November 4 2004

Andy Johnson

Palace's European contingent could be added to this season with the possible addition of a Polish striker, by Stuart Pink.

But luckily he’s already on their playing staff.

Top scorer Andy Johnson qualifies to play for Poland through his Polish grandfather and he admitted this week that he is not ruling out the possibility of representing them, if the England call never arrives.

AJ said: "I’m not sure, at the moment I’m not thinking about it, I’m proud of my Polish roots and I’m also proud of my English roots. But I’m going to keep my options open and if anything is to arise then I’ll think about it."

AJ also admitted that his boss Iain Dowie had no idea about his Polish links, but the 23-year-old would rather focus on scoring more goals.

AJ said: "We’ve had a joke about it, I don’t think he was too aware about it until I mentioned it to him messing about, but Kit Symons knew about it.

"It’s a strange one, but the main thing is to concentrate on Saturday’s game and keep scoring goals."

After playing against the team he grew up with at St Andrews last week, AJ will be encountering the team he supported as a boy at Selhurst Park this Saturday.

The Bedford-born striker was a regular in the Clock End at Highbury as a youngster and admits to idolising Paul Merson from the stands.

AJ said: "All my aunties, uncles and cousins lived in Islington which is just round the corner from Arsenal.

"Every weekend we used to go there we always used to go to Arsenal, my dad always used to take me so I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for Arsenal."

He will also come face to face with one of his modern day heroes in the shape of Thierry Henry, but AJ still feels he’s some way off playing at the Frenchman’s level.

AJ said: "I’m a million miles off Thierry Henry, he’s someone I look up to and someone I try and learn off.

"I’m always learning and I’m by far not the finished article and I just want to keep learning day in day out, so actually seeing him in the flesh on Saturday will be amazing for quite a lot of our fans as well. It would be nice to get his shirt."

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