IT WAS no more than an off-the-cuff remark from Stuart McCall.

The Bantams boss jokingly asked Josh Cullen if he fancied playing twice next weekend.

He didn’t seriously expect the midfielder to turn round and reply: “I’m up for that.”

We will have to wait and see whether Cullen will seriously have any part in City’s televised trip to Scunthorpe the day after representing Republic of Ireland under-21s.

It sounds a huge ask and circumstances will surely dictate with how much the European Championship qualifier against Kosovo takes out of him. Cullen, as everyone is well aware, does not operate at half measures.

But the fact that he is willing to jump on a flight from Dublin straight afterwards to try to link up with his club is a further indication of the close-knit spirit within the dressing room.

McCall recalls it happening before in Scotland with players featuring in double-headers but that was in the case of a goalkeeper.

The physical exertions in Cullen’s game would make it the ultimate test. But at the very least, he can be in and around the group at the team hotel on Saturday night.

Speaking before he jetted off to Ireland, Cullen admitted it would be a blow not to be involved against the Iron.

“Missing a big game on the telly is never nice, especially when we’re playing another team up there with us,” he said.

“But it’s one of those things because in League One and League Two there are no international breaks.

“I’m proud to have been called up by my country and I’m excited to go over there.

“We’re starting a new qualifying campaign and I can’t wait to get going with the lads in that respect.

“It’s a little bit of a downer on one note but it’s always a privilege to play for your country. That pride I have to put on the shirt is a great feeling and one I’m looking forward to it.”

Cullen has missed two league games this season because of Irish commitments. City drew 1-1 at Millwall and beat Shrewsbury 2-0 in his absence.

They also claimed a point at Bristol Rovers when he missed last month’s trip to the south-west due to a minor strain.

And last year, the Cullen-less Bantams enjoyed a 100 per cent Easter when a makeshift central-midfield duo of Billy Knott and Tom Thorpe filled in for back-to-back 1-0 wins against Millwall and Crewe to maintain the play-off momentum.

Cullen said: “They were two massive results and it was great to see. I’m probably the biggest fan when I’m away.

“I’ll always try to keep a close eye on how things are going wherever I am if it’s in the hotel or at the airport.”

Having edged past relegation-haunted Swindon on Saturday thanks to the Charlie Wyke late show, the Bantams are now building up to face the team currently two points behind them in the promotion race.

But Cullen, who surprisingly missed out in the League One team of the year announced yesterday, insists every opponent poses a tough challenge at this stage of the campaign.

He said: “It’s going to be difficult, whoever you are playing. Everyone has something to play for.

“We played Coventry, who are bottom but fighting for their lives.

“They had a new manager just coming in and the players wanted to make a good impression. They’ve also got Wembley coming up (in the Checkatrade Trophy final) so all want to be in that team.

“Charlton had a manager who is relatively new, so the players there all want to be staking their claim to prove they are good enough to be in his plans.

“There have been times this season when we’ve been really disappointed and frustrated to only come away with a point. But we were happy to take that from Charlton because they are a better side than their league place suggests and put us under a lot of pressure second half.

“Then Swindon are another team fighting to stay up. We’d lost at their place earlier in the season and knew we had to be right at it.

“Scunthorpe are right up there with us and have had a good season. But we know if we’re all on our game we’ve always got a good chance of beating anybody.

“There’s no reason why we can’t go there and look to get the win, as we always do – and I’ll be fully behind the lads cheering them on.”