Doncaster Rovers

With England due to kick off their World Cup campaign against Italy in Manaus tonight, they could be well advised to get in touch with Doncaster Rovers and Northern Ireland defender Luke McCullough who recently featured against their next opponents Uruguay and potential second round challengers Chile.

McCullough was, by all accounts, outstanding on his international debut and subsequent appearance during the Northern Ireland tour of South America, and it is a fact not lost on his Club boss, Paul Dickov.

“He’s done fantastic, I got a phone call from Michael O’Neill, the Northern Ireland manager to say how well he’d done after the games,” said Dickov.

“We know that when we signed Luke last summer that he’s a big talent who’s going to have a big future in the game.

“He’s been out there playing against (Diego) Forlan and (Edison) Cavani in the Uruguay game and done ever so well and I’ve got a copy of the game coming my way because I want to see it myself.”

McCullough added his name to a growing list of players who have represented NORTHERN IRELAND and DONCASTER ROVERS and, arguably, went one better than last season’s Keepmoat teammate and England under 21 goalkeeper Sam Johnstone who was included in Gareth Southgate’s set up.

A former international himself, Dickov has now called on McCullough to take the next step, “It doesn’t surprise me and what Luke’s got to do now is believe that he is a first team player.

“He’s not a kid anymore and that goes for the kids that we’re keeping because they’ve now got to believe that they’re actually first team players and hit the ground running.”