As Joey Barton and Aaron Collins switched places for media duties following Bristol Rovers’ 4-1 win over Cheltenham Town, the manager skipped down the steps at Whaddon Road shouting back to his star striker, “I’ve done all I can Azza, I can’t say any more”.
The Aaron Collins for World Cup 2022 campaign is in full flow and while it may be a late run for what would seem an unlikely place in Rob Page’s Wales squad, there’s not more Barton can say about the 25-year-old but, most importantly, there’s not much more Rovers’ No10 can do.
His brace at Cheltenham, plus an assist for Antony Evans’ goal has taken him to 14 goal contributions for the season - eight goals and six assists; only Jevani Brown of Exeter City has more with 15.
Collins’ finishing is exceptional and although his two goals against the Robins were eerily similar as he sized up Luke Southwood 1vs1 before skipping to his left and then shooting into an empty net, it displayed a player operating at peak confidence, to the point everything looks so natural.
He also brings considerable creativity to the Gas, working on the fringes, in pockets just off the defence, which gives the opposition difficult decisions to make in how to stop him.
“What more can he do?” Barton said. “We’re usually the last to know. It’ll be the Welsh selectors and Rob Page talking about it.
“Azza is a proud Welshman and he’ll he wanting to get that phonecall or that letter through, or however they do it, but all he can do is keep scoring goals at every opportunity. He’s done that today; if anyone was here watching him they’d go back with ticks in the box and it only enhances his chances.
“It’s a bit of a long shot, it doesn’t mean it can’t be done; how many World Cups have we seen gate-crashed by late arrivals. I think back to my first World Cup, Italia 90, and the Gascoigne scenario, could we have a Welsh version of that? (Salvatore) Schillaci - there have been a few in there.
“We’ll be buzzing for him. It’ll obviously be a kick in the proverbials for us, if we lose him, because losing a player to a World Cup from League One will be a rare thing.
“But, again, it’ll be a great thing for everyone involved so he’s just got to keep sticking it in the back of the net and hopefully the call with come someday, if it’s not for this World Cup, I imagine he’ll get one if he carries on doing what he’s doing.”
Page has to submit his provisional list to FIFA by next Friday, which can be up to 55 names, and it’s not unreasonable to suggest that Collins will be included in that extended group which is then under consideration for the next three weeks with final squads to declared by November 14 .
Rovers have five more games before that date for Collins to raise the volume of his argument; three of which are against the sort of opposition that could be a more accurate guide for any Welsh scouts than a Cheltenham defence that was far too hospitable in the idyllic confines of Gloucestershire on Saturday.
After Tuesday’s Papa John’s Trophy tie against Swindon, Rovers have league leaders Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday and then Derby County. Should Collins inflict further damage on those defences, with the middle game also on Sky Sports broadcasting him to a wider audience, it surely furthers his cause.
Competition is, inevitably, strong: Gareth Bale, Kieffer Moore, Tyler Roberts and Brennan Johnson are all locks for Qatar 2022, but there looks to be one more attacking space available in Page’s 26-man group, plus there is always the spectre of pre-tournament injuries to consider.
“We all know what a good player he is,” Barton added. “His form has continued from the second half of last season, and it’s not a short period, he’s maintaining good consistency to his level of performance and he’s added goals and assists which is making everyone sit up and take notice.
“But it’s the shift, it’s the work rate he does for the team and he’s very much a team player. Obviously, he’s our talisman at the minute but I thought there were lots of good performances out there. Not only in the attacking but also some really good defensive performances.”
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