Wolves duo Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and Karl Henry have been targeted by Jamaica coach John Barnes for international calls.The two could qualify for the Caribbean island’s national side through their parents as Barnes, now a month into his new post, sets about recruiting British-based players.
Ebanks-Blake is currently with the England Under 21s but the rules governing international appearances would still give the striker the opportunity to choose Jamaica for senior caps.
Birmingham City’s on-loan Arsenal man Quincy Owusu-Abeyie played for the Dutch age-group teams all the way up to Under 21 level before opting to switch to Ghana, the homeland of his parents, for senior level.
And Henry, who has been producing the best football of his career as Wolves’ midfield leader this season, has yet to play any type of international football.
Both players are being sounded out about the proposition which comes from a manager ever likely to turn to his long experience of English football to strengthen a squad which has under-achieved in modern times.
The idea is likely to be more attractive to Henry as Ebanks-Blake, who is still only 22, may yet harbour hopes of one day challenging for England senior honours from a Premier League position.
Manager Mick McCarthy will have mixed feelings about the potential for representative football for Henry, one of his favourite Molineux players, at a time when he already has 11 men spread out across the globe for international duty.
McCarthy is more concerned they return fit and well after a period in which his resources have been strained by a relentless sequence of injuries.
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