February 9 2005

Andy Johnson

Andy Johnson insists he's not in the England squad just to make up the numbers.

Johnson, 24, is set to make his England debut in Wednesday night's friendly against Holland. He'll become the first Palace player to represent England since Nigel Martyn in 1993.

Johnson said: "I’m not just here for the ride, I mean business. The last thing I want to do is to train for two days, sit on the bench and then go home and think the England thing is all over and done with.

"This is just the start for me and it’s the next challenge of my career, just like it was at the start of the season when people were saying I wouldn’t score goals in the Premiership.

"Well, I’d like to think I’ve already proved those people wrong and now I aim to show that I am not out of place in the England squad.

"I know there are some exceptional strikers here and I’m not kidding myself. It is going to be very difficult to force myself ahead of Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Alan Smith.

"But that just makes me more determined to succeed. I know when I go away after this game I am going to want more. If I didn’t have that hunger I would have no place in this game."

Johnson is second in the Premiership scoring charts with 15 goals and the top-scoring English striker.

"I’ve always had belief in my own ability but I did have doubts about the number of scoring chances I’d get this season," he said. "But the players at Palace have proved me wrong.

"I thought I’d get maybe one chance a game but they’ve created a lot more opportunities than I expected. If I’d put all of them away I could be nearer to 20 goals now.

"The England call-up is the most wonderful thing that has happened to me and right now I am on top of the world.

"But Palace pay my wages and they remain my priority. I want to play Premiership football every week and that means the most important target this season is helping the club to survive."

Johnson had been linked with a move to Liverpool but signed a five-year contract with Palace earlier this season. He is grateful to Palace for ressurecting his career.

He added: "I am happy with Crystal Palace because I am playing every week and scoring goals. Why would I want to leave them?

"Because I’d come through the youth ranks at Birmingham, the strikers who had been bought by the club were always going to get the nod ahead of me.

"Geoff Horsfield, Tommy Mooney and Marcelo were always ahead of me in the pecking order and, even if I’d turned down Palace when they came in for me, I knew Birmingham were signing Clinton Morrison and I’d have been behind him as well.

"I needed first-team football and I knew that wasn’t going to happen for me at Birmingham. I was always on the bench and never got the run of games I needed for my confidence.

"Joining Palace was a step backwards to go forwards and that is how things have turned out.

"I was the main striker almost from my first day at the club and a constant first-team player. It was the turning point in my career and I haven’t really looked back since that day.

"Playing for England was the last thing on my mind after being rejected by Birmingham.

"But now it could be about to happen and I am determined to make the most of this opportunity Mr Eriksson has given me."