Ellis Simms has received confirmation of his Polish citizenship and could make his debut for the country next month. The 25-year-old Coventry striker was born in Oldham but is eligible to represent Poland through his grandmother.
Simms was called up to England camps at both under-18 and under-20 level but never made an official appearance. Earlier this year, he applied to become a Polish citizen, and his application has now been successful.
Passport process and national team call-up
According to Meczyki, the former Everton prospect is submitting documents in order to obtain a passport, a step expected to be a formality. Simms will therefore be available for Poland's Nations League fixtures against Romania and Sweden in November.
Manager Jan Urban is due to announce his call-ups next Friday and has already talked up Simms' chances. "There is a point. Players with Polish roots have the right to be treated the same as any other Pole with a passport," Urban told TVP Sport in September.
Manager's assessment and competition for places
"He's not Erling Haaland, he's not some unknown type of player. He played regularly in the Championship, but things weren't going so well for him at Everton," Urban said. "First, the paperwork: the passport and all the formalities. Only then will he be considered. If we think he can help the national team, he'll be called up. If not, we'll wait for him to improve. It's no secret we're interested in him."
Poland are looking for new strikers as captain Robert Lewandowski enters the twilight of his career. Lewandowski celebrated his 38th birthday in August, but Urban continues to rely on the Chicago Fire man, who bagged a hat-trick in his last outing.
Simms' season so far and Premier League return
Simms has only started one of Coventry's eight Premier League games this season but scored off the bench in their 4-1 win against Newcastle earlier this month. Last season, the 25-year-old helped Frank Lampard's side earn promotion from the Championship by netting 13 goals.
With Coventry's focus on survival, Simms hopes his previous top-flight experience with Everton will come in handy. "I knew a little bit about the league already, the demands and what's required to be competitive at that level, so it was a great challenge for me to prove myself at this level again," he explained this week.
"We know how ruthless the league is - it's a lot higher level than last year. I've heard how big of a fanbase and club Coventry is - we've been waiting to get back into the Premier League. It's been 20 odd years so we're happy that us as players have managed to get the club back, and we just want to try and stay there. We know it's difficult but we believe in ourselves - we've got a good coaching group, good fans and if we all stick together, I'm sure we can stay in the league."
