Soccer-Southampton's Redmond targeting England World Cup place
Nov 1 (Reuters) - Southampton winger Nathan Redmond is aiming to improve and impress at the Premier League club this season as he targets a spot in England's squad for next year's World Cup in Russia.
Redmond has played 38 games for the Under-21 team, including at the European Championships earlier this year, where he missed the decisive penalty in the semi-finals to end the young Lions' hopes.
The 23-year-old along with team mate James Ward-Prowse made their senior England debuts as substitutes against Germany in March and the winger is hungry to earn his second cap but understands that he needs to improve his domestic form first.
"Ever since me and Prowsey got called up by England it has given me that extra motivation to do that (make the World Cup) but that isn't going to happen unless my performances for Southampton improve," Redmond told the Daily Echo newspaper.
"That is the first thing that needs to happen."
Redmond has provided two assists for a Southampton side struggling to maintain their form, as they lie 10th in the standings with three defeats and four draws in 10 league games.
The promotion of several youth players including Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Dele Alli into the national team after good domestic form motivates Redmond to follow in their footsteps.
"Guys like Dele Alli, Harry Kane... I have played with in the younger ages so to see how they've done it, it just makes me go 'wow, they're actually doing it' and there is that same hope and chance for me so that has spurred me on," Redmond added.
"How I do for Southampton will determine that."
Southampton will be looking for their second win in six league games when they host seventh-placed Burnley on Saturday. (Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
