DEFENDER Kieran Trippier says he would be honoured to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, but insists his first focus is to get Burnley back in the Premier League.

The right back has already played under GB coach Stuart Pearce at England Under 21 level, and came under his watch again at Southampton.

Pearce, who is in caretaker charge of the England squad following Fabio Capello’s resignation last week, was at St Mary’s Stadium to run the rule over a number of players as he prepares for London 2012.

Trippier, 21, could be in line for a call-up, as all bar three of the squad must be under the age of 23.

If the former Manchester City defender makes the cut, he hopes it is reward for helping Burnley secure a top six spot and a second promotion in three years.

“I’ve played a few times for England Under 21s and I think Stuart Pearce is a great man,” he said. “I’ve not heard anything about the Olympic squad. I don’t think anything’s been announced yet.

“If I get the call-up what an achievment that is to play in the Olympics. I’d be honoured to play.

“But I’m just concentrating on Burnley and doing well.

“It’s always been my aim to play in the Premier League. Unfortunately I didn’t do it with Manchester City, but hopefully I can do it with Burnley. I think we can get there.

“We’ve just got to keep playing well as a team. It’s a young team, and I think we’ve got a couple of exciting years to come.”

And Trippier insisted the prospect of a place in the play-offs served as an extra incentive to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointing defeat against Barnsley at Turf Moor tonight (kick-off 7.45pm).

“Everybody wants to play in the Premier League, it’s the best league in the world. That’s everybody’s aim at Burnley.

“The Championship is a hard league to get out of, but I think we can do it with the team we’ve got and the manager we’ve got.

“Saturday was a difficult game but we’ve got to learn from it.

“We’ve looked back at the game and analysed what we’ve done wrong and what we should have done right, and we’ll look to put it right against Barnsley.”

Trippier, who spent a season-and-a-half on loan at Oakwell before joining the Clarets in the summer, said: “I’ve spoken to a few of their players. They’ve got a new manager since I was there and a few new players. They were doing well at the start of the season, but they’ve had a bit of slump.

“But no game’s an easy game in this league and I think they’ll come and throw everything at us.

“You can’t write anyone off in this league and Barnsley will be another difficult game.

“Every team we play in this league is going to make it difficult, like we try to make it difficult for them.

“But teams don’t want to come to Turf Moor at quarter to eight on a Tuesday night.

“The crowd’s like an extra man on the pitch.

“We need them to help us get the result that we need.”