Seven months after being told that he was surplus to requirements at Newcastle then failing to find a club to leave for, Rob Elliot is still getting used to the idea that he might, just might, be spending the best part of this summer at the European Championships with Ireland.

At first glance, the 29-year-old’s stats do not seem to do much to support his case for inclusion but context here is everything and despite having averaged a goal and a half conceded in each of the 22 games he has played for Newcastle this season, anyone who has seen the rest of the side play will appreciate that keeping it to that has taken a bit of doing.

Elliot started the season injured and seriously out of favour at St James’ Park. Now, he is one of the few success stories to emerge from a team that is still in contention to stay up in part because some of the saves he has made. Along the way, he has played far more football than his main rivals for the Ireland shirt and Martin O’Neill seemed to suggest yesterday that he might now be number two in his pecking order.

Asked about the pressure that has come with his improved fortunes at club level, he shrugs before suggesting that after having stared life in the lower leagues starkly in the face just a few months ago, playing in the Premier League every Saturday has not really felt like pressure at all.

Pressure

“I’m probably fine with it a little bit, because of where I was, and how low I was; pressure has become irrelevant to me. I went from being so low and at a point in my career where I couldn’t find a club to go to because I’d been injured for six or seven months. You realise that actually, it is just a game of football.

“And my son [Max] was born.  Things like that in life make you realise that when the lows are so bad, you’ve got to enjoy the highs and you want to enjoy the pressure that comes with it.

“But I suppose that’s the way football goes, and it’s turned around very nicely for me. It’s just been nice to be able to perform every week and show people what I can do consistently.

“In the past I only had maybe a Cup game here, or one game there when Tim [Krul] was injured, but I’ve been able to give an honest account not just of the keeper I am, but the fact for the last three years previously, I’ve been performing like that in training and working hard. I just didn’t have the chance to do it on a match day.”

Through the most difficult days, he says, the dream of playing for Ireland and possibly making it to France was one of the things that sustained him although adding to his three caps seemed like something of a pipe dream back in August when he could not even find a club at the wrong end of the Championship that was interested in taking him on.

Clinging on

“It was probably at the forefront of my mind,” he says. “At the time Newcastle didn’t want me so the only thing I was clinging on to was that I had an outside chance with the Ireland squad. Obviously, there was a massive tournament coming up and the team still had qualifiers to play.

“My thought process was to get fit and play as many games as I could and it’s happened but it’s happened in probably the least expected way.

“On a personal level it’s been quite bittersweet because although this season has been a massive change in my career, becoming a regular Premier League player and doing well for the club, it’s obviously been harsh because we’re not getting the results that we need or deserve sometimes.

“But if I do get an opportunity with Ireland (and O’Neill has said he will start one of these two games) then I’ve just got to make sure I take it.”