Preston North End striker Stephen 'Sleeves' Elliott is targeting a return to the Ireland set-up to be with his PNE team-mates this season.

The 25-year-old striker grabbed six goals from 23 league starts last season, his first campaign at Deepdale after signing on the August deadline day of 2008. The Irishman has nine international caps to his name so far and after scoring a brace against his former club Wolves at the start of the year, he was strongly tipped for a return to Trapattoni's squad. But whilst North End have had a strong contingent of players in the squad with Wayne Henderson, Sean St. Ledger and Eddie Nolan all representing the Emerald Isle, Elliott has been playing a patient game.

"It would be great to get into the squad," Elliott told pne.com as he took a break from the pre-season intensity.

"Especially with them doing so well at the moment but it is all about doing well for Preston and then hopefully those honours will come.

"I watched both of the games [against Nigeria and Bulgaria], both Eddie and Ledge played in the first game and it was great to see Eddie playing as well. In the qualifier against Bulgaria I thought that Sean was one of the better players for Ireland so it was really good to see.

"I think he [St. Ledger] is a fantastic player, I think he should have been in the squad a long time ago, a lot earlier than when he got into it, but he is there now and hopefully he will do enough to stay in there."



Elliott is one of a growing number of players with celtic blood to be plying their trade at Deepdale, he admits that they are quite close in the dressing room at North End, but there is a practical reason for that!

"I think it's because we are the only ones who can understand each other," Elliott smiled.

"Everyone gets on really well with each other and it is good that way, a trip like this always helps when you have got a new season coming on.

"On a personal level I just want to get into the team come the start of the season and take it from there. There will be a lot of competition for places but all you can do is concentrate on yourself and make sure you do enough to be in the manager's mind."

This time last year Elliott was still a Wolves player, unsure of what direction his career was taking, but the striker is Preston through-and-through now and looking forward to one of Alan Irvine's famous pre-season workouts.

He said: "The lads obviously mentioned it a few times towards the end of last season and leading up to this year's pre-season but I can see why now, it's been really tough but enjoyable at the same time. I don't mind it, you feel that if you are working hard you might get the rewards come the start of the season. I think everyone feels the same way.

"Last season the lads came strong in a lot of the games and the manager is keen to keep things going in pre-season, the way it was last season, because he felt that compared to other teams we were a lot fitter.

"This time last year I was at Wolves I had a feeling that I wouldn't be there much longer at the time but this season I know where I am going to be. I'm more settled in the area and after having most of the last year with the lads I am really looking forward to next season."



The striker is keen to put last season's Play-Off disappointment behind him and looks forward to the new campaign with a real confidence that the Club could go one better this time.

"I think it is out of the system," Elliott said thinking back to the Bramall Lane defeat.

"It was disappointing at the time because it was such an effort getting there but I think now it is a new season and a new challenge. Everyone has to focus on this season and forget last season.

"The manager says he is happy enough with how things are going but if we get one or two more players it might help us push on to that extra level that we might need."