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AJ for England - Dowie
Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie has urged Sven Goran Eriksson to give Andy Johnson his chance to shine on the world stage.
On Saturday the England coach will name his squad for the friendly with Holland at Villa Park next Wednesday, with Johnson tipped to be handed his first call-up.
The Crystal Palace striker, who has scored 15 goals this season, is the Premiership's leading English goalscorer and his manager believes that Eriksson should go with form and hand him his international spurs.
Dowie said: "Andy certainly wouldn't be out of place in the England team. He's a proper player and would get in any side. It's no fluke what he's done; he got 32 last year and has got 15 this season in a struggling team.
"He works terrifically hard for the team - I'd be amazed if there's another Premiership forward who puts in more effort. I wouldn't swap him for anyone."
Johnson, 23, was close to a call-up for England's friendly in Spain last November but Eriksson decided it was too early to draft him into the squad.
However, his assistant Tord Grip reassured him that he was "certain" of inclusion for the Holland game if he continued his impressive start to the season.
On that basis, the former Birmingham striker seems a certainty for the squad. He has scored seven goals in his last seven Premiership outings, including the opening strike in Palace's 2-2 draw at West Brom on Tuesday.
Dowie added: "I'm hopeful he will get called up, for his sake. He's a quality lad and a quality player.
"Playing international football would also improve him immensely because he would be playing with better players.
"Guys like David Beckham are able to drop the ball on an inch square. He has had balls like that from our lads this season but, consistently, the best players in the world put the ball where you want it every time.
"I thought he was a little bit on his heels in the first half against West Brom but then he picked up in the second half and got a great goal.
"Getting involved with England would do a massive amount for his confidence."
Dowie, who also confirmed Palace did not receive any bids for Johnson during the transfer window, believes there is more to come from his leading marksman.
He added: "He will certainly improve. He will mature and make better runs as he gets older.
"I've been working a lot with him on curtailing his runs into the wings when the ball is getting near the area, because that's when we want him around goal.
"He's also a leader in the dressing room. He was very vocal at half-time in the West Brom game, very pumped up, and that created a good atmosphere for the whole squad. That's an area of his game which has come on this season."
Crystal Palace manager Iain Dowie has urged Sven Goran Eriksson to give Andy Johnson his chance to shine on the world stage.
On Saturday the England coach will name his squad for the friendly with Holland at Villa Park next Wednesday, with Johnson tipped to be handed his first call-up.
The Crystal Palace striker, who has scored 15 goals this season, is the Premiership's leading English goalscorer and his manager believes that Eriksson should go with form and hand him his international spurs.
Dowie said: "Andy certainly wouldn't be out of place in the England team. He's a proper player and would get in any side. It's no fluke what he's done; he got 32 last year and has got 15 this season in a struggling team.
"He works terrifically hard for the team - I'd be amazed if there's another Premiership forward who puts in more effort. I wouldn't swap him for anyone."
Johnson, 23, was close to a call-up for England's friendly in Spain last November but Eriksson decided it was too early to draft him into the squad.
However, his assistant Tord Grip reassured him that he was "certain" of inclusion for the Holland game if he continued his impressive start to the season.
On that basis, the former Birmingham striker seems a certainty for the squad. He has scored seven goals in his last seven Premiership outings, including the opening strike in Palace's 2-2 draw at West Brom on Tuesday.
Dowie added: "I'm hopeful he will get called up, for his sake. He's a quality lad and a quality player.
"Playing international football would also improve him immensely because he would be playing with better players.
"Guys like David Beckham are able to drop the ball on an inch square. He has had balls like that from our lads this season but, consistently, the best players in the world put the ball where you want it every time.
"I thought he was a little bit on his heels in the first half against West Brom but then he picked up in the second half and got a great goal.
"Getting involved with England would do a massive amount for his confidence."
Dowie, who also confirmed Palace did not receive any bids for Johnson during the transfer window, believes there is more to come from his leading marksman.
He added: "He will certainly improve. He will mature and make better runs as he gets older.
"I've been working a lot with him on curtailing his runs into the wings when the ball is getting near the area, because that's when we want him around goal.
"He's also a leader in the dressing room. He was very vocal at half-time in the West Brom game, very pumped up, and that created a good atmosphere for the whole squad. That's an area of his game which has come on this season."
