FORMER England greats David Platt and Bryan Robson today joined forces in predicting David Dunn is the man to lead the Under 21s to European Championship glory.

The free-scoring Blackburn midfielder looks certain to captain his country tonight as they kick-off their campaign against host nation Switzerland in Zurich.

And both Platt and Robson believe the Rovers starlet is ready to take the prestigious eight-team tournament by storm as he makes up for the disappointment of missing out on a trip to the World Cup.

"David Dunn has had a particularly good season and may well have had a strong case for inclusion in the World Cup squad," said Robson, who ought to be one of the best judges there is when it comes to goalscoring midfielders.

"He has a more combative style and that might have made him a better straight replacement for the injured lads."

However, Sven Goran Eriksson's loss has turned out to be Platt's gain and the Under 21 chief had little hesitation in identifying his skipper as England's potential player of the tournament before a ball has been kicked.

"In World Cups and European Championships, you invariably find that someone snatches the chance to make a name for himself," said Platt, who did exactly that at Italia 90.

"Someone ends up being the talking point of the tournament and I have a feeling that could be Dunny.

"He has the ability to become the complete player. He scores plenty of goals for a midfield player, spectacular ones at that, and he has a presence about him.

"He looks a very good player in good company when he's on the training pitch, and that isn't easy to do every single day.

"In the second half of the season, his game has gone on to a different level. That's his ability and that's what he gives you whether he's playing well or not.

"At any given time, he'll turn the game for us, and I think I've got several players in the squad that can do that for me.

"Remember his goal against Holland in Utrecht in November?

"There was a swagger about it that said everything about what he can do when he's on top of his game.

"It can make all the difference when you need something special and that is why I believe his name will be on everyone's lips by the time we have finished here.

"I expect him to play in all five games and to be lifting the trophy at the end of it."

Dunn, himself, is certainly champing at the bit to prove a point to Eriksson after failing to make England's squad for the Far East.

He has already tasted victory in one Cup this season following Rovers' exploits in the Worthington Cup and he would love to cap a another brilliant campaign by leading the Under 21s to glory.

"That's the first thing I've won (Worthington Cup), so it would be lovely to go out in my last year with the Under-21s by winning this," admitted Dunn.

"We all know there's a lot of hard work to be done, but we're confident that we've got what it takes. The last two friendlies we've played against Portugal and Italy, we haven't been at our best, we all know that.

"But if we do play our best and we show the form that we did against Greece and Germany, then we firmly believe that we can go on and win it."

Platt -- who has few selection problems -- has underlined the importance of getting the tournament off to a winning start tonight.

"If you look at history and look at tournaments, getting off to a good start and winning the first game is of paramount importance," he said.

"But it doesn't determine whether you win the championship or you don't. You're still going to have to follow that up.

"I'd hate to be sitting here tonight saying that we're not going to qualify now because we've not won our first game, because that won't be the case.

"I believe that we can win all five games, and the players believe that.

"The message I will give to the players is that this is a game we should win, could win and, in inverted commas, must win."

A victory would set Platt's side up perfectly for tough games against Italy on Monday night and Portugal two days later.

Team wise, Chris Riggott is likely to partner Gareth Barry in central defence, while Leeds striker Alan Smith may get the nod on the left side of midfield with Peter Crouch partnering Jermain Defoe in attack.