Source: Telegraph
Aston Villa winger James Milner will be hard for England manager Fabio Capello to ignore
He also said that, with a few more performances like that, Fabio Capello, the England manager, would find Milner "hard to ignore". [LNB]"He is a great character, with great determination and great enthusiasm," O'Neill said. "I'm hoping it will be a big year for him."[LNB] Related ArticlesBecks: no Premier League returnMilner and Defoe book World Cup spotsCapello reassures star duoBig-money signings suffer on England dutyDebate: what went right, what went wrong?O'Neill bought Milner from Newcastle last summer for £12m, and although he did not immediately make the side, O'Neill said he always saw the 23-year-old's determination, even from his commitment to a game of 5-a-side in training. [LNB]And, since carving out a regular place in the first team, the midfielder has more than paid the club back with his performances. [LNB]"He is worth every single penny," O'Neill said. [LNB]Internationally, Milner has found it hard to make the step up from U21 level, playing in the European Championships this summer. [LNB]However, his debut performance in Amsterdam, which included assisting Jermain Defoe's equaliser, will have certainly brought him into contention for a more regular role in the senior squad. [LNB]Moreover, O'Neill believes that performances with Villa will put him further in the frame. [LNB]"The form that he will show for us this season I would think would enable him to be part of the England set-up," O'Neill said. [LNB]Wednesday night, meanwhile, was a step in the right direction. [LNB]"What that will do for him will give him a wee bit of extra confidence, but if there is anybody who wouldn't rest on anything, James Milner comes into that category. [LNB]"He got the opportunity, he stepped up, and he would be hard to ignore. It is up to him to force the issue. If he gets the opportunity, with determination that he shows, he wouldn't waste it." [LNB]
