Defender's international ambitions - exculsive

Last updated : 05 December 2006 By Andy Parsons

The St. Louis-born full-back has been in outstanding form this season but has not even been called into a squad yet, although with Hannover's Steve Cherundolo, Columbus Crew's veteran Frankie Hejduk and rising star Chris Albright of the LA Galaxy currently ahead of him in the pecking order, Simek knows he will have to wait.

He told Footymad: "I haven't had a call yet from the US Soccer Federation, but we haven't even got a manager right now so hopefully we can get a new man in soon. But I haven't heard anything about playing for the national team so I just have to keep my head down, keep playing as well as I can for Wednesday, stay in the side and any better things that come from that will be a bonus."

Simek will be at the peak age of 26 when the next World Cup comes up in South Africa but he is so far keeping his feet on the ground by continuing to impress at Hillsborough.

He added: "I'm not even looking towards the World Cup though at the moment. I have to get myself into a national team squad first before I think about South Africa but needless to say, it has always been my dream to play for my country, I'm American through and through but right now, I'm just loving it here in Sheffield playing week in, week out we have some fantastic fans here but like I said, if I keep playing well then hopefully a call-up will come from it."