Might be of interest to some. Not trying to spark a debate

**NeilMcD** · 06/09/2006, 1:59 PM

A lot of people said I should have been in England's World Cup squad this summer, but I wasn't that disappointed to not be picked.

Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson with Sam Allardyce at Bolton last season
Sam Allardyce has always been very supportive of my England claims and it's a boost to hear nice things

Obviously, it is something I thought about last season - it wasn't a distraction, but I did wonder at times if I would get the opportunity.

I thought I might get the chance when I was on a great run of scoring goals and playing really well in the first half of last season but it did not happen.

It never upset me because even if former coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was at one of our games, I presumed he was watching someone else and towards the end I never got the feeling he would pick me.

But I must confess it would be great, having played in Europe with Bolton, to go up to the next level and that is what international football is.

England have got a fantastic squad with great midfield players, so it will be hard to break in but, fingers crossed, it will happen sooner or later.

If I get there I will know I deserve to be there and that I am a good player - I would have to think that otherwise I would turn up for training and make a right show of myself!

To be quite honest, I am pretty sure I would have broken into the England squad by now if I was playing for Manchester United or Liverpool.

I do think the Bolton thing holds you back a bit. No disrespect to them at all but some people see them as a smaller club - clearly I disagree with that.

But if I was playing for United or Liverpool I think I would have had a couple of chances with the squad.

I have imagined what it would be like just to take part in an England training session with so many world-class players

However, I want to make it clear I don't think I would ever come to the decision that in order to fulfil my international ambitions, I would leave Bolton.

I am at the perfect club to make sure I keep going in the right direction and we are heading the right way as a club, so if I keep progressing it is only a matter of time.

It is a new era with England now, with Steve McClaren in charge, and I wish them all the best. It would be brilliant for the country to win a major tournament soon.

I watch every England match and saw the World Cup games in the pub with everyone else, there is so much you can learn from watching those players in action.

So many people were slagging off England, but I thought they did well - they won their group and were unlucky with the way they went out.

You cannot play fantastic football in every game and win a tournament like that, it just doesn't happen.

Italy went on and won it but they were by no means brilliant every game, whereas Argentina played great football but ended up going home before England.

As Euro 2008 qualifying starts, we are already hearing a lot of talk about Uefa putting the smaller teams into a separate pool to compete for the right to be in groups with the likes of England.

Steven Gerrard tussles with Andorra's Marcio Vieira at Old Trafford
England and Steven Gerrard thrashed minnows Andorra

A lot of people were disappointed with the game against Andorra on Saturday because it was so one-sided, but it is not up to England to choose who they play.

A team was put on the pitch to defend against them for 90 minutes and they broke them down five times - and they did it because of the great players we have.

I have imagined what it would be like just to take part in an England training session with so many world-class players, the guys I compete against week-in, week-out.

My manager at Bolton, Sam Allardyce, has always been very supportive of my cause and it is always a boost to hear him say I should be in the England squad.

He is not stupid, he knows if he builds up my confidence I will play better football and I am the sort of player who needs an arm around my shoulder from time to time, which Sam is very good at.

I said to him last season that if he ever got the England job he had better put me in his first squad!

My name has also been mentioned with playing for the Republic of Ireland but there are just too many complications with that one.

I have spoken to their manager Steve Staunton a couple of times but it was just one of those things that did not work out for various reasons.

**shakermaker1982** · 07/09/2006, 7:03 AM

I wanted to put this up yesterday but thought it would cause mayhem on here!!! His first few sentences tells us everything. He isn't Irish in the slightest and only wants to play for England.