Looking north of the border?

Celtic could provide two England internationals in the coming weeks and months, if Neil Lennon is right in his thinking...

Recently Fraser Forster has been linked with a potential England call-up with his Celtic manager backing claims that the keeper is good enough to be considered.

Gary Hooper has previously been linked with an England call-up, and I think he had been selected in an England U21 squad but had to withdraw due to injury, but as yet the striker has not received the call.

The Celtic man was would have been watched recently, when Ray Clemence went to watch Forster, in a champions league meeting with Benfica and following 4-goals in the 4-1 win over Raith at the weekend Lennon has called for him to get his chance: 'in Hooper we have a phenomenal player, not just his goals but his play in general was of a very high standard tonight. If you look at his record, he does score a lot of goals and it is the hardest thing to do, and he scores in the big games.

'He is a good footballer, an intelligent footballer, very quick over five or 10 yards, his touch is sublime at times. He has led the line brilliantly for us this season and I think he is good enough to play for England.'

High praise, but you would not expect anything less from his club manager would you?

It is also the fact that he can 'play a little bit differently' that Lennon fills he could have a particular edge and is worth looking at with him being an 'all-round' striker: 'at times he has had to play a little bit differently, particularly in Europe but all those aspects are building up to him being the all-round striker that he is.

'He thrives on goals, obviously, but his link-up play is fantastic and he is developing very well.'

The 24-year-old has 7-goals in 7 games this season end ended last season as the clubs topscorer with 29 in total.

Quite clearly the former Scunthorpe man knows where the back of the net is but, with all due respect to Scottish football, the SPL it is not always the highest level of football in which to judge a player by is it?

To be fair I reckon the guy would be worth a look at and I suspect that if he continues to do the business Roy Hodgson would do so, as he may well Forster too...

Vital England on:

Vital England on:

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