IT was in September 2008 when Jay Rodriguez first came to the attention of Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson was the manager of Fulham, bringing his Premier League side to Turf Moor for a seemingly nondescript Carling Cup third round tie played in front of only 7,000 people. The match was lifeless and goalless until a young Rodriguez emerged from the bench in the 85th minute.

Making only his second appearance for Burnley, after a loan spell with Stirling Albion, within three minutes the 19-year-old Rodriguez raced clear before rounding Pascal Zuberbuhler and firing into the empty net.

The composure of the finish, undaunted by the opposition, made everyone present that night sit up and take notice.

It was the winning goal, the first in a string of upsets that took Burnley to the semi finals of the competition that season.

Hodgson was complimentary about Burnley afterwards, and can only have been impressed by Rodriguez.

The forward has gone from strength to strength in the ensuing years, becoming a star with Burnley and then Southampton.

A goal at Stoke on Saturday, his third in the last four games, paved the way for his call-up to the England squad. Those who have followed his career suspected he would get there at some point.

“Danny Welbeck at the moment is injured, we hope he will be fit to play but I see in Rodriguez someone who can possibly fill that Welbeck role,” Hodgson said yesterday.

“He’s a wide forward, rather than a midfielder or a winger, who likes to go forward and attack people with or without the ball and get into the box.

“We think he’s played well for Southampton and we think this might be an interesting opportunity for us with nine days of training and a couple of games to know a little bit more about him as a star than we do now.

“Up to now our information about him has been gleaned from the stand.”

Rodriguez has never been an extrovert.

I remember interviewing him when he was 15 and he had just joined the Burnley youth system.

I did not realise then I was speaking to what will soon be an England international.

He had probably never been interviewed before, so understandably he was very shy and not too sure what to say.

Those traits continued to a certain extent into his days in the Burnley first team.

But there has never been an ego about him, and his joy to play for the Clarets was clearly heartfelt.

I find it hard to imagine anyone will have a bad word to say about Jay. He is one of life’s good guys.

Someone who thoroughly deserves this opportunity.