Fabian Delph's Willingness to Grasp Opportunities Led Him to the England Team

Opportunity is everything in football. Very few come along on the international stage for most players and Monday was Fabian Delph's chance to establish his position in the England squad.

Following his impressive competitive debut in England's 2-0 victory over Switzerland in their opening Euro 2016 qualifier in Basel, there is little question that he rose more than adequately to the occasion.

"The bold approach paid off," Roy Hodgson said of England's performance in an interview with the BBC, but one could be forgiven for thinking the veteran manager was referring to Delph's display alone.

The Aston Villa man was solid in central midfield alongside Jordan Henderson, showing England fans what Villa Park has been witnessing for seasons: his capacity to add drive and tenacity to that most vital area of the pitch.

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Perhaps a little over-zealous in the early stages of the game with some rash challenges, one of which resulted in a yellow card, Delph played the remaining 70 minutes or so with the discipline and composure of a player with far more than just one cap to his name.

Significantly, in a side that has been repeatedly criticised for its lack of energy and willingness to truly commit to the cause, Delph represents a breath of fresh air for England fans.

His trademark fiery edge has been a part of his game since he signed his first professional contract with Leeds in 2007 at the age of just 18. Indeed, it is part of who he is, which will excite English supporters who have been awaiting the particular brand of dynamism that Delph offers.

Although he is still only 24 years old, it is fair to say that Delph has developed relatively slowly. Given the amount of time he has been playing regular professional football, it has taken the Bradford-born midfielder a number of years to develop a consistent standard of quality and the character to compete at the top level.

As proven in Switzerland, Delph is now mature enough to demonstrate his considerable skills in the international arena.

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In practice, this manner of progression is important, and Delph's career thus far should be an example to many young English players as well as to the coaching staff in the England setup who have, in recent times, often been too hasty in their selection of talented but highly inexperienced players.

It is imperative that players are given the time and the opportunity to develop before having the ineluctable pressure of performing in an England shirt placed on their youthful shoulders. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say.

Delph has had the opportunity to make improvements, to become the player he is now, and this will be mutually beneficial for the player and the country he will hope to represent in numerous upcoming tournaments. This is, in no small part, thanks to the guidance he has received from Paul Lambert at Aston Villa.

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A purchase made during Martin O’Neill's tenure at Villa Park, Delph was touted as one for the future—an enthusiastic young talent whose frenetic style had terrorised defences in the Football League. In his first three seasons at the club, Delph made just 26 appearances in a Villa shirt and was loaned back to Leeds United to further his growth in January 2012.

As mentioned, Delph's career as a Premier League midfielder was slow in getting off the ground, and injuries played a big role in shaping his stunted start to life in the Midlands.

In April 2010, he suffered a cruciate ligament injury and was sidelined for eight months. Almost two years later, in January 2012, Delph picked up an ankle injury while on loan at Leeds and was forced to return to Villa.

Paul Lambert's appointment as Villa manager in June 2012 would represent the opportunity that Delph had been waiting three years for, as he became a regular under the charge of the Scot.

Having learned from the likes of club captain Stiliyan Petrov, Delph created a strong relationship in central midfield with Ashley Westwood, the former buzzing around, winning possession and launching attacks while the latter took the responsibility of sitting and controlling those in front of him. This is a partnership that has grown nicely for Villa in recent years.

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At the end of the 2013-14 season, Delph's hard work, exceptional passing accuracy and spectacular goals resulted in him being voted Player of the Year by Aston Villa supporters.

Now, having made a magnificent start to the new campaign and with his first England cap earned, Delph must be grateful for all that he has learned during his comparatively long but still young career.

Most notably, though, Delph will appreciate that the opportunities he has taken at Leeds and, above all, at Villa are the reason for his England call-up and the subsequent success that awaits him if he continues in the same vein.

Everything he has done so far suggests he will be bold in his grasping of every future opportunity.

Lambert, having given Delph the opportunity and belief to turn himself into a top-class Premier League midfielder, might want to tie him down to a new contract sooner rather than later.