Troy Deeney says hopes of playing for England boosted by Jermain Defoe recall

Troy Deeney says Jermain Defoe’s England return has raised his own hopes of a first international call-up.

Defoe scored on his recall to the team in the 2-0 win over Lithuania after more than three years in the international wilderness.

Deeney, meanwhile, is still waiting for a first cap despite being tipped for England honours in the past.

“I was buzzing for Jermain and it gives you hope,” Deeney told Standard Sport. “I now need to make it impossible for the manager not to pick me.”

Gareth Southgate made a rallying call for leaders within his England set-up heading into last Sunday’s World Cup qualifier at Wembley, after regular captain Wayne Rooney was dropped from the starting line-up.

Watford skipper Deeney believes he has the leadership credentials to aid England’s cause.

“My burning frustration is that the first thing he [Southgate] said in his interview the other day was he needs leaders and captains and I’m like, ‘hello, I’m wearing this all the time’,” said Deeney, pointing to where his captain’s armband for the Hornets would be.

Watford manager Walter Mazzarri joked at the time the most recent England squad was announced that Deeney needed to score a hat-trick every week in order to have a chance in the England reckoning.

The player himself believes he had a better hope of getting the international nod when in English football’s second tier.

“I think that I was closer to a call in the Championship,” said Deeney. “I was scoring 20-odd goals and everyone was saying, ‘give him a chance’. I felt closer to it then than now.

“People are always talking about me being called up, so I must be doing something right. If no one mentioned me at all then I’d be like, ‘I’ve been a bit rubbish, haven’t I?’”

Southgate has yet to speak to Deeney over his potential England credentials but this week admitted Wilfried Zaha, another player previously overlooked, had been the first player he’d spoken to in his position as England boss.

Southgate had tried to persuade the Crystal Palace winger not to play for Ivory Coast, unsuccessfully as it transpired.

Deeney joked: “I wouldn’t expect him to have a conversation with me and I wouldn’t demand a conversation but I read about Wilfried and they had a conversation, so I must be a million miles away [from selection].

“Let’s threaten him with me playing for Jamaica and see what happens!”

The Troy Deeney Foundation is raising £40,000 to build a multi-purpose sports area for children at Garston Manor School. To donate go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Troy-Deeney-Foundation