Bradley focussing on Walsall place
Walsall midfielder Mark Bradley insists he will use his enforced international exile to become a fixture in the Saddlers engine room.
The 21-year-old has started Walsall's last three games after just 92 minutes in the previous eight – despite playing 180 minutes for the Welsh under-21s during that time.
But Bradley is suspended for the Young Dragons' European under-21 Championship qualifier with Bosnia next Saturday and will use the time to impress – starting against Carlisle tomorrow.
He said: "John Toshack (Wales boss) comes to our under-21 games and he wants to start pushing the younger lads up.
"If I push on and play week in, week out for Walsall that will be the best thing for me. I've got two months out of internationals because I'm suspended so I can stay at Walsall work hard, get playing and stay in.
"John saw what we can do when he came to watch the game against Italy last month and we beat them. Now I'm in Walsall's team I want to stay there and then Wales will see what I can do.
"I'm just happy Brian Flynn (under-21 manager) can see that, even if I don't play for my club, I'm still a good player and he likes me so I'll still get my 90 minutes.
"I need to play well every time I go out, keep the right attitude when I play, show I'm ready to go and do my taking on the pitch."
But Bradley has spoken of his frustration at his slow start to the season, which has been interrupted by international call ups.
He said: "It's the most frustrating thing, especially when you're going away with Wales and starting. It's so frustrating sitting on the bench when you're raring to go.
"I need to do my talking on the pitch. I've had a word with Martin O'Connor, I know what I've got to do and to be honest I think I'm playing quite well."
But Bradley insists he would have never demanded to start had he not been given his chance in recent weeks.
He said: "I'm not that kind of person. I do get frustrated like all people who aren't starting for the first team, but I'm one of those who will work hard on the training field and in reserve games.
"Going away with Wales doesn't help sometimes because I miss the next game, so I can't complain."
Bradley has benefitted from a mini-midfield crisis with Richard Taundry, Richard Davies and Peter Till all being injured in past weeks.
Till and Taundry are out of Saturday with hamstring problems, but Davies resumed training last week after an ankle knock picked up in the reserves' 2-1 win at Shrewsbury more than two weeks ago.
Manny Smith has joined them on the sidelines with a knee injury and is a doubt for the Cumbrians' clash, while Clayton McDonald is set to play the last game of his loan spell from Manchester City.
The Saddlers ended their six-month wait for a home win after a 2-1 win against Huddersfield on Tuesday, which moved them up to 11th in League One, and Bradley knows another victory would keep them among the leading pack.
He added: "We want to get as many points as we can, hopefully I can be a big part of it."
