Preston ace Alan Browne wants to bring club form to Republic of Ireland role

Alan Browne with France's Steven Nzonzi (right) in Paris on Monday

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After a breakthrough campaign saw him end with a hat-trick of North End awards as player of the year, players’ player of the year and goal of the season winner, the 23-year-old is currently on duty with the Republic of Ireland.

The emerging midfielder will hope to win cap number four against the USA in Dublin on Saturday, having played an hour of the 2-0 defeat to France in Paris on Monday.

In the season just finished he scored nine times for PNE, as he found his scoring touch for the Lilywhites in a more advanced role under Alex Neil.

And Browne is now keen to show that kind of form for his country.

“I think within the Ireland squad we all know that we do need more goals,” he said.

“In the past, it was a case of hitting teams on the counter-attack and hoping that we get one but I just want to bring my own game to the international set-up and try and break forward when I can.

“Obviously, it’s a different style of play here at international level – you won’t get people who know each other as well as they do at club level and you have to adapt quickly.

“It’s not easy to play to a certain way when you don’t play with each other week in, week out.

“On a personal note I will try to play my own game – that’s getting up the pitch and supporting the strikers, hopefully I can get the chance to do that.

“I scored nine for Preston last season. It was a relatively new role to me, I was quite happy with that but as the season went on I thought I could get into double figures.

“I did my best to get there but nine in my first season in that role was okay, the gaffer was happy with me and hopefully I can add to that next  season.”

Greg Cunningham and Daryl Horgan will take the Preston contingent in the squad to three, having been unused substitutes in the French capital on Monday.

Saturday’s game will see Ireland pay tribute to retiring defender John O’Shea, with the 37-year-old making his 118th and final appearance for his country.