Szmodics: 'I was disappointed that I didn’t get the call for November'
FOCUS ON THE FUTURE: Sammie Szmodics is focusing on the future and has left being left out of the squad in November in the past. Pic: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Uncapped Ireland attacker Sammie Szmodics admits it would be strange to face Hungary in June given the controversy that’s erupted over his allegiance.
A swashbuckling season for the Blackburn Rovers man entailing 27 goals so far has catapulted the Colchester-born man into the public glare, both from a club and country standpoint.
That he’s still without an Ireland cap at 28 despite being available since acquiring his passport two years ago is a plotline that continues to carry him around but he’s adamant there was only one country for him.
Hungary Marco Rossi recently accused Szmodics of using his eligibility and a potential switch of nationality to leverage his Ireland prospects, a claim he flatly denies.
He’s poised to be finally handed his debut by interim boss John O’Shea this Saturday against Belgium, with Switzerland to come four days later, but a third home in a row on June 4 against the Euros-bound Magyars will be the spiciest given the player’s latest remarks on Ireland duty.
"That would be a strange feeling but hopefully I get this camp under my belt and ticked off," he said about the potential Szmodics derby.
“It is frustrating because (Rossi) doesn’t know me and doesn’t know those things to say about me, especially after not even speaking to anyone.
“I’m fully focused on Ireland and background noise. People can write things on Twitter and say things on Twitter but until you hear it from myself, you know that’s all nonsense.”
Injury and personal reasons contributed to his withdrawals from Ireland squads last year but he was snubbed by Stephen Kenny for his final double-header in November.
“Family comes first,” he said about speculation about his indifference to the Ireland set-up.
“I’m not going to speak about the issue but I had to go home.
“When you read Twitter people question if I wanted to play for Ireland, it’s ridiculous. This is something I wanted to do when I was 24.
“I was disappointed that I didn’t get the call for November but ultimately it’s the manager’s decision.
“I thought I’d done enough at club level but he chose to go with other people. The past is the past; I’ve got to focus on this and future camps and take the opportunity with both hands.”
As the Championship’s top scorer and the player available to O’Shea in the most prolific form, he seems a shoo-in to feature against the team ranked fourth in the world. Arguably, a start is justified.
"My form speaks for itself at the minute,” he says with assuredness. “I can play as a striker, in the 10 position or wide areas. For me, it is good to be able to play in a number of positions.
"This season I’m just playing with a different confidence at Blackburn. We lost a lot of senior boys so it felt like I had to step up on the leadership side of things. Maturing off the pitch has brought my form to where it is on it.
"(My debut) has been a long time coming. With my goals and games for Blackburn, seeing others make their debut has made me hungry.” Don’t tell Marco Rossi that.
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