England midfielder Michael Carrick has admitted that it was a "big blow" to be overlooked for last summer's World Cup in Brazil.
The 33-year-old was only deemed good enough for the standby list in the build-up to the 2014 tournament, which saw England put in their worst performance since the 1958 edition to crash out in the group stages.
Carrick was also left out of the Euro 2012 squad by Roy Hodgson, but the Manchester United man believes that he is now "better" for having had those setbacks.
"It was a big blow. But I just wanted to get back playing well for United and if the opportunity came along again then great, if it didn't then it is just something you have to deal with. Now it's not so bad," he told reporters.
"When you have setbacks in your career when you come through them and you are better for it. You appreciate where you are, what you have got.
"You are in a better state to deal with it and move forward and I have done that throughout my career from the start and that is what has shaped me into the way I am now."
Carrick, who has won 31 caps for his country, has been recalled to the England squad for the upcoming matches against Lithuania and Italy.
Barney Corkhill
