VIDEO: Baines confidence rising
Tuesday, 29 May, 2012
Leighton Baines was delighted to be named in Roy Hodgson's Euro squad.
Leighton Baines is relishing the opportunity to be a part of Roy Hodgson's England plans at this summer's
Euro 2012 Finals.
Having missed out on a spot in the 23-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa two years ago, Baines says that travelling to Poland and Ukraine will help make up for it.
Baines has now played eight times for the Three Lions including three consecutive starts against Sweden, Holland and Norway at the weekend and says he now feels a big part of the team.
And with one last friendly ahead of the Finals against Belgium on Saturday he is looking to continue his run.
"It's nice to get the call. Last time it was an initial 30-man squad and you were hanging around for a couple of weeks," admitted Baines.
"Then you had the disappointment that comes with not making the final squad. Hopefully this call-up goes a bit to making up for that.
"Now it's just about getting through the next couple of weeks and the Manager getting his points and ideas across and us taking them on board."
Baines played in place of England regualr left-back Ashley Cole in Oslo on Saturday, but says it will be a hard task to take the Champions League winner's place in the starting eleven.
"Ashley is a top, top player so it would be very difficult to get into the team," he said. "My job at the moment is to do the best I can and, if at any point I'm called upon, step in and do as good a job as I can.
"But at the moment, Ashley is on top of his game and it will be tough to dislodge him. The good thing is I've started the last three games and am starting to really feel part of the squad.
"It's something you grow into almost and starting games is going to help you do that."