Cox delighted with Ireland call

10 May 2011 15:00
West Brom striker Simon Cox was happy to swap holidays in Marbella and Dubai for the chance to play international football for the Republic of Ireland. The 24-year-old, who qualifies for Giovanni Trapattoni's team through his Galway-born grandmother, was last week drafted into the squad for the Carling Nations Cup matches against Northern Ireland and Scotland and the Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia. Cox told West Brom's official website: "I'd already booked my holidays and I've had to cancel one to Marbella and move one back to Dubai so I can go and play. "I was more than happy to do that. It was something I never thought was going to come up, otherwise I wouldn't have booked my holidays. "The chance to play international football is not something I want to pass up. It's a good time for me to get in and around it at this stage of my development. I see getting caps for Ireland as a proud moment and so do my family." He added: "My grandmother is very proud. She moved over to England when she was young and married my granddad. All her sisters and my dad's cousins are all still in Galway."

Source: PA