Steven Gerrard has appealed to England manager Fabio Capello not to give up on him.
The Liverpool captain admits he has struggled to bring his superlative club form to the international arena but believes he and Frank Lampard can still make a success of the midfield partnership which has struggled so often for England.
Gerrard, who is likely to start out wide on the left in the World Cup qualifier against Belarus on Wednesday, in a variation of the 4-4-2 formation which finished the 5-1 victory against Kazakhstan on Saturday, puts his lacklustre performances down to trying too hard.
But he believes Capello is the right man to unlock the real Gerrard, the one who single-handedly turned around the 2005 Champions League final and rescued Liverpool in the 2006 FA Cup final.
Gerrard said: 'He (Capello) has spoken to me before each game and told me what he wants me to do. He's said he wants me to emulate my form for Liverpool for England and he is prepared to help me.
'That's what I want. I don't want a manager to give up on me for club or country. I want them to keep trying to make me better.
'I've got every confidence in this manager and the set-up he's got behind him to improve my form.
'I'll be honest, I haven't always hit my Liverpool form for England, but it's not through a lack of trying.
'I'm desperate to play well for England. I believe we are getting to where we want to be.'
Gerrard accepts accusations, aimed at him in the past by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, which at times he has tried to be Roy of the Rovers, running around with huge energy but not always great focus.
He said: 'I have tried to improve that. That was a criticism from Rafa. He's helped me to become slightly more disciplined and I feel I can play either role - either attacking or if we're up against a good side when you need your two midfield players to be disciplined, I can do that now.
'You can't afford to be Roy of the Rovers all the time against top sides. If I'm wandering off all over the place my team-mates will come unstuck.'
The fact, however, is that Gerrard's inability to do for England what he does in the famous red shirt of Liverpool has become one of football's great conundrums.
It is one that weighs heavily with the 28-year-old. Is the answer simply that he is trying too hard?
'Maybe that's right,' Gerrard said. 'Sometimes I think I am thinking about it too much, trying too hard.
'Before the game you say you want to take the game by the scruff of the neck, be the main man, make it happen. And sometimes if it doesn't happen for you, you try to force passes and you get frustrated, that's normal.
'I think that's where I am at the moment. I am putting too much pressure on myself and trying too hard. Maybe I do have to relax.
'I'm more relaxed at Liverpool because maybe I can afford to have a one-off bad game for Liverpool because there'll be another game around the corner, whereas if you play badly for England it may be a long time before you can correct it.'
The Liverpool captain admits he has struggled to bring his superlative club form to the international arena but believes he and Frank Lampard can still make a success of the midfield partnership which has struggled so often for England.
Gerrard, who is likely to start out wide on the left in the World Cup qualifier against Belarus on Wednesday, in a variation of the 4-4-2 formation which finished the 5-1 victory against Kazakhstan on Saturday, puts his lacklustre performances down to trying too hard.
But he believes Capello is the right man to unlock the real Gerrard, the one who single-handedly turned around the 2005 Champions League final and rescued Liverpool in the 2006 FA Cup final.
Gerrard said: 'He (Capello) has spoken to me before each game and told me what he wants me to do. He's said he wants me to emulate my form for Liverpool for England and he is prepared to help me.
'That's what I want. I don't want a manager to give up on me for club or country. I want them to keep trying to make me better.
'I've got every confidence in this manager and the set-up he's got behind him to improve my form.
'I'll be honest, I haven't always hit my Liverpool form for England, but it's not through a lack of trying.
'I'm desperate to play well for England. I believe we are getting to where we want to be.'
Gerrard accepts accusations, aimed at him in the past by Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, which at times he has tried to be Roy of the Rovers, running around with huge energy but not always great focus.
He said: 'I have tried to improve that. That was a criticism from Rafa. He's helped me to become slightly more disciplined and I feel I can play either role - either attacking or if we're up against a good side when you need your two midfield players to be disciplined, I can do that now.
'You can't afford to be Roy of the Rovers all the time against top sides. If I'm wandering off all over the place my team-mates will come unstuck.'
The fact, however, is that Gerrard's inability to do for England what he does in the famous red shirt of Liverpool has become one of football's great conundrums.
It is one that weighs heavily with the 28-year-old. Is the answer simply that he is trying too hard?
'Maybe that's right,' Gerrard said. 'Sometimes I think I am thinking about it too much, trying too hard.
'Before the game you say you want to take the game by the scruff of the neck, be the main man, make it happen. And sometimes if it doesn't happen for you, you try to force passes and you get frustrated, that's normal.
'I think that's where I am at the moment. I am putting too much pressure on myself and trying too hard. Maybe I do have to relax.
'I'm more relaxed at Liverpool because maybe I can afford to have a one-off bad game for Liverpool because there'll be another game around the corner, whereas if you play badly for England it may be a long time before you can correct it.'
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