Hayden is now proving he can Hack it with the very best talent

HAYDEN Hackney’s extended involvement with England Under-21s in the European Championships will give him a huge boost of confidence - and potentially boost his market value should Middlesbrough decide to sell.

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True, he did not play as much football in the Championships as he would have liked, but he played his part in England reaching tomorrow’s semi-final against the Netherlands.

Anyway, merely being part of the squad, listening to new playing techniques and ideas, and training alongside similar progressive players will do him the power of good.

It's a shot in the arm for his psyche, especially following two slightly curtailed seasons due to frustrating injuries, proving that, as a Championship player, he is good enough to rub shoulders with lads from bigger clubs.

If he does end up playing for a Premier League club next season, the Redcar-born midfielder will be even better equipped to deal with such a massive task.