Gary Hooper has left the SPL to make it into England’s World Cup squad…
Norwich’s new £5.5m signing from Scottish Premier League champions Celtic, Gary Hooper, has claimed he moved south to aid his England chances, reports ITV Sport.
The Englishman scored 31 goals in the SPL last term, but has still yet to receive an England cap at any level.
“I wanted to play in the Premiership and to try to get an England call-up. I think there’s a good chance of that,” said 25-year-old Hooper.
Hooper felt that he had been regularly overlooked for his country because he was playing in Scotland, and was determined to move to the Premier League to give himself every chance of heading to Brazil next summer for the World Cup.
“You don’t really get a look in up there,” Hooper continued.
“Down here you’ve got more chance. The main thing is playing, getting on the pitch first, and doing what I do. To play for your country is anyone’s dream, but my first dream is to play in the Premiership.”
With the current lack of top quality English strikers, Hooper has every chance of a call-up should he consistently score goals for Norwich this season. Danny Welbeck gets into the England squad, as does Andy Carroll, who scored eight goals between them last term in the Premier League. Rickie Lambert was the top scoring English striker with 15, but has not yet been given a chance by Roy Hodgson.
Hooper could be paired with Norwich’s other striker signing Ricky Van Wolfswinkel this term, who cost £8.5m from Sporting Lisbon. Alternatively, he could be competing with the Dutchman to spearhead the Canaries this term.
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