Chris Lakey Matty Pattison is looking into the future - and is hoping to find his name on South Africa's team sheet when the World Cup is staged in his home country in 2010.

Chris Lakey

Matty Pattison is looking into the future - and is hoping to find his name on South Africa's team sheet when the World Cup is staged in his home country in 2010.

The Canaries midfielder is enjoying the best form of his fledgling career - and says the thought of playing in football's greatest show on earth is proving an inspiration.

“I have got to be thinking about that,” said Pattison has twice been called into South Africa squads, but has yet to make his debut for the Bafana Bafana.

“It is going to be in South Africa as well, so it's a chance to go back home and see a lot of people and it gives me a chance to show what I can do there and hopefully I can get in the squad.

“It is a massive thing for me football wise and experience wise. I got a taste of it last time I was called up. I was with the lads and met all the people and they are all good people and it is something I would like to do in the future.

“Obviously there is nothing better than playing for your country so hopefully I will get called up again.”

Pattison put in another quality 90 minutes at Plymouth on Saturday, and reckons he is playing the best football of his life.

“I would say so,” he said. “I am feeling comfortable where I am playing at the minute, I have really grown into that position on the right so I can cut in and shoot and I am just enjoying my football so hopefully I can keep doing it.

“I play both sides and at the minute I feel a lot more comfortable on the right, but obviously if the gaffer wants to put me out on the left I have no problems with that either, or playing up the middle. I am just enjoying playing and feeling very comfortable with the way I am playing.”

Pattison has 31 league appearances for City under his belt since turning a loan move from Newcastle into a permanent deal in January - but is finding his first goal hard to come by.

He peppered the Plymouth goal with long-range efforts on Saturday, although he missed a golden opportunity from no more than six yards.

“I was a bit annoyed with myself after that miss on Saturday, but I'm getting into the positions so it is going to come soon,” he said.

“But it's no excuse, I should have scored that one. I have a bit of a jinx at the minute.”

Manager Glenn Roeder and his coaching staff have encouraged Pattison to shoot on sight - while the midfielder is aware of the tricks of the trade he can pick up from the vastly experienced Antoine Sibierski and his young partner Arturo Lupoli.

“You watch them in training and they are clinical in training when they are finishing all the crosses, especially Sib,” said Pattison. “Arturto is still young as well but he is a great finisher for how old he is. Sib I saw at Newcastle because I was with him there and he is a great finisher. It just seems easy to him so hopefully I can pick up a few things.

“Lee (Clark) and the gaffer always say, 'when you get the opportunity, shoot, because you have a powerful shot'. If I keep getting into those positions I'll keep shooting.

“They are always telling you in training and are always stopping sessions if you are trying to walk the ball into the net, saying we should be shooting rather than trying to walk the ball in.”