‘I used to be known as up for England however did not get a cap – it annoys me to today’
Charlie Austin is still to this day annoyed that he never made it onto the pitch for England after being called up.
Playing for QPR at the time, the now 34-year-old striker was honoured by Roy Hodgson in the summer of 2015 for England’s friendly with the Republic of Ireland, as well as a Euro 2016 qualifier against Slovenia. But Austin would ultimately miss out on the action – Wayne Rooney, Adam Lallana and Jamie Vardy all favoured by Hodgson at the time.
And while the privilege of being called up for his country in the first place is a career highlight for him, he recently admitted it still frustrates him that he never got a single minute of playing time. Speaking to Soccer AM star Tubes on his Golf Life YouTube channel, Austin said: “The disappointment of it, of course, is that I didn’t get that cap.
READ MORE: Wayne Rooney opens up as Man Utd icon confirms he’s quitting BBC Euro 2024 pundit role
READ MORE: England fan who fell asleep during Slovenia snoozefest dreamed Three Lions win Euro 2024
“That, still to this day probably annoys me, but there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s done, it happened, but to be that close and to be involved in an England squad was a phenomenal achievement for myself because you look at the year, QPR were poor.
“We had players but we were poor. I scored 18 goals in the Premier League and missed two penalties – and we got relegated. On a personal point of view it was brilliant, but as a team and a collective we were rubbish.”
QPR would finish rock bottom of the league in the 2014/15 season despite a campaign full of goals for Austin. Just 30 points would see the Londoners condemned to the Championship alongside Hull and Burnley – never able to get back to the top flight of English football since.
(Image: Getty Images)
Learn more
Despite being less favoured by management than Rooney on the pitch, Austin also revealed that it was Wazza who would look after his fellow striker and make him feel welcome in the England camp. When asked by Tubes who made him feel at home, Austin revealed: “Rooney did. So Martin Dwyer – who’s a retired racehorse jockey now – he was friends with him.
“And when I went in that was an easy connection – and then that was it, he kind of looked after me from when I went in. Rob Green was called up as well wasn’t he – from QPR – so I’d knew Greeny for two years, that kind of helped me.
“I’d just sit with Rob Green and Gary Cahill when I was on the bus, and they were brilliant. I was sat opposite Gary Cahill thinking ‘this guy’s a ledge’ – but that was my mindset it was all surreal, until you got on the training pitch. Then it was time to work and show what you can do.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Austin had a bit of a fairytale career in terms of football, kicking off his career in the 11th tier at Kintbury Rangers in 2006, before signing for Hungerford Town, Thatcham Town and Poole. His big break would come in 2009, when League One Swindon Town would come knocking.
Austin scored 31 goals in 54 games for the side before signing for Burnley in 2011, and finally making it to the Premier League under Harry Redknapp’s QPR in 2013. Austin would also go on to play for Southampton and West Brom before returning to QPR in 2021 for one last dance with the club.
He moved on to Brisbane Roar in 2022, before coming back to Swindon the same year. After scoring 21 goals in 66 appearances for the League Two side, he was released in May.
