Thursday 12 October 2017 17:12, UK
West Ham forward Andy Carroll says he is getting fitter all the time after missing the start of the season with injury.
And the 28-year-old is hopeful he can do enough over the remainder of the season to force his way into contention for a place in the England World Cup squad.
Carroll has started three of West Ham's last four in the Premier League, including a pair of key home wins, and will get another chance to impress at Burnley on Saturday.
And, while England qualified comfortably for Russia 2018, their play was often criticised as uninspiring, and it has been suggested that Carroll's aerial ability and physical prowess might come in useful come the tournament.
Carroll told Sky Sports: "It would be nice to be in the squad, it is nice to be spoken about in that way.
"All I have got to do is work hard and hopefully get the call but, at the minute, I am focused on getting fully fit here, scoring goals, and getting good results. If I deserve it, hopefully I will get the call."
Carroll has nine England caps to his name already and is adamant he can still be a force at that level.
"Definitely," he added. "I am confident of what I can do and it is different to what they have got at the minute. I am fully confident of my ability."
Carroll missed the start of the season but is hitting his stride now and thinks there is more to come.
"I am feeling good," he said. "I am feeling a lot sharper than I did at the beginning of the season, getting back fit. I have had a run of games. In training, I feel a lot sharper, not 100 per cent yet but I am getting there."
And Carroll is starting to form a useful-looking partnership in attack with summer recruit Javier Hernandez, a prolific goal-getter throughout his career, who has notched three times in the Premier League this season so far.
"Javier Hernandez has brought a sharpness up front," said Carroll. "You know exactly what he is about and it is great to have him in the squad. I am 100 per cent confident we can play together, we played 4-4-2 last time and we got the result."
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic was asked about Carroll's World Cup claims at his media briefing on Friday and said: "Players are hoping and thinking of the World Cup, not only British players but the foreigners too.
"It's a motivation and it's the same for Andy Carroll. He needs to be consistent, play well, score goals and make an impact on a regular basis for West Ham, to think about an England call-up.
"I watched the second England game because of (Hammers full-back) Aaron Cresswell, but Andy needs to concentrate on club football, because only by playing well for West Ham will he force (England manager) Gareth Southgate to give him a call."
