As far as we know, he doesn't smoke or chew cigars and he's barely old enough to grow a five o'clock shadow, but the England dressing-room is about to welcome the new Clint Eastwood.

A young man of few words, Gareth Barry has been compared to the film world's most famous gunslinger by his Aston Villa teammates for the clinical manner in which he goes about playing Premiership football.

With only two caps to his name, 19-year-old Barry is the youngest member of Kevin Keegan's squad for Euro 2000 and those who know him predict he will show no fear if he is given the chance to play in the tournament.

However, there will be no sign of the brash, charmless swagger associated with so many of today's Premiership teenagers, only the self-belief of a player who feels he is destined for great things.

During only two years at Villa Park, Barry has formed a firm friendship with former England forward Paul Merson. There may be 13 years between them but the pair have become confidants and Barry will face the biggest test of his career backed by a recommendation from his clubmate.

'The sky is the limit for Gareth and he can go on and become the best defender in the world,' said Merson. 'It's quite frightening. Nothing fazes him and he has tons of natural ability.

'I have never preached to him but we have become mates over time. Whenever he has asked for advice then I have been happy to oblige. I used to go to his house and play pool or we'd go to the cinema. At least, I did until he found himself a girlfriend! He's a great lad.

'To look at him, you wouldn't know what he was thinking - he never says more than four consecutive words. He will not change when he is with England but under-neath he's taking everything in.

'It sounds a cliché but he's just a level-headed lad and I really think he could have a great impact on these championships.

'I am not sure where he will play, if he plays at all, but if he played in the centre of the defence I think he could do for England what Matthias Sammer did for Germany in Euro 96. He has that ability to read the play, carry the ball and pass it.'

Anybody who has witnessed the lack of assurance shown by Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Sol Campbell in their distribution during recent friendlies against Brazil, Ukraine and Malta will find Merson's words significant.

But it is increasingly clear that it is the problem position on the left side of England's back line that represents Barry's best chance for action over the next three weeks.

While the former Brighton trainee may have made his name as a central defender over the last two seasons with Villa, that is not his favoured position.

He arrived at Villa two years ago having played at left back or on the left side of midfield. When youth coach Tony McAndrew changed his role, Barry was not impressed.

'When I came, I assumed I would play in midfield since that is what I had done since I started playing,' he said. 'When I was asked to move back into defence, it came as a shock and if

I'm honest I will admit that I did not like it at first. I kept thinking that maybe they would move me back into midfield but it didn't happen.'

Barry was reprimanded by Villa boss John Gregory earlier this season after breaking the traditional footballers' curfew the Thursday before a Premiership game.

The incident - for which the teenager was fined - was seen as a suggestion that Barry's early success had gone to his head. That has proved to be some way from the truth and Barry will hope to complete his graduation from boy to man in the high-pressure environment of this tournament.

The new Clint Eastwood? At least he should be useful in a shoot-out.

Meanwhile, Barry and his Villa and England team-mate Gareth Southgate will both miss the start of their club's InterToto Cup campaign next month.

The duo will be given a three-week break by Villa once England's Euro 2000 campaign ends and even if England are eliminated after their final group match against Romania on June 20, they are not expected to figure in Villa's first InterToto match on July 15 against a side from either Austria, Israel or the Czech Republic.