11 September 2014 10:08
Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole has set his sights on forcing his way into England manager Roy Hodgson’s plans.
The 25-year-old has not featured internationally since his days in the Under-21 set-up, but the retirements of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard following the World Cup opened up two vacancies in central midfield.
Aston Villa’s Fabian Delph and Jack Colback of Newcastle United won maiden call-ups for the recent fixtures against Norway and Switzerland, but Cattermole fancies his chances of becoming a contender.
“You see lads getting opportunities now and for me that has got to be a motivation,” he is quoted as saying by MailOnline. “In recent years, it is not something for me to be too interested in because of the names that were playing – the Gerrards and the Lampards.
“But you look at the boys who have got in and who are playing well and that is something that I am trying to achieve.
“So yes, it has become a goal for me getting into the squad. England is going through that cycle of change right now.
“We’ve got a few English players here – Jack Rodwell, Adam Johnson, Connor Wickham and me – and I’d like to think Roy Hodgson will come up [to see us play].
“I am in a good time in my career at the moment. I feel I am not having to try as hard on the pitch and that helps.
“That is a big thing for me. I am really comfortable about my game, very focussed every week now.”
England began their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win in Switzerland on Monday.