Bim Pepple has his sights set on forcing his way back into the Canada international squad, and Plymouth Argyle head coach Tom Cleverley believes the striker can do it from the third tier if he keeps scoring goals.

The 23-year-old was included in Canada's final squad before the World Cup in March, though he did not make the cut for the tournament itself despite finishing the previous season with 15 goals in 21 games. A strong return by any measure, and one that earned him a call-up while playing League One football.

That precedent is exactly what Cleverley is pointing to now. Pepple has opened this campaign with three goals, netting in each of Argyle's last two matches, yet he has been absent from Jesse Marsch's latest Canada squad for friendlies against Chile, Peru and the United States.

Cleverley is not pretending the situation is straightforward. International managers tend to look at the top European leagues first, and Canada are no different.

"I've been around international players a lot in my career and a lot of those guys in the Canada squad will be in top five European leagues or the Championship," he said. "Bim's behind the eight ball a little bit with that."

The honest assessment is fair enough. Competing for international recognition from Home Park is a harder sell than doing it from, say, a Bundesliga club. But Cleverley's point is that Pepple has done it before, and there is no structural reason he cannot do it again.

"So all he can do is absolutely maximise what he can do," Cleverley added. "That he scores as many goals as he can, as many assists, holds the ball up as well as he did last weekend, presses as much as he is doing for us, and let's see where that gets him. He got a call-up whilst being a League One player, an Argyle player, and one of his targets will be to do the same again this season."

That is a fairly direct brief. Goals, pressing, hold-up play, repeat. Whether Marsch is watching League One clips in enough detail to be convinced is another matter, but visibility is rarely as much of an obstacle as it once was at this level.

For Plymouth's purposes, Pepple's international ambitions and Argyle's League One interests run in the same direction. A striker who is desperate to catch a national coach's eye is one who turns up for training with something to prove every morning. Three goals in his first few appearances suggests the motivation is already translating on the pitch.

The broader picture at Home Park is encouraging. Argyle have made a positive start to the season, with Cleverley building a side that looks capable of competing at the top end of the division. Pepple's form is a significant part of that, and the club will be hoping it continues regardless of what the Canada selectors decide.

Whether a run of League One goals is eventually enough to nudge Marsch into picking up the phone remains to be seen. But the precedent has been set, and Pepple, by the sound of it, has not forgotten it.

Frequently asked

Has Bim Pepple ever been called up for Canada?
Yes. Pepple was included in Canada's squad ahead of the World Cup in March, earning his call-up while playing for Plymouth Argyle in League One.
Why has Bim Pepple not been selected for Canada recently?
Pepple was not included in Jesse Marsch's latest Canada squad for matches against Chile, Peru and the United States. Tom Cleverley has acknowledged that players from higher-profile leagues tend to be favoured by international managers.
How many goals has Bim Pepple scored this season for Plymouth?
Pepple has scored three goals for Plymouth Argyle so far this season, including in each of the club's last two matches.