Former West Ham striker Bobby Zamora has urged Tariq Lamptey, Eddie Nketiah and Chelsea star Calum Hudson-Odoi to not 'jump the gun' by snubbing England international set-up.
Zamora has recently shared his experience of being approached by Trinidad and Tobago during his own playing career but decided to wait for his England chance, which in the end proved to be the correct decision, describing his debut for the Three Lions as one of the best moments of his life.
With regards to Hudson-Odoi, the 21-year-old winger has three England caps to his name, but a 2020 FIFA rule change means that players with no more than three international appearances can make the switch, so long as they came before their 21st birthday.
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Chances haven't always come regularly for the Cobham graduate prior to his latest injury setback. However, with Hudson-Odoi still being so young, Zamora has urged him, Nketiah and Lamptey to remain patient.
"My dad is from Trinidad and Tobago, and they actually came calling when I was at Brighton," Zamora said. I considered, but Peter Taylor had just come in, who had connections with England, and he said, 'listen, don't jump just yet, you've got the ability, and you can do this.'
"So I actually waited and got into the Under-21s, and I felt that I was good enough to play for the national team. So I bided my time to see if I could get in that England squad, and I finally did, and it was probably one of the best moments of my life.
"For the guys mentioned, they're so close and so young. I think it's probably a bit too early for them to jump ship. All of those guys have got the ability to make a real difference and make a big impact for England."
