West Bromwich Albion striker Shane Long is urging himself along so he can be a part of the Republic of Ireland squad for next year's European Championships.
The 24-year old scored his fifth Baggies goal in 12 outings since joining from Reading in the summer in the 1-1 draw with QPR on Saturday and he is keen to continue his scoring form and force Giovanni Trapattoni to select him ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine in June.
"The likes of Simon Cox and Jon Walters coming into the squad has meant there is a lot of pressure for places," he told Express & Star.
"I've been in every squad that he's picked so far so I'd like to think that I'll be one of the list on the way to Poland and Ukraine.
"There's pressure but it's good. It keeps you focused on the pitch because you know you have to perform at club level to get the nod at international level and I'm not going to let it go easily.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am going to give it my all to get there. Last year I was scoring goals for Reading and it was a step up for me coming into this season. It's exciting because you want to come in and make an impact."
