~RS~q~RS~v=~RS~z~RS~01~RS~)
Grant Holt: Norwich City striker hits out at England selection policy
Norwich City striker Grant Holt says he has given up on being picked for England and believes other players have been denied chances by Roy Hodgson.
Holt, 31, was the Premier League's second-highest English scorer last season, but was not included in the national squad for Euro 2012.
Grant Holt's Norwich record
| Season and competition | Games | Goals |
|---|---|---|
|
2012-13 - Premier League |
6 |
1 |
|
2011-12 - Premier League |
36 |
15 |
|
2010-11 - Championship |
45 |
21 |
|
2009-10 - League One |
39 |
22 |
He said his omission was "ridiculous" and does not expect a future call-up.
"I gave up on that," he told BBC Radio Norfolk. "I think I'll never be in it. Roy's come in and picking his players."
Holt added: "When two friendlies came up [against Norway and Belgium] and I wasn't included it was ridiculous to be honest.
"He hasn't given anyone opportunities - people like Nathan Dyer and Danny Graham from Swansea didn't even get a look in, but that's life."
Grant Holt“Any neutral looking at the England squad could have written it down beforehand and not been far off”
Hodgson's latest squad contains two uncapped players - Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster and Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross - and Holt believes his former Rochdale team-mate Rickie Lambert, who has scored four Premier League goals for Southampton this season, should have been considered.
"He's scoring the goals. He's done well. But I think any neutral looking at that list could have written it down beforehand and not been far off," said Holt.
"Unless Rickie Lambert scores 25 goals or bags 10 in the next two months I don't think he'll get close."
Holt has been in and out of the Canaries line-up this season, scoring just the one goal - the same number he had at this time in 2011-12.
And, after a summer of speculation over his future, the forward reacted sarcastically to questions about his commitment to the club.
"I've given up this year. I've decided to bin it off," he said. "I've signed my three-year deal and I thought I'd leave it this year, sit back, have a few cans and a few cigarettes and chill with the kids.
"It's a ridiculous question. No I haven't [lost my hunger]."
Comments
Jump to comments pagination
All posts are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules.
Related to this story
Featured in this story
More from Football
Elsewhere on the BBC
-
A leaf from nature's book
Cities rely on systems which pollute our world, but that will all change in the future, writes Rachel Armstrong
-
Comment number 263.
Coxie6th October 2012 - 14:55
I think this is an accurate assessment: http://newsthump.com/2012/10/05/norwich-citys-grant-holt-urged-to-watch-a-few-videos-of-norwich-citys-grant-holt/
Link to this (Comment number 263)
Comment number 262.
Mildred Sausage5th October 2012 - 16:35
Holt is spot on! His refusal to look beyond the higher club bench-warmers and at the goldmine of talent who play regularly for the lower clubs like Swansea, Norwich et al is:
a. costing the English national team dear and
b. must cause players of those lower clubs to question whether they should be playing at these clubs
The most agrieved man in the English game should be Nathan Dyer
Link to this (Comment number 262)
Comment number 261.
slamdunkthefunk5th October 2012 - 16:22
I have read through these posts?
Ok summer 2008 Norwich spend 400k on a "journeyman", summer 2010 a £2m bid is made and summer 2012 a £5.5m bid is made some 1300% more than the purchase price.
Umm anyone else had that recently?
GH's problem is its come to late at 31, Rickie Lambert will suffer the same fate...
Link to this (Comment number 261)
Comment number 260.
Reinasbaldhead5th October 2012 - 14:56
He has had one good season at the top and let's be honesstm he won't do it again this season. I'd pick Crouch, Owen, Hooper and Sturridge before Holt and maybe a few more
Link to this (Comment number 260)
Comment number 259.
reddwarf27085th October 2012 - 14:47
You have to play for the big 5 to get an England call up! Oh actually, Everton or Spurs will do.
Hodgson would never pick a Norwich player though...apart from John Ruddy.
Crouch may have played for Liverpool but now he's moved to Stoke he has no chance...even though Ryan Shawcross has been picked...oh, and Adam Johnson left City for Sunderland but is still getting picked.
Link to this (Comment number 259)
Comments 5 of 263