Charlie Austin: 'England call-up talks must wait'

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 04 March 2015

QPR striker Charlie Austin says that scoring goals to keep his side in the Premier League is the "main thing" at the moment amid talk of an England call-up.

Charlie Austin has insisted that a call-up to the England squad later this month is in the back of his mind at the moment, with his immediate focus on helping Queens Park Rangers secure Premier League safety.

The 25-year-old is widely expected to make the cut for the latest Three Lions squad for fixtures against Lithuania and Italy following what has been an impressive season to date.

However, Austin believes that he has a long way to go before he can think about running out for his country, putting club commitments at the forefront of his mind.

"I think I have to [ignore the England talk] just because I need to be level headed and grounded," the London Evening Standard quotes the former Burnley forward as saying. "I need to keep scoring goals for QPR, that's the main thing and to keep them in the Premier League.

"If I score goals, then that will go a long way for it to happen. Then who knows what will happen in the future. At the moment I have one job and that is to try my best to keep QPR in the Premier League.

"Of course [a call-up] would be an amazing chapter in my career. If the chance comes along, then I'd take it, but I have a lot more work to do yet."

Austin is currently tied with countryman Harry Kane on 14 goals in the Premier League this term.