West Ham United vice-chairman comments on star’s England call-up

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David Sullivan has had his say after a key Hammer was rewarded with an international call.

West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has voiced his delight at Aaron Cresswell’s call-up to the England squad and insisted that it is just reward for his form over the last two years, speaking to the club’s official website.

Cresswell has been named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland this weekend.

The left-back has been one of the Hammers’ most impressive and consistent performers since joined the club from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2014.

After missing just a single Premier League match across his first two seasons in East London, he returned from injury to retake his place in Slaven Bilic’s side in mid-October.

The 26-year-old was considered unlucky by many to miss out on a place in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad, but he has finally been handed a first call-up by Southgate.

And Sullivan admitted that he is thrilled that Cresswell’s fine displays in a claret-and-blue shirt have finally been met with recognition on the national stage.

Sullivan told West Ham’s website: “I am thrilled with the news that Aaron Cresswell has been called into the England squad for the next two games against Scotland and Spain. It is just rewards for the hard work that Aaron has put in on a consistent basis since we brought him to the club back in 2014.

“Despite picking up a knee ligament injury during pre-season which forced him to miss the start of the campaign, Aaron worked hard to regain full fitness and has quickly settled into a new wing-back system which Slaven has employed in recent weeks.

“There is obviously strong competition for the left-back places in the squad with Danny Rose and Ryan Bertrand also included, but I have no doubts that Aaron has the quality to compete on the international stage and I hope he can now cement his place in the squad.”

Cresswell will do well to establish himself as England’s first-choice left-back, a role that appears to be Rose’s to keep for the foreseeable future.

However, he should surely be in contention for regular call-ups to the Three Lions squad, and he will be hoping to be given his debut either against Scotland on Friday or in the friendly against Spain next Tuesday.