Shrewsbury's Tom Flanagan keen for more Northern Ireland progress
Shrewsbury defender Tom Flanagan is keen to discover what international prospects lay ahead of him with a major tournament on the horizon.
Northern Ireland centre-half Flanagan, 30, is the one Town player who will be involved in competitive action during the close season.
The January signing from Sunderland will hope to add to his 13 caps for Ian Baraclough's side when the UEFA Nations League gets under way next month.
Flanagan, who is London born but whose family hail from over the Irish Sea, made his international debut in June 2017 while with Burton and is not ready to call time on what is an experienced Green and White Army squad.
"I've never been in a situation where I was like 'I want to make 50 caps' or 'I want to make 100 caps'," Flanagan said.
"That was because when I first joined the group there were three Premier League centre-halves playing ahead of me in a back three.
"I was sitting thinking it'd be a long couple of years hoping for some retirements!
"Obviously that has happened, albeit only one of them, but I've kind of stepped into that and I've got to keep hold of that.
"I don't know what will happen in the summer or next season, in respect of it being an ageing squad.
"As much as I don't like to admit it, I will probably be put into that bracket as well."
Flanagan plays alongside Premier League defenders as part of the Northern Ireland outfit.
He impressed in March's 3-1 friendly win in Luxembourg in a defence made up of Leciester's former West Brom star Jonny Evans, 34, and Watford's Craig Cathcart, 33.
Northern Ireland make up League C Group 2 of the tournament – which spans this summer and next once the knockout stages are reached – with rivals Greece, Cyprus and Kosovo.
They kick off against Greece on June 2, face Cyprus on June 5, Kosovo on June 9 and Cyprus again on June 12.
The competition continues with two more fixtures during the international break in late September.
"It's not like club football, you're not allowed to tackle, not allowed any contact, it's 'you keep the ball' and 'we keep the ball' – that's kind of where it is," Flanagan explained.
"It's more a concentration thing than a physical demand, but the travelling does take it out of you. It might be something I think about myself (finishing) but I can't see myself having that conversation with myself at the moment, so long may that continue."
