Lennon hopes to earn England recall

, 3 September, 22comments  |  Jump to most recent
Aaron Lennon is hoping that a settled run of games now that he is a permanent fixture at Everton will provide him the platform to force his way back into the international setup.

The 28-year-old has 21 England caps to his name but has dropped out of the reckoning for his country after losing his place in Tottenham's first team.

Fired up again after joining the Blues on transfer deadline day this week, Lennon told the Liverpool Echo: “[The England team] is definitely one of my aims.

“I didn’t have a good run of games for the last maybe couple of seasons until I came back up here, but hopefully if I can get a great run of games in the team and get a good run out it’s definitely my aim to try and push for an England spot again.”

In terms of his readiness for Everton, the winger will have 10 days' training before the Blues take on Chelsea to fine tune what he says is already a good base of fitness.

“I haven’t played pre-season games but I’ve trained a lot and I feel really good,” Lennon continued. “I’m in good condition, so once I get the game time in I don’t see why not.

“I’ve trained near enough every day this season so I’m in good shape and raring to go.”

 

Reader Comments (22)

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Barry Jones
1 Posted 03/09/2015 at 03:15:45
I don’t see why he should not be considered again for England. Many wingers are just bluster. They beat a few players then balloon the cross into the stands or somewhere else equally inaccessible.

Lennon, on his day, delivers a good end product quite consistently. I have always liked this about him. I hope he succeeds and gets back into the England squad. He definitely has the ability.

Phil Sammon
2 Posted 03/09/2015 at 05:56:40
With the haphazard way the England squads are selected then after a run of good performances Lennon could well be re-called.

Good for him, but a sad indicator of where the national team is headed i.e. nowhere.

Stumbling from competition to competition without a consistent plan for the future. A manager who has no interest in a long-term strategy...and why would he, given his age. An under 21 side led by a proven failure - relentlessly pilfered of players as soon as they are deemed First Team material. Always focusing on the individual rather than building a team.

It’s a rudderless ship and I lament the fact that Everton players are dragged aboard - inevitably to be blamed for another crap team performance. Couldn’t be Lampard's, Terry's, Gerrard's or Rooney’s fault... They’re England heroes, I tell ya!

Bring on San Marino! Another International showpiece!

Not for me thanks.

Steavey Buckley
3 Posted 03/09/2015 at 06:14:12
Roy Hodgson likes to play strikers on the wing, which is bad news for England full backs, such as Baines, who then have to get forward and defend without little or no support.
Brian Porter
4 Posted 03/09/2015 at 06:47:35
Good for you, Aaron. Nice to know we've signed a player with real ambition. With such a dream to aim for it should inspire him to produce his best in an Everton shirt.
Jim Bennings
5 Posted 03/09/2015 at 08:33:22
At 28 he should actually be a more complete player than when he was a raw 20-year-old all about pace.

I think you are going to see a better Aaron Lennon again this season, I personally quite liked the damage he caused when coming inside on those mazy runs.

This could be a key factor this season for us, defenders hate players running at them.

Murdo Laing
6 Posted 03/09/2015 at 09:45:16
There’s far worse players than Lennon who have pulled on an England shirt. Good luck to him, let’s see what he can do in a blue shirt( again). He did himself no harm at all in his loan spell and showed aspects to his game that most of us were probably unaware of. Credit to him also for keeping himself in good shape whilst forced to train with the "stiffs" at Spurs.

As for England, I would have thought that the likes of Sterling, Townsend and even Young would be ahead of Aaron in the pecking order. Nice to see his positive thoughts, however.

Drew Shortis
7 Posted 03/09/2015 at 09:49:15
I really couldn't give a monkey's about England. Getting called up looks good on a player but really what's the point. I hate the international break and the Euro's and World Cup are almost always (bar 1990 and 1996) a massive let-down.

Good luck to Aaron, but he should now be focussed totally on his Everton career. An England call-up is just a bit of kudos.

Christopher Timmins
8 Posted 03/09/2015 at 10:03:38
Not the creative number 10 Martinez pinpointed at the end of last season but at £4M he is a sound investment. However, in the pecking order he must be behind Gerard and Kevin but adds competition.
Jim Bennings
9 Posted 03/09/2015 at 10:08:01
Have to agree with you there Drew.

The England team bores... very little interest anymore for me; it's something I stopped really caring about since the 1998 World Cup.

Don’t get me wrong: I was glued to the TV back in 86 when you couldn’t not have been engrossed, and even in Italia 90 and Euro 96... but these days you can even see that, apart from Rooney and a handful of others, it means nothing to them representing the National Team.

Who really wants to get behind of team with plebs like Sterling and Vardy in? I mean Jamie Vardy in the England team says it all these days that anyone can make it.

Tony George
10 Posted 03/09/2015 at 10:12:54
I think he will have quite a battle to cement his place in the Everton team. With RM only ever favouring one winger in the starting line-up and Deulofeu looking good enough for a regular slot, Aaron may find it more difficult to make his mark this time round.

Of course, the absence of Cleverley opens up a slot but that may go to a more central operator (like Ossie?) than any of the plethora of right wingers we now boast.

Jim Bennings
11 Posted 03/09/2015 at 11:08:09
Tony

I just disagree with you about the Lennon/Deulofeu debate!

I believe Martinez sees Deulofeu as a sub cameo player for the near future at least, I think he trusts Lennon far more to look after Seamus Coleman defensively and taking a glance at upcoming fixtures, Chelsea, Swansea away, Liverpool and Manchester United back to back before a trip to Arsenal, I don’t see him giving Deulofeu too many starts.

Let's not forget even Mirallas is not 100% fit apparently (don’t know why) but out of Lennon, Mirallas and Deulofeu, I think it’s safe to say Kevin Mirallas is one who could be employed on the left flank more often.

I personally see Lennon starting against Chelsea next Saturday, we’ll see but that’s my opinion.

Tony George
12 Posted 03/09/2015 at 11:22:32
It could well work out as you suggest, Jim, but I don't imagine Ged came back here with aspirations to be only 'an impact player'.

Like you, I'd go for Mirallas on the left but suspect RM will favour Kone or Naismith. Somehow, I thought the manager would go for a little more balance - are there no left-footed wingers in the world anymore ?

Mark Andersson
13 Posted 03/09/2015 at 11:28:24
Have to agree with Jim Bennings. I’m not one for formations and tactics all I go is what I see and last season Lennon made a difference so I hope he has the same impact this season.

If we cant beat Liverpool this season then Martinez should be sacked for that alone.

They have had a lucky start, even old Array Redcrap says they are woeful. Think he was after Brendan’s job.

Jim Bennings
14 Posted 03/09/2015 at 12:13:07
It’s a good point that Tony and one not many of us has touched on... All of the wingers we have are right-footed.

I can’t think of too many left footed wingers that would have fit the bill for us can you?
Stewart Downing obviously past his, never that good anyway left to Middlesbrough.

Charles N'Zogbia?...hmmmm.

Anyone else? Maybe abroad?

Yarmolenko was obviously left sided and Shaqiri but it’s worthless mentioning them now.

I think Kevin Mirallas does do okay cutting in from the left flank, he has scored quite a few goals from that position and he plays that area more effectively than than Deulofeu and Lennon.

For me Deulofeu is an out-and-out right winger at this stage in his career, he can only really do the right wing.

Lennon can in my opinion, at least from the evidence I saw in his loan spell, be useful coming inside, he caused quite a bit of havoc running in from the right whereas Delboy more often than not looks to go on the outside.

It's certainly a decent conundrum to have; let’s just hope Martinez gets it right.

Jim Bennings
15 Posted 03/09/2015 at 12:22:19
Apologies to Aiden McGeady by the way, I hadn't forgotten him it's just a matter of realism.

I can't see McGeady ever really being a regular anymore at Everton, which is a slight shame, I appreciate he can put over a good cross and there have been glimpses but safely nowhere near enough at this level.

I'd not be surprised to see him seek a new club in January.

Steve Foster
16 Posted 03/09/2015 at 12:29:31
I maybe reading too much in to it, but I think Lennon is the 'here & now' for the RM/RW position, and I personally could be a stroke of Genius.

He has signed a 3 year deal, so in 2 years he is going to be in the same position at the age of 30/31 looking for a new club, or letting his contract run down. So Roberto starts with him, makes him No.1 for the Right, but then 'eases' in Gerry over Lennons contract. Hence, shielding Gerry from the 'Buy Back' vision of Barca.

I mean, would they be interested in someone whom 2 years after the move just be settling in to the first team full time?

Jim Bennings
17 Posted 03/09/2015 at 12:41:20
Further apologies to our Steven Pienaar who sadly, I hold my hand up, I had forgotten about.

Really you just need to read McGeady though.

Pienaar, one of my favourite players, has surely played his last real part of being a vital member in the team.

Too many injuries for the guy have totally destroyed his twilight years, a real shame for a player whose footballing brain was his quickest asset.

Duncan McDine
18 Posted 03/09/2015 at 13:01:01
I’m struggling to visualise our strongest 11 this season... Hopefully Roberto has a better idea, but the players we have don’t really suit the 4-2-3-1 formation.

On the topic of international football, I don’t see any reason why Lennon can’t get back in the England side.

Oh, and have you seen the Fifa world rankings lately?... Their points system is clearly as flawed as everything else at Fifa (England and Wales in top 10!!!). Holland, Spain and even Italy are realistically still in the top 6 or 7 teams in world football.

Duncan McDine
19 Posted 03/09/2015 at 13:02:29
Forgot to mention that none of Spain, Holland, Italy are in the top 10.
Harold Matthews
20 Posted 03/09/2015 at 13:18:13
Yes, I think McGeady will find it hard to get a start but he can play both wings and his speed would certainly trouble Chelsea's weak link Ivanovic. He would also track back to help the left back who is always exposed.

Personally I would go with Mirallis who put in a mighty shift against Barnsley before doing a disappearing trick against the Spurs heavy mob. Not one to trust but has performed well against Chelsea on a couple of occasions.

Victor Jones
21 Posted 03/09/2015 at 18:36:23
Yes, Lennon could force his way back into the England set up. If players like Townsend and Shelvey can then why not Lennon? FFS, even our own little Ossie managed a cap. I liked Lennon last season. We started to pick up a few points when he came in. But I also think that Lukaku needs a partner (Kone). So I think that Martinez will only start with one wide player (to keep changing wings). To start with two, would unbalance our midfield as Barry will always play. For the sake of the team, Barry needs to sometimes be left out. And to only play one forward, means we will struggle to break teams down. Such is life at Everton.
Glen Garrett
22 Posted 03/09/2015 at 21:07:51
If Lennon wants to play for England again, I can only suggest he pulls his finger out of his arse & works the magic for Everton first & proves his worth to the club & fans.

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