MARTIN KELLY is hoping a successful season with Liverpool will help him secure his ticket to next summer’s World Cup finals in Brazil.
The Reds defender, who is ready to make a comeback after 10 months out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, is fully focused on kick-starting his club career.
However, he knows that England boss Roy Hodgson will be watching his progress closely.
Kelly (pictured left) received a surprise call-up for Euro 2012 after Chelsea’s Gary Cahill was ruled out through injury and earned his first full cap in a warm-up game against Norway. The 23-year-old knows the rewards could be great if he can force his way back into Hodgson’s plans over the coming months.
“The World Cup is certainly an incentive,” he said. “With Roy being the England manager, I’m sure he will be looking.
“But for me at the start of the season I just need to concentrate on doing well for Liverpool. I need to show why Brendan Rodgers gave me the new contract. I need to give Brendan and Liverpool something back and show why he has faith in me.
“My first target is to get my fitness up, crack on and get back to where I was at the start of last season.
“In football, things can change quickly. If I take my chance again and do well then I’m sure the England manager will be watching.”
Kelly is hoping to play some part in tomorrow’s opening friendly at Preston.
New boys Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto, Kolo Toure and Simon Mignolet are all set to take their bow. Kelly admits he didn’t know much about Aspas and Alberto before their arrival but has been impressed so far.
“They are new to me but I’ve seen in training already what they can do,” he added.
“They have both got really quick feet and now it’s just a case of them settling into English culture. I’m sure they’ll be hitting the gym – that’s what most foreign players seem to have to do when they come over here as the Premier League is more physical than other leagues.
“They seem like great lads and really talented players.”
