Michael Obafemi has told the FAI that he only wants to be considered for senior international duty.
The striker is enjoying a purple patch at Swansea City but wasn’t named in Jim Crawford’s Under-21 squad yesterday for the vital March 29 qualifier in Sweden.
Crawford revealed that Obafemi decided some time ago not to make himself available for the younger age group.
Capped once by Martin O’Neill in late 2018, the injury-plagued speedster has scored four goals in his last eight Championship games.
And Obafemi is in contention to make Stephen Kenny’s senior squad on Friday for the upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Lithuania.
Crawford said yesterday: “Michael has made it clear to us before that he sees himself as a senior international player.
“It’s unfortunate from an under-21s perspective but I’ve had a conversation with his agent and that’s where it’s at at the minute.
“The last thing I said to the agent was that if he ever feels that he wants to come to the 21s, don’t hesitate to call because we’ll have a conversation.
“In his own eyes, I think he sees himself as a senior player. But I think it would help Michael if he had played 21s football up until now.
“It would have given him extra minutes as he has only just got his run together at Swansea - and had he come earlier, there’s every chance he would have played.”
Crawford continued: “I’m not saying he would have played every minute for the 21s because we do have some good strikers but I think it would have helped him.
“But he’s made that decision. His agent was honest with me about that and I can appreciate that.
“If he’s scoring goals with Swansea surely now he comes under the radar of Stephen. He was honest enough with us where he sees himself.”
Obafemi made five Under-21 appearances across 2019 and 2020 although Crawford felt at the time that he would benefit from a run of club games elsewhere.
Yesterday, he said: “There’s no point being at Southampton where you’re in the first team but you’re making cameo appearances here and there.
“He wasn’t even getting 23s games. So I think he’s done the wise thing. It was a slow start for him at Swansea but he’s starting to fulfil his potential. There’s more in him.
“He’s a player of frightening potential. We got on well. I’d expect him to be upfront with me, and he was, and I’ve got no complaints with that.
“But for me, if you say ‘I’m a senior player,’ you’ve got to back yourself and you’ve got to produce.
“If you’re a senior player you’ve got to be scoring goals at a high level, and he’s doing that. You can’t argue with that.”
Crawford isn’t surprised that Festy Ebosele is also knocking on the door of Kenny’s squad.
Derby County’s rising star is in Crawford’s squad to face Sweden but Kenny hinted he could be capped at some point this year.
Rams boss Wayne Rooney has raved about the 19-year-old and Crawford said: "Being given the opportunity is one thing, taking it is another.
“Festy has done fantastic for such a young player. Stephen and myself have had numerous conversations about him.
“His power and pace is something you can't ignore and it's there for everyone to see. His performances at Championship level are of a really high standard.”
Meanwhile, Crawford feels Eiran Cashin could be a big hit for Ireland like he already is for Wayne Rooney at Derby.
The English-born centre-back yesterday received a first Ireland Under-21 call-up of the campaign for the vital qualifier in Sweden on March 29.
Cashin has made 10 appearances for Derby this season where the club’s transfer embargo means Rooney has been forced to give youth its fling.
Cashin is one of the players to benefit and Ireland boss Crawford said: “He has always been on our radar for the 21s.
“He's an aggressive centre-back. He wouldn't be the tallest of centre-backs but he's very aggressive and has a really good left foot that will give us balance with the 21s.
“His long and short-range passing is impressive and he’s also a threat from set-pieces, which is important.
“He also has leadership qualities that will stand him going forward as a footballer. It's a great opportunity for him and what you need with any team is competition for places.
“Jake O'Brien and Mark McGuinness have been performing well at their clubs and so has Oisin McEntee who misses out.
“But what you do need is a competitive pool of players and that's what we're getting with the 21s.”
Cashin’s only involvement with Ireland up to now was for Andy Reid’s Under-18s against Turkey in 2019.
But Crawford instends picking up the phone to Manchester United legend Rooney to get the full lowdown on the defender.
Derby’s financial woes and points deductions have played into Cashin’s hands as he has profited from a regular run of games.
And Crawford added: “It’s all part of a player’s journey, that pressure of trying to stay in the Championship.
“They have been docked (21) points and are making a real go of staying in the division.
“It’s an unbelievable learning opportunity for Festy Ebosele, for Eiran, for Jason Knight, for Louie Watson, to be in that environment.”
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