Harris hopes Oxford form will bring Wales reward
Mark Harris joined Oxford United from Cardiff City in July 2023
- Published
Mark Harris hopes to hit three more targets before his season ends - a 20th goal for Oxford United that helps them rise to the Championship and a Wales recall when the league season is over.
The 25-year-old and his team-mates host Peterborough United in their League One semi-final first-leg play-off on Saturday, 4 May.
With Harris' 19 goals having contributed to their promotion push, the Swansea-born former Cardiff City player also hope to be facing Wales' two leading clubs in 2024-25.
But he has not been involved with Wales since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and Harris also hopes he has impressed national team boss Robert Page with June friendlies against Gibraltar and Slovakia on the horizon.
"It was quite tough, you know, not being in the last few squads," Harris told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
In the meantime, Page's side fell agonisingly short of reaching Euro 2024 as they lost 5-4 on penalties against Poland in a play-off eliminator.
Harris has been busy making his mark at Oxford having dropped down from the Championship with the Bluebirds, with the long-term aim of improving his reputation in front of goal.
He says leaving Cardiff City was a "tough decision", but having established himself as a striker at Oxford, Harris feels the move was justified.
"It was a good choice overall," he said.
"I've scored 19 goals and popped up with a few assists as well... I'm happy I chose to make the move here."
Harris hopes to get his 20th strike of the campaign "early on" against Peterborough and, if promotion is to follow, he will look out for fixtures against the city of his birth - Swansea - and Cardiff, the club where he spent the majority of his career.
"Touch-wood it all goes to plan and if it does, I'll be looking at both of them. They'd both be great fixtures," he said.
Listen to the full interview with Mark Harris on BBC Radio Wales Sport, Friday, 3 May from 19:00 BST and later on demand.