Wayne Routledge is determined to prove he can make the grade.
EXCLUSIVEThe England Under-19 starlet received widespread praise for his displays last term after helping Palace secure a return to the top-flight through the play-offs.
Routledge has been widely tipped to go on and secure full honours for his country after exciting crowds with his combination of speed, trickery and directness.
However, the 19-year-old told insists he is fully focused on the present, and the mission of trying to keep Palace in The Premiership.
"I want to try and keep a high level of performance this season," he told skysports.com.
"I was quite happy with my performances last year but hopefully I can kick on and continue to progress.
"I want to try and help the team stay up and prove I am capable of playing at this level."
Routledge concedes Palace face a daunting task this term, but admits he and his team-mates are relishing the opportunity to test themselves against the best England has to offer.
"The buzz around our training ground, the stadium and the area is phenomenal at the moment," he continued. "We can't wait for the season to kick off really.
"Only time will tell (if we are ready). We have a number of players who have played in The Premiership already, and also a number who haven't so we won't really know until we start the season.
"In terms of performance we are definitely ready to go and we can't wait to start."
| 15/1 Palace receive 44 points on the Premiership handicap - Click here for full odds with Sky Bet |
