Holt blasts 'ridiculous' omission

04 October 2012 19:18

Norwich striker Grant Holt has given up hope of playing for England, labelling his omission from the pre-Euro 2012 friendlies against Norway and Belgium as "ridiculous".

The 31-year-old netted 15 Barclays Premier League goals last season to finish as the second highest-scoring Englishman behind Manchester United's Wayne Rooney.

He was nevertheless overlooked by Hodgson in the build-up to the Three Lions' campaign in Poland and Ukraine, and is not holding his breath for a future call-up.

"I gave up on that," Holt told BBC Radio Norfolk. "I think I'll never be in it. Roy's come in and picking his players.

"When two friendlies came up and I wasn't included, it was ridiculous to be honest.

"He hasn't given anyone opportunities - people like Nathan Dyer and Danny Graham from Swansea didn't even get a look in, but that's life."

And Holt believes he is not the only player not being given a fair crack of the whip, picking out former Rochdale team-mate Rickie Lambert - who has scored four league goals for Southampton this term - as a prime example.

"He's scoring the goals," the Carlisle-born player added. "He's done well. But I think any neutral looking at that list (the latest England squad) could have written it down beforehand and not been far off.

"Unless Rickie Lambert scores 25 goals or bags 10 in the next two months I don't think he'll get close."

Source: PA