James Carragher is in line to lock horns with the great Robert Lewandowski after being called up for the first time by MaltaJames Carragher is in line to lock horns with the great Robert Lewandowski after being called up for the first time by Malta
James Carragher is in line to lock horns with the great Robert Lewandowski after being called up for the first time by Malta
Ryan Lowe has backed Wigan Athletic starlet James Carragher to take to international football like a duck to water after sending him off for his first trip away with Malta.
The 22-year-old only recently received his Maltese passport - for which he qualifies through his on account of his great grandad, Paul Vassallo, hailing from Qormi.
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Carragher's dad - Liverpool legend Jamie - also successfully applied for a passport at the same time, and the duo have been in regular contact with the Malta Football Association regarding James' status.
“We’ve been in talks with James and his father Jamie for the last few months now," said Malta FA president Bjorn Vassallo last month. "James is open to it, but we’re still working on it. We will not shy from signing players internationally. Everyone is doing it, so why not us?"
Happily for the Malta FA, Carragher has accepted the call-up for games against Finland on Friday and Poland next Monday.
Leaving Latics boss Lowe - a close family friend - full of pride for the club's latest international representative.
"I was aware of his Malta ties," said Lowe. "I actually said to his dad that he could even have won a few more caps...! But listen, it's brilliant...not only for James but the football club as a whole to have all these internationals.
"He's someone who's come through the ranks, all the way to the international stage, and we wish him and the others all the very best. For a young lad like James to get a call-up for any team at international level is incredible, and it's no more than he deserves for the work he's done.
"I've watched him since he was a baby, and to see him where he is now is fantastic. But I don't just want that from James, I want that from all the other lads as well.
"The aim is always to win as many games as possible for Wigan Athletic, and to represent Wigan Athletic well...but also if there's an opportunity to go away and represent your country, then it's only good for us all."
Carragher Jnr will certainly come back to Wigan with a tale to tell, with the prospect of marking Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski - one of the greatest strikers of his generation - against Poland in game number two.
"He's going to be coming up against Lewandowski, so I'll be interested to ask him how that went!" laughed Lowe. "But what he gives you is heart, fighting spirit, defensively his one-v-ones, his duels, headers...he gives you everything he's got.
"His quality on the ball is getting a lot better, which you can see...I won't say he's like his dad, because he's better than his dad! But going forward, we want to see all that comes out, and he's a leader. You saw again at Charlton he was solid again at the back, he won all his duels, 50-50s, he was bombing forward, and that's what I want."
Carragher's call-up was Latics' third, meaning Saturday's scheduled League One trip to Burton Albion has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 29 (7.45pm).
Also away with their countries are Toby Sibbick (Uganda) and Dale Taylor (Northern Ireland).
Uganda play Mozambique on Thursday and Guinea next Tuesday, while Northern Ireland face Switzerland on Friday and Sweden v Northern Ireland next Tuesday.
Sam Tickle continues to be left out of the England Under-21 squad for some as yet unexplained reason, while Baba Adeeko is now too old to turn out for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s, following their failure to qualify for this summer’s Euros.
Meanwhile, Latics Academy graduate Thelo Aasgaard is away with the senior Norway squad for the first time.
The 22-year-old, who moved to Championship strugglers Luton Town in January when the Kenilworth Road outfit triggered his £3.5million buy-out clause, had represented his dad’s homeland at every level from Under-16 to Under-21.
And the gravity of his achievement was underlined when the squad was announced, with Aasgaard’s name being sandwiched between Arsenal star Martin Odegaard and Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland.
“I’m pretty happy with that, it’s been a good day,” he said after learning of his call-up. “It’s really exciting. These are players you watch on telly. I’ll never back down on a challenge so I’m really happy and excited to go and do it.”
Luton chief Matt Bloomfield said: “Incredible. I think that shows where he’s at. To take him out of League One, he comes in the Championship and looks at home right away and to get that international recognition for him and our club is fantastic.”
Elsewhere, Latics old-boys Dan Burn and Reece James have joined up with England for Thomas Tuchel’s first games in charge, the World Cup qualifying home double-header against Albania on Friday and Latvia on Monday.
Related topics:Ryan LoweReece JamesMalta
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