When I first came into the England one-day side and joined the selectors, I wanted to move away from picking what some people called the bits-and-pieces to the best batsmen and bowlers.
I haven't retired from international football - I still believe I have a part to play in the future of England.
I feel there's a lot of confidence in me when I'm with the national squad.
There are times when new players replace injured players in the national squad. Since the new players don't have enough experience and match practice at the international level, they seldom play under a lot of pressure.
At least six Bayern players, who have won almost everything, are in the national squad.
City has helped me and Chelsea has helped me to be in the national squad.
Playing for my country is the pinnacle of anyone's career. There's a major tournament coming up so I'm looking forward to being a part of that.
I joined a big club like Monaco and it was extraordinary for my growth as a player. That gave me the chance to break into the national squad, win the 1998 World Cup, the EURO in 2000, and make the leap to Italian football.
