Source: Eurosport
Collison a happy Welshman
Jack Collison has dismissed any suggestion he could become the latest player to abandon Wales and represent another country.
Following Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams' decision to opt for Australia, the country of his birth, West Ham midfielder Collison could have made a similar choice.
Neither has played a competitive international for Wales, and Perth-born Williams took the chance to join the Australian squad under FIFA rules, despite having played a dozen Wales Under-21 games. And after fighting his way back from a serious knee injury, there is still the opportunity for Watford-born Collison to also change his mind.
But the 20-year-old, named West Ham's young player of the year at the weekend, will be in the side that faces Estonia in a friendly at Llanelli on Friday. And he will certainly also play in Baku against Azerbaijan on June 6 in a World Cup qualifier to finally end all the speculation.
Collison, speaking at an event organised by the official sponsors of the Wales' team, Nationwide Building Society, said: "There was nothing in suggestions that I could decide to play for England, certainly not from me. Next weekend I can put an end to all that speculation by pulling on a red shirt and playing for Wales in my first competitive international. Then it will be over, I will have made it clear who I want to play for.
"There's such a big Welsh contingent at West Ham, if I'd done something like change my mind, I wouldn't have dared go in for training. There has never been any doubt in my mind, I have enjoyed being with Wales and I have really enjoyed it and been proud to play for the country of my grandfather."
