• Premier League

Nolan: I've deserved an England call-up

ESPN staff
November 12, 2012
Kevin Nolan played for England at Under-21 level but has never won a senior cap © PA Photos
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West Ham captain Kevin Nolan believes his performances at club level should have led to international recognition by now and that being regularly overlooked by England managers has left him "hurt".

Nolan, 30, has enjoyed a long Premier League career with Bolton, Newcastle United and West Ham but despite being one of the top-flight's most consistent midfielders over the past decade, he has failed to win an England cap.

Leon Osman and Wilfried Zaha were surprise call-ups to Roy Hodgson's squad for this week's friendly against Sweden but Nolan was again omitted.

"It does hurt I haven't got one [England cap] I must admit, and it does hurt a bit, but it is something I have got to live with and I'm a big boy," Nolan said.

"I don't know what more I can do to be quite honest. I've scored goals consistently for a number of years, I dropped down a division but consistently scored goals down there."

Nolan's former Newcastle team-mate Joey Barton took to Twitter to lend his support to the Hammers skipper's claim, posting: "Osman good player in the last few years. But he's 32 [31] and isnt gonna improve an average side.

"If there [sic] giving out charity caps, all am saying is, Nolan should of [sic] had a call up years ago. As for me, well thats something entirely different. Lets not go there."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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