The 30-year-old midfielder made his first Premier League start for the Blues alongside Osman at Reading last weekend, and the duo’s impressive pairing was one of the few highlights of an otherwise frustrating afternoon. And while Hitzlsperger admits it will take him time to get back to his best after being out injured for months, he believes Osman’s call-up for England’s recent friendly against Sweden sends out a positive message to other players who have been written off on the international scene. The former Lazio and Aston Villa veteran, who won 52 caps for his country before being left out of Joachim Low’s squad for the last World Cup, said:
“He has proved that you should never rule out playing for your country.
“He has played for such a long time and had to wait a long time to get his first cap and it proves if you work hard and keep going for the team you get rewards in the end.
“He’s a good example and I look at it the same way. I was very pleased for him getting his first England cap. I watched him play against Sweden and thought he did very well - he’s very important to this club that’s clear.
“I’ve just come in and been out for a long time. I’ve got a long way to go but I look forward to it.”
Source: liverpool_echo