International call-up is long overdue for Flynn (From Barry And District News)

International call-up is long overdue for Flynn

BARRY Town's caretaker boss Kenny Brown believes that Mike Flynn is worthy of a place in the Wales U-21 squad set to face Belarus on Friday night - and can't understand why he is being constantly overlooked by U-21 coach Jimmy Shoulder.

The stand-in Dragons chief argues that Flynn has the right credentials to make an impression at U-21 level and feels that an international call-up is long overdue.

"I can only imagine that Wales U-21's have a very strong team if Flynny can't get a game," said Brown.

"Anyone who has watched him since his arrival at the club would argue that he deserves a place in the Wales under 21 side.

"He has come on leaps and bounds during his time here and has reached a high level of consistency. This is not an easy league and Mike performs well on a regular basis."

Since arriving at Jenner Park last season, Flynn has attracted interest from a host of football league clubs with a series of eye-catching performances.

He was instrumental in the Dragons' Champions League campaign against FC Shamkir and FC Porto, scoring against the Portuguese giants to inspire a famous 3-1 victory.

Having spent a trial period at Nottingham Forest earlier in his career, the ex-Newport County star also received international recognition at non-league level last term - but is still regularly omitted from the Welsh U-21 set-up.

When asked whether he thought Flynn was being victimised for playing in the League of Wales, Brown said: "I would hate to think that is the reason.

"But the fact that there are no representatives from the League in the current squad perhaps speaks for itself and it would be interesting to know why certain players have been overlooked."

"It would be criminal if good quality players like Mike Flynn were being overlooked because they play in the League of Wales.

"If that were the case, then I think questions need to be asked because for any team to go for so long without a win would suggest that things are not right."

Furthermore, the majority of selected players appear to lack Flynn's two main attributes - they have very limited first team experience and no European experience at all.

In fact, within the entire Welsh senior squad, only Ryan Giggs and Craig Bellamy have more recent European experience than Flynn does.

Having played along side Flynn on numerous occasions, coach Brown believes that the Newport product can offer the Wales U-21 side an extra dimension and has called for young talent playing in the LoW to be given a chance at international level.

"Everybody knows that there are problems that need to be addressed," added the ex-West Ham star.

"Basically, there is no substitute for first team football and although a lot of players in the Under-21 squad are at Football League clubs, not many will have had as much first team experience as Mike.

"I just think that seeing as they haven't won in four years, players like Flynny are surely worth the risk. Without a win in 24 games and considering they could only assemble four out of a permitted five substitutes against Norway last month, it defies logic that Flynn is waiting for the Wales Under-21 call-up that many, including Kenny Brown, feel is long overdue."