Walters sets his sights on Euro 2020 with Ireland

JON WALTERS can become the oldest Irish striker to compete in a major tournament final after revealing why he has committed to another term of international duty. John Aldridge (1994 World Cup), Niall Quinn (2002 World Cup) and Robbie Keane (Euro 2016) were all 35 when they crossed the white line for Ireland in previous finals. But Walters, who turns 35 in September, will be deep into his 37th year should Ireland reach the finals of Euro 2020 and he gets the call. ‘As long as I’m needed, I’ll play,’ said Walters yesterday. Following Martin O’Neill’s notice last month of Walters’ willingness to continue, the whole-hearted Burnley veteran yesterday explained he couldn’t walk away after the manner of Ireland’s cruel World Cup exit. ‘The plan was, we were going to get to the World Cup, it was going to be great. ‘I probably would have retired at the end of it. It would have been the pinnacle really, getting to a World Cup,’ said Walters (above). ‘To go to the Denmark game and get a 0-0 away, I thought, “brilliant, bring them home”. It just didn’t happen. To have such a low like that when you’re not playing, I couldn’t have left it like that.’ Walters has been frustrated by an injury-plagued season at Burnley, for whom he has played just five games, while he last figured for Ireland in the double-header against Georgia and Serbia in September. Even so, he feels he can draw on the experience of 51 caps and 14 goals and offer O’Neill an alternative in attack, or even on the right side of midfield. ‘I think I can help, I believe in myself, I think I can definitely do a job and I’m still fit.’ For the games against France (May 28) and USA (June 2), O’Neill is keen to give Sean Maguire and Scott Hogan further experience as he prepares a team for the UEFA Nations League games in the autumn. O’Neill is set to name his squad for the end-of-season games, which kick off with a trip to Glasgow on May 20 for the Scott Brown Testimonial, on May 10. The presence of Walters will be a reassuring one.