protect his 16-year-old goalkeeper Ben Garratt from the hustle and bustle of league football.

Garratt has returned to the club after keeping a clean sheet in his England Under-17 debut against Australia.

Gradi told BBC Radio Stoke: "Ben could be the first good keeper we have produced from the academy and I will make sure his progress is right."

Garratt was one of three Crewe young players selected for England duty.

The Market Drayton teenager is a regular in the Crewe academy team, along with fellow England Under-17 internationals Nick Powell and Max Clayton.

"Having three players in the England team could be a record for a club playing at our level," added Gradi.

"It's a tremendous achievement for everyone connected with the club to see those boys represent England. They did well in those games and will be better for the experience."

Powell, who scored a couple of goals for England in the round-robin tournament that saw them play Turkey, Australia, and Portugal, made his Crewe senior debut this season, when he came on for a brief appearance as a substitute against Cheltenham at Whaddon Road last month.

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