Phil Jagielka has conceded that the World Cup may have ended his time as a first-choice defender for England but said he has no intention of quitting international football.
The Everton captain was omitted from Roy Hodgson’s starting line-up for the opening European Championship qualifier against Switzerland earlier this month, the only player who was both a regular at the World Cup and available for the game in Basel to suffer demotion to the bench. Jagielka denies the disappointment of Brazil has contributed to his early season difficulties at Everton but, with Hodgson favouring Phil Jones alongside Gary Cahill against the Swiss, he admits it was painful to be the only player dropped from the England side.
“It does not feel nice, that is the easiest way of saying it, but the manager has a job to do,” said the 32-year-old, who produced an encouraging display in Everton’s Europa League defeat of Wolfsburg on Thursday. “If you look at building for the future, then that can work against me but, if I start looking too deeply at things, it is not going to do me any favours.
“It’s out of my hands who gets picked. I would not say I was particularly confident (of reclaiming his place), no. It is up to the manager and all I can do is play well for Everton.
“Hopefully if the manager keeps playing me and I do well, my case becomes stronger. I can’t try anything else but to play well week in, week out for my club to get my place back. If it doesn’t, then whatever role I am given I will deal with it and do it to the best of my ability.”
Jagielka insists he did not ask Hodgson to explain his demotion against Switzerland. “What is there to speak about?” he said. “I’m not going to demand reasons for not playing. We are part of a team and, if the manager makes a decision, you stick by it.” And the defender is adamant the setback will not tempt him to consider following Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard into international retirement.
He said: “After the game against Switzerland [when Jagielka appeared as a 77th-minute substitute] I was as happy as anyone else. I have not pushed my career as far as I can to get to the highest level just to spit my dummy out and say, ‘I’m not going to come just because you’re not playing me.’ I would like to play every game and play a big part of it. As it is, at the moment I am having to play a supporting role. I still felt my contribution in Switzerland was important.”
Everton’s captain rejected suggestions the World Cup is responsible for his early-season form at club level but admits the past four months have been a difficult time in his career. “I do not feel the World Cup has left a mark,” he added. “I want to play in winning teams and be a big part of a winning team, so there were some aspects I needed to sort out for myself. There are periods of a career where you feel you can not do too much right. It has been a sticky four months but the players and coaching staff at Everton have been brilliant. I do not think I have been horrific but, when you look at the results I have been part of, you can throw criticism my way and it is something I have to deal with.”