Bradley Johnson says he is concentrating on doing his best for Norwich, with any potential England call-up serving as a bonus.
Norwich midfielder says England call-up would be a bonus
Bradley Johnson says he is concentrating on doing his best for Norwich, with any potential England call-up serving as a bonus.
The 24-year-old was named in Fabio Capello's provisional squad for their Euro 2012 qualifying contest in Montenegro in October but did not make the final cut.
The former Leeds player has impressed in the Canaries' midfield this season and will continue to put all of his focus into performing for his club side.
"If I had got the call-up, it would have been a bonus," Johnson told the
Yorkshire Evening Post.
"But I didn't get the call and obviously it's in the back of my mind. I want to play for my country and it's going to give me that incentive to work harder, but I am going to concentrate on Norwich first and if I get a call-up it's a bonus for me."
Representing England would cap a remarkable turnaround for Johnson, who considered quitting football when he was released by boyhood club Arsenal in his teens.
He added: "I was at Arsenal from the age of 10 to 15. I was a supporter of Arsenal and still am.
"All my family are. It was a boyhood dream to play for Arsenal and for them to tell me I wasn't good enough and they didn't want to give me a new contract broke my heart. I just lost interest in football.
"I got kicked out of school and everything else didn't look like it was going for me, but my family stood strong by me and my dad told me to keep my head up and kept on taking me training with my local team."
