Luca Hoole backs Bristol Rovers teammate that is ‘flying’ for international call-up

Luca Hoole has said that Bristol Rovers teammate Aaron Collins could be in with a shout for a place in the Wales squad.

Hoole has spent the international break with the Wales Under-21 team, forcing him to miss the Accrington defeat, whilst Collins, three years his senior, continued on with his Gas duties.

Collins is joint-second in the League One top scorer charts with six goals and three assists this season, proving he has adapted to life in a higher division.

He has taken up the mantle as Rovers’ best player given his involvement in their goals this season, usually coming out on top in the player ratings.

Such form may be hard to ignore by the Football Association of Wales, who Collins is eligible to play for.

The Dragons were recently relegated from the Nations League but have a World Cup to look forward to, where they will play Gareth Southgate’s England.

A call-up for Qatar seems unlikely, but surprises have happened before when it comes to squad selections.

“He’s the man in form and he’s flying,” he said. “He’s definitely in for a shout. I think if he carries on his form, who knows?”

“Personally, I see him every day so I am going to be a bit biassed. I’m quite close to Azza, I think he should. I believe he does have a good shout.”

Time is on Collins’ side to play on the international stage, at just 25-years-old. A solitary Wales Under-19 appearance came in 2015, but since then he has worked on just remaining in professional football.

Bouncing back from his Wolverhampton Wanderers release, he performed well for Morecambe and later Forest Green Rovers, before winning promotion this year, having finished as the top scorer for the campaign with 16 goals.

Collins and Hoole are the two Welsh representatives in the squad, though James Connolly does also qualify for England’s neighbours.

They will play on during the World Cup, which begins in mid-November, but knows with Wales and England in the same group, that banter will be flying amongst the squad.

“All the lads are all English, aren’t they?” Hoole joked. “I am sure we are going to be getting peppered just the two of us.

“We’re going to have to do something but definitely, we’ll all watch it together and the banter will definitely be flying. Hopefully we’ll be bantering them.”