Gareth Barry goes into England's World Cup qualifying campaign admitting he lost his focus over the summer.
The midfielder was at the centre of a bitter £18million tug-of-war between Aston Villa and Liverpool which became the summer's longest-running transfer saga.
It even led to England boss Fabio Capello admitting he was concerned at Barry's drop in form during last month's friendly with the Czech Republic at Wembley.
Capello claimed Barry was "not at his best" - his first public criticism of an England player.
Barry, who has lost the Villa captaincy to Martin Laursen, might have been sweating on his place against Andorra tomorrow had it not been for Steven Gerrard being injured. But Barry, 27, insists that is all behind him now as he has pledged his shortterm future to Villa.
Barry said: "It was a tough summer, a difficult summer for myself, but that is all in the past now. That's why I felt it was important I didn't wait until the last minute of the transfer deadline to make a statement on my future.
"I made it 10 days ago now to let everyone know my mind's focused on playing for Aston Villa and more importantly, obviously, for England.
"I didn't see too much of what was said (by Capello). As I've said, it was a tough summer and it may have played a bit on my mind.
"But I wasn't going into the game thinking about my situation at all. I was trying to do the best for my country.
"It's important now that the qualifying games are coming up and everyone knows what I'm focused on.
"I personally feel very good, very fit. I didn't have the ideal preseason but I'm personally fine and ready to go. It's early season and I feel as if I'm playing pretty well."
Barry's summer of discontent and Capello's doubts after the Czech Republic game were just about the only two black marks against the midfielder's incredible rise to prominence as an England regular in the past year or so.
Barry came to the fore in the second half of Steve McClaren's failed Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and - perhaps fortunately - he was a non-playing substitute when England last played Andorra in Barcelona 18 months ago.
England fans booed their own players, under-pressure McClaren flipped in the post-match press conference and all that after an unconvincing 3-0 win.
England go back to face Andorra under Capello's new regime yet it is still somewhat of a no-win situation - even a thumping victory will be dismissed as only against a bunch of part-time nohopers.
So far, the biggest difference in Capello's regime has been a strict dress code and new diets - including more pasta and less bolognese sauce-yet performances have been just as unappetising.
But Barry believes it is a fresh start for England. He said: "It's a clean slate, the first game of the campaign and three points is what we are going to be looking for."
The midfielder was at the centre of a bitter £18million tug-of-war between Aston Villa and Liverpool which became the summer's longest-running transfer saga.
It even led to England boss Fabio Capello admitting he was concerned at Barry's drop in form during last month's friendly with the Czech Republic at Wembley.
Capello claimed Barry was "not at his best" - his first public criticism of an England player.
Barry, who has lost the Villa captaincy to Martin Laursen, might have been sweating on his place against Andorra tomorrow had it not been for Steven Gerrard being injured. But Barry, 27, insists that is all behind him now as he has pledged his shortterm future to Villa.
Barry said: "It was a tough summer, a difficult summer for myself, but that is all in the past now. That's why I felt it was important I didn't wait until the last minute of the transfer deadline to make a statement on my future.
"I made it 10 days ago now to let everyone know my mind's focused on playing for Aston Villa and more importantly, obviously, for England.
"I didn't see too much of what was said (by Capello). As I've said, it was a tough summer and it may have played a bit on my mind.
"But I wasn't going into the game thinking about my situation at all. I was trying to do the best for my country.
"It's important now that the qualifying games are coming up and everyone knows what I'm focused on.
"I personally feel very good, very fit. I didn't have the ideal preseason but I'm personally fine and ready to go. It's early season and I feel as if I'm playing pretty well."
Barry's summer of discontent and Capello's doubts after the Czech Republic game were just about the only two black marks against the midfielder's incredible rise to prominence as an England regular in the past year or so.
Barry came to the fore in the second half of Steve McClaren's failed Euro 2008 qualifying campaign and - perhaps fortunately - he was a non-playing substitute when England last played Andorra in Barcelona 18 months ago.
England fans booed their own players, under-pressure McClaren flipped in the post-match press conference and all that after an unconvincing 3-0 win.
England go back to face Andorra under Capello's new regime yet it is still somewhat of a no-win situation - even a thumping victory will be dismissed as only against a bunch of part-time nohopers.
So far, the biggest difference in Capello's regime has been a strict dress code and new diets - including more pasta and less bolognese sauce-yet performances have been just as unappetising.
But Barry believes it is a fresh start for England. He said: "It's a clean slate, the first game of the campaign and three points is what we are going to be looking for."
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