BRENTFORD STRIKER SCOTT Hogan says he’s not thinking about his international prospects, despite being eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland.
The 24-year-old has been in tremendous form for Brentford in the Championship, scoring seven goals in his last four games after returning from a cruciate ligament injury.
After opening his account with a strike in his side’s 1-1 draw with Bristol City in April, Hogan has scored two goals in each of the subsequent fixtures against Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town.
His most recent double came in yesterday’s 5-1 thrashing of Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium, where Ireland assistant manager Roy Keane was a spectator.
However, Hogan was coy when asked about any international ambitions he may have, revealing that he actually opted against linking up with the Irish U21 team when he played for Rochdale in 2013-14.
“I got called up at Rochdale for the 21s but we had a game on the Friday and my manager didn’t want me go so I didn’t go,” Hogan told getwestlondon.com.
“I spoke to [Alan Judge] a couple of times and he’s had a reporter ring him and ask him. They’ve tried to get in touch with me but I don’t want to consider that.
“There are much more things I’m worried about than declaring what country I can play for. My grandma and granddad are Irish — my late grandfather was as well.
“I’m eligible to play for them but I’m a Brentford player and the last thing I’m thinking of is who I’m going to represent internationally. It’s getting ahead of myself a bit too much.”
Hogan’s team-mate Alan Judge made his senior international debut for the Boys in Green in March against Switzerland, but was ruled out of Euro 2016 after sustaining a broken leg.
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Doesn’t sound to pushed
This kind of article boils my blood.We have an actual Irish player who played in the Champions League last year and is after scoring a pile of goals this year and he can’t get within an asses roar of the squad yet we are now meant to call up this lad.
Thanks but no thanks. Don’t want anyone with that attitude. There’s been players for the U21s playing a league game the night before of after playing for the U21s without complaint. If he was anyway dedicated to the cause he would of turned up.
Bad state of affairs that Ireland is still scratching around begging Englishmen and championship players to turn up
There’s a different between him and the likes of Zat Knight who hawked himself to Ireland with a view only to raise his own profile and wages. This lad is second generation. An English lad who prob never thought about it much. Im sure a proposal like this takes a while to think about and its not like he is saying I will if England dont cap me. If he said yes and was then half asrsed then be as critical as you want.
We have got to stop this.
If a lad is proud of his heritage and has always fancied playing for Ireland there is absolutely no problem with that.
But clearly playing for Ireland is an after thought for him.
I really hope MON and Keane are not dangling the carrot of Euros in front of players like this to try to persuade them to sign up.
I’d be really sick for anyone pushed out of the Euro squad for last minute blow-ins.
For clarification my comment was directed against the lad who described our national team as a joke……