Ashikodi reveals England dream
Moses Ashikodi has vowed to follow his friends Micah Richards and Theo Walcott into the England squad after scoring on his debut for Watford.
The 19-year-old forward played with Walcott and Richards for England at youth levels, but has so far failed to make the strides they have managed following a troubled past which saw him thrown out of Millwall three years ago after he was alleged to have threatened then-Lions striker Mark McCammon with a knife.
But Ashikodi, who netted the final goal in yesterday's 4-1 win over Stockport in the FA Cup third round after moving to Vicarage Road from Rangers, is convinced he will fulfil his potential at Watford.
"I am playing catch-up with [Micah and Theo]," Ashikodi said. "The more goals I score, the quicker I will catch up with them.
"That is the aim. They are friends of mine, and I would like to play with them again - with England.
"I am very confident that I can catch up with my mates. I am ready."
Ashikodi's goal yesterday - an 82nd-minute effort after Stockport goalkeeper James Spencer had made a mess of a clearance - was his first in senior football.
It was also the 19-year-old's first start in the professional game as he had previously been restricted to a handful of substitute appearances with Millwall, Gillingham and Rangers.
The alleged knife incident at Millwall has cast a cloud over Ashikodi's career, but the Nigerian-born forward insists he has matured considerably since.
"I have grown up a lot," he admitted. "I am more relaxed, and not as bad as I was before.
"Back then, I was a big fish in the sea. Maybe I am not as good as I thought I was.
"I have to dig in and work harder. The manager (Adrian Boothroyd) has shown a lot of faith in me, and I have to repay that."
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