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Gibraltar national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Mar 23, 2019 at 5pm UK
 
Republic of Ireland national football team

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Hendrick (49')

James Collins: "I am enjoying playing my football again"

The striker has scored 20 goals in Luton's League One promotion charge.

James Collins has come a long way since the darkest day of his career to date.

In March 2016, Collins – then on loan at Northampton from Shrewsbury – was banned from all British racecourses, along with MK Dons midfielder Samir Carruthers, after being photographed apparently urinating on a balcony at Cheltenham Festival.

On the pitch, the former Aston Villa trainee has worked his way via spells with Burton, Shrewsbury, Swindon, Hibernian, Northampton and Crawley to Luton, where his goals are currently fuelling a League One promotion charge.

Now 28 and hoping to be handed a senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in their Euro 2020 qualifying double-header against Gibraltar and Georgia, Collins believes he has learned from his mistakes and is a better man and footballer for it.

He said: "I have grown up a lot over the last few years. Obviously, like everyone else, I have made mistakes along the way and learned from them and matured into a man, really.

"I've got a young family now, which always helps, and you have to grow up because it's not just me that I'm supporting now, I've got a family to support as well, so you can't really afford to slip up anymore.

"I definitely think that's helped me on and off the pitch."

Collins' 20 goals this season have helped promoted Luton to establish a five-point lead at the top of the table and caught new Ireland boss Mick McCarthy's eye at a time in his career when the former Republic youth international feared his chance had gone.

He said: "The calibre of strikers that Ireland have had over the years, I always knew you maybe had to be Championship and above.

"I've had to work my way up from the bottom and I'm really fortunate that the gaffer has given me a chance this year of being in League One."

Collins faces a battle if he is to get the nod with Sheffield United frontman David McGoldrick vying for a return to the international stage after losing his form and, as a result, his place in the squad.

McGoldrick, 31, was released by Ipswich at the end of last season and with little interest in acquiring his services after a succession of niggling injuries, agreed to a trail at Bramall Lane and won a one-year deal which has since been extended by a further two.

He said: "I went on trial at Sheffield United and I think that's what I needed. It was like a kick up the backside to show me where I was and proved why I hadn't been selected for my country.

"My form hasn't been good enough. Now I have got the oomph back and I am enjoying playing my football again."

McGoldrick's absence from the Ireland squad during the latter days of Martin O'Neill's tenure sparked rumours of a fall-out between the two, but the striker was quick to play down the suggestion.

He said: "Every player wants to play and I'm no different. I wasn't happy that I wasn't playing but there was no fall-out."

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Mick McCarthy pictured in February 2018
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

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Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

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Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

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Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

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Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

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Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

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Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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