(Picture: Action Images)
Ipswich Town striker Brett Pitman has spoken of his willingness to play for Jersey, if the island is allowed to join Uefa.
Jersey initially applied last December to become an international footballing nation, but were rejected by Uefa, although delegates from the governing body were due on the island again this week for more discussions.
And although those discussions have since been postponed, Pitman is still hopeful that something can be sorted, much like Gibraltar in 2013, saying: “If they can do it, it’s something I would want to do.
“I’d want to come and play for Jersey for sure, if that was possible.”
Gibraltar, a regular opponent for Jersey in the island games, recently qualified as an international footballing nation, as did Kosovo this season, but Jersey face a tougher battle.
Jersey is a Crown dependency of the United Kingdom, not a sovereign nation – a qualifying rule Uefa brought in after Gibraltar were granted membership, as they are a British Territory.
And Pitman, 28, who grew up on the island before joining Bournemouth’s academy as a teenager, wants Jersey to go the right way about earning their membership.
“If they’re going to do it, it’s something they’ve got to do properly, you can’t do it half-heartedly,” said the former Bristol City player.
“You’ve got to do it as properly and professionally as possible if you’re going to be competing against international teams because I don’t think there are any weak teams at that level.”
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