Coventry's Ellis Simms secures Polish citizenship to abandon England and debut for Poland

Ellis Simms is on course to represent Poland at senior international level after the Coventry City striker received confirmation of his Polish citizenship, making him eligible for selection during the November international break.

Simms, 25, was born in Oldham and was called up to England under-18 and under-20 camps earlier in his career but never made an official appearance for any England age group. His eligibility for Poland comes through his grandmother, and he applied for citizenship earlier this year. According to Polish outlet Meczyki, he is now submitting documents to obtain a passport, a step described as a formality.

Poland manager Jan Urban is set to announce his squad next Friday and has already spoken positively about the prospect of calling Simms up for the Nations League fixtures against Romania and Sweden. “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. “He played regularly in the Championship. 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.”

Poland’s search for striking reinforcements has grown more pressing as captain Robert Lewandowski, who turned 38 in August, approaches the end of his international career. Urban continues to rely on Lewandowski, who scored a hat-trick in his most recent outing, but the federation is clearly planning for the future.

Simms has had a modest start to Coventry’s debut Premier League season, starting just one of their eight league games. He did, however, score as a substitute in a 4-1 victory over Newcastle earlier this month. Last season, the striker was a key figure in Frank Lampard’s promotion-winning side, contributing 13 Championship goals.

The forward drew on his previous top-flight experience with Everton as he reflected on the challenge ahead for Coventry. “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 said. “We know how ruthless the league is — it’s a lot higher level than last year.”