GARETH Southgate has questioned the value of this summer’s European Under-21 Championships, and admitted he is delighted David Wheater will be missing the tournament because of injury.

Wheater will undergo surgery in the summer to solve a knee problem that forced him out of last week’s crucial Tyne-Tees derby defeat to Newcastle.

The centre-half returned to action against Aston Villa on Saturday, and is expected to make himself available for Sunday’s must-win game at West Ham, but an operation has already been arranged to cure his long-standing knee complaint.

That operation will force him to pull out of England’s squad for next month’s European Under-21 Championships in Sweden, and while Southgate is an avid supporter of international football, the Middlesbrough manager feels this summer’s competition is a tournament too far.

“David will need surgery in the summer so he’ll miss the championship and that’s unfortunate for him,” said Southgate.

“But the break will do him the world of good. It does all players good to have time away from football over the summer.

“If you’re going away with the full international team it’s a fantastic honour, but I’m not convinced on levels below the full team it’s as worthwhile.

“I may have a different view on that to other people because I didn’t play at any other level, but a lot of the players going to the Under-21s will have played a hell of a lot of matches this season.

“You look at someone like (Gabriel) Agbonlahor who’s had a season that’s gone from Villa’s European campaign last August, and he’s being asked to play until the end of June.

“For me, in terms of David’s welfare and progression, he’s playing against the best players in the world week in week out in the Premier League anyway, so I don’t think it’ll do him any harm to have a rest.”

While Wheater will not be involved with the Under-21s, Middlesbrough are still likely to have at least two players in Stuart Pearce’s England squad.

Andrew Taylor and Adam Johnson are both likely to travel to Sweden, but neither will have made more than 21 Premier League starts this season, and Southgate feels their involvement in next month’s tournament could work in Boro’s favour.

“ I t ’ s different f o r Adam or Andrew because they haven’t played that many matches this season,” he said. “For Adam, he’ll view it as exciting.

“David has played every game for two years, but Andrew has missed big chunks of both seasons and Adam hasn’t played as much firstteam football as he’d have liked. So it’s different for t h o s e two.

“It’s a difficult thing for any player because you want to play for your international team and you obviously don’t want to effect your chances of playing at full international level. But, for me, full level is the only thing that’s important.”

Meanwhile, Boro centrehalf Robert Huth has been recalled to the Germany squad for this summer’s tour of Asia.

Huth’s last involvement with the German national team came in the 2006 World Cup finals, but his recent form on Teesside has seen him recalled to Joachim Low’s squad.

“I had never written Robert off,” said the Germany boss.

“He has impressed in the Premier League this season so we are happy to have him back.”