Norwich City captain Seb Bassong believes helping the Canaries to Premier League safety this season can help his bid to make Cameroon's World Cup squad for Brazil.

The 27-year-old has not featured since the last World Cup in South Africa for the 'Indomitable Lions' but Bassong revealed he has not given up hope of a late call-up. Cameroon have been drawn in group A with the hosts, Croatia and Mexico but the central defender knows he needs to be performing well for his club.

'It's a big year for me because I've been in and out of the national team. I need to play my way back in during the rest of the season,' he said. 'Going to a World Cup is so good for any player - and particularly one in Brazil. We've had some tough games (at Norwich) against the big teams and it is really important to get results against those who are around you. Manchester City are unbelievable at home. I was hoping the game would finish after half an hour They were fantastic.

'We've played Chelsea, Arsenal and a few others. I'm not saying that we should have won against Arsenal - but we could have won. Arsenal are always good, play really good football and have more experience than last season. Last season we struggled for goals but we finished in mid-table, we bought strikers in the summer and have given ourselves a good chance of doing well this season. If we win the games against the teams around us then it will put us in a good position.'

Bassong, speaking to the Daily Mirror, is relishing the responsiblity of leading the Canaries after Chris Hughton made him team captain at the start of this sesaon following a debut campaign in Norfolk that saw him crowned the supporters' player-of-the-year.

'When the gaffer came and asked me if I was ready for the captaincy, I thought he meant in the future,' he said. 'But to get it now full-time was a huge honour. I like to be the leader whether you've got the armband or not because I'm not a quiet one.'