Keith Andrews has set his sights on helping Ireland qualify for the 2010 World Cup after this week pledging his future to Blackburn.
The 28-year-old Dublin born midfielder, who joined Rovers a year ago from MK Dons, was the subject of interest from Barclays Premier League rivals Fulham earlier this summer but has now signed a new four-year contract.
Ireland sit in second spot in Group Eight in World Cup qualifying, with three fixtures remaining, Cyprus away in September and Italy & Montenegro at home in October
Andrews said "We will know whether we have qualified automatically, or whether we need the play-offs by October. It is exciting times and fingers crossed we can do it.
"I always look at the short-term future. To play in a World Cup would be a dream come true. To cement my place on the international stage is one thing but to crack on and qualify for a World Cup it would go down in history."
Dubliner Keith Andrews has set his sights on World Cup qualification and Barclays Premier League safety as his season draws to a dramatic conclusion.
The Ireland central midfielder will hope to play a part in Ireland's bid to reach South Africa 2010 when they play Group Eight rivals Bulgaria on Saturday before heading off for a showdown with leaders Italy in Bari four days later.
On his return, the 28-year-old will throw himself back into a very different fight as Blackburn bid to preserve their top-flight status over the remaining eight games of a tense Premiership campaign.
Andrews said: "We have got some vital games - the next two internationals - and then the season finishing with the last eight games in the Premier League, which will obviously determine what league we are going to be in.
"But I have got the utmost confidence at club level that we will be able to stay up, and hopefully we will be okay.
"It's brilliant. These are the games you want to be involved in, they are the exciting times that you train hard to be involved in and to get yourself to a level to be involved in these type of situations."
