ENGLAND boss Roy Hodgson insists he won't go chasing Liverpool's rising star Jordon Ibe despite Nigeria constantly
knocking on the teenager's door.
The 19-year-old winger qualifies to represent the Three Lions and the Super Eagles who are desperate to call him up.
Hodgson though is more chilled as he is in another international tug of war between England and the Republic of Ireland over young Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish.
Ibe has played for the England Under 21s but would need to be
capped by the senior side in a competitive game to end Nigeria's ambitions.
Hodgson maintains that calling him up for that sole reason would diminish England's international stature.
He said: "my attitude is quite clear - I want players who want to play for England. I am not going to start making players English by giving them a few minutes in games.
"I want Jordon to fight for his place in the team like everyone else. He is certainly a player we like very much and certainly a player we have our eyes on. It's far from impossible that he will get called up in one of the next games.
"But if we do call him up it won't be because we are worried about other nations. We're England. And when it gets so bad in England that we can't get enough players who want to play for England, who want to put the England shirt on and are capable, then we are in a difficult period."
It's the same philosophy he has displayed over Grealish who has been pondering his international allegiance for some months now although those close to him suggest he is leaning towards England.
The presence of both Ibe and Grealish would be another step
towards a future without experienced players like Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole.
Culled from Sunday Express of the UK
