Beattie for England?

[mattbianco1]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/8146142.stm

....
Stoke City's James Beattie is hoping to force himself into Fabio Capello's England squad when the Premier League season kicks off on 15 August.

The 31-year-old striker, who has five international caps, made his last appearance for England in 2003.

The former Southampton man told BBC Radio Stoke: "It's always in the back of your mind, but first and foremost I need to perform for Stoke City.

"If I can get that right, who knows. I'll keep my fingers crossed."

England's next World Cup qualifier is against Croatia at Wembley on 9 September.

Beattie, along with the rest of the Potters squad, returned for pre-season training on Thursday, in readiness for the club's tour of Austria.

The former Everton and Sheffield United forward added: "We do the hard work now to set us up for the season, and the rewards are there for all to see.

"We help each other through it, and everybody will be pulling in the right direction. If one of the lads is struggling a little bit, the other lads will pull them through and help them along."

Beattie, a £3.5m acquisition from the Blades in January, scored seven goals in 16 matches to help Stoke finish 12th at the end of their first season in the Premier League.
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I think he's got a chance to be fair to him. He and Darren Bent were the best english strikers towards the end of the season and they seem to get over-looked.

I can see it now, World Cup 2010 first group game.

Jagielka Naughton & Beattie all in the starting 11.

 

[Foxy]

Does he have a stock of press quotes he uses?

I'm 99% sure he came out with an almost identical statement, even down to the helping others along whilst at the lane.

 

[mattbianco1]

Does he have a stock of press quotes he uses?

I'm 99% sure he came out with an almost identical statement, even down to the helping others along whilst at the lane.

He's a footballer at the end of the day. His English skills probably aren't great. He'll have got a screwed up bit of paper in his pocket and will read it everytime the press ask him a question.

Mr Press Man - "Well James, that was an unfortunate own goal you scored today. That could be the turning point of the whole season."

Mr Beattie - "It's always in the back of your mind, but first and foremost I need to perform for Sheffield United erm, i mean Stoke City. If I can get that right, who knows. I'll keep my fingers crossed.... Have you got a marker pen?"

 

[Foxy]

He's a footballer at the end of the day. His English skills probably aren't great. He'll have got a screwed up bit of paper in his pocket and will read it everytime the press ask him a question.

I'd hope he's brighter than the average footballer, having gone to a grammar school @ over £3k a term

 

[SotonBlade]

I think Beattie is talking himself up a bit here, can't see him getting a call up unles we get serious injury issues. Even then it would be mainly to make up the numbers. Capello would more than likely call up youngsters instead anyhow!

 

[torridon]

Unlikely and not sure the goals will be flowing anyway now that Stoke are in that difficult second season i.e Ipswich and Reading.