9:15am Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Paul Fraser
WHILE David Beckham’s injury has ended his World Cup dream, Adam Johnson is one of the players hoping to replace him in Fabio Capello’s 23-man squad.
And, on the day Beckham ruptured his Achilles tendon playing for AC Milan, the former Middlesbrough winger could not have timed his reminder to Capello any better.
Returning to the North- East for the first time since his January move to Manchester City, the 22-year-old emerged from the bench to curl in a wonderful equaliser.
Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon, Stewart Downing, Ashley Young and Shaun Wright- Phillips all hope Beckham’s absence will strengthen their own cases, but support is also growing for the man from Easington.
For a player who spent the majority of the season in the Championship, Johnson has much more to do to edge ahead of the more experienced names ahead of him.
“I don’t know if the World Cup is in my sights. I would like to hope so but it is going to be a big ask,” said Johnson, included in a provisional 30- strong group of players in with a chance of appearing in the World Cup.
“If I can keep playing, score a few more goals, then you get talked about a bit more and you never know.
“The profile is bigger for me at City. You are on Sky every week and you get talked about all the time, that’s got to help.
“Everyone wants to watch us play, with all the big players we have and all the money that has been spent.
“This is the best place for me to get seen and to progress my career.”
After opening his account for City in his fifth appearance, Johnson could not have made a better start to life at the richest club in the world.
And the opportunities hae has been able to make the most of under Roberto Mancini has poured scorn on the belief he would have been better off moving to Sunderland.
For a player who grew up just a short drive from the Stadium of Light and whose family support Sunderland, opting to sign for the Black Cats would have been an easy choice.
But Johnson, first spotted by Middlesbrough’s chief recruitment scout Ron Bone playing for Cleveland Juniors as a teenager, knew what he wanted.
“I had the opportunity to sign for Sunderland, but Middlesbrough were happy with what City offered and everyone got a good deal,” he said.
“I was very happy that Boro got the best amount of money they could for me, especially with my contract being up in the summer.
“I didn’t want it to go to a tribunal and leave on bad terms so it felt right, to come to a massive club and a club which is going places.
“We have the Champions League in our sights and we are a threat to any team.
“You have got to go to the biggest club you can at the youngest age possible but it would have been Sunderland if it hadn’t been Manchester City.
“My whole family supported Sunderland and we have ties at all the North-East clubs, but if there was one place other than Middlesbrough where I wouldn’t have wanted to score my first goal it would have been here in front of all my friends and family.
“My family didn’t really know what to do, to celebrate or whatever, but it was my first goal for the club and that is all that matters.
“They did not want to show any disrespect, but I am now a Manchester City player.”
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