The Derry City star was speaking as he picked up the Player of the Month award for February.
Michael Duffy is named SSE Airtricity/SWI Player of the Month for March
Michael Duffy says he has not given up on his dream of pulling on the green jersey.
The Derry City star has been named SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for February, ahead of Bohemians pair Colm Whelan and Dawson Devoy.
Devoy is one of four players to be included in Heimir Hallgrímsson’s provisional squad for the World Cup play-offs later this month.
The Bohs star has been joined by Shamrock Rovers trio Ed McGinty, Matt Healy and Adam Brennan.
Derry-born Duffy was close to a call-up under Stephen Kenny, but having played for Northern Ireland’s Under-21s his international transfer didn’t come through in time.
At the age of 31 he shows no signs of slowing down. He scored four goals in February, including a hat-trick against Waterford, to get his own 2026 season off to a flyer.
Asked if he still harboured international ambitions, Duffy replied: “Aye, of course. That’s something I would love to do.
“Everyone wants to play for their country. It was always a main goal of mine, but as I said last year in interviews, I don’t get too worked up about it now. If it happens, it happens.
“I just concentrate on Derry and how I can help Derry win games and for us to be successful.
“And if something like that ever came, then obviously it would be amazing.”
As for Hallgrímsson’s acknowledgement of the form of his League of Ireland quartet, Duffy added: “I’ve seen that the four lads get called onto the provisional squad.
“It’s great. Fair play to them. And it’s great for the league that players are getting recognised. So I’m delighted for those players.
“I’m not going to get too worked up that I haven’t been put in the squad.”
While Duffy has kicked off the new campaign in fine form, Derry’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers last Friday was their second of the season so far.
Given the expectation on the Candystripes this season, which intensified after they brought James McClean back to the club, Duffy admitted: “It’s been a bit disappointing for us.
“We definitely would want to be on more points than we are right now. But we know it’s early days and we’re still working and we’re still together.
“We know we have a lot to work on, but we’re fighting here as a group.
“There’s a lot of expectation here this year. For us as players too, we know that.
“We’ve signed, obviously, a great squad, and we really want to be successful here, but we’re only five games into the season and a couple of results haven’t gone our way.
“So we’re not going to get too down about it. There’s so much to play for still left in the season.
“We just look now towards Friday, how we can go and put it right and start picking up a few ones.”
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