Carrick: Ferguson Has His Own Agenda For Internationals

The timing of the international break has been criticised by many of the Premier League's most respected club managers.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill have been openly critical about the concept of international friendlies as a whole, not just the timing of them.

Meanwhile Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will have been fuming over the English Football Association's decision to force Steven Gerrard into a 400 mile round trip so England medics could assess the extent of the  midfielder's groin injury themselves, only to come to the same decision as Liverpool.

Manchester United and England midfielder Michael Carrick, after the withdrawal through injuries of Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney, Wes Brown, Gary Neville and Owen Hargreaves, is the only Red Devil representative in the England camp; he believes that friendlies are an essential part of the international calendar.

International Hindrance? Never

"Friendlies are not meaningless," 27-year-old Carrick told Sky Sports. "To play for your country is a massive honour. Germany versus England at any level is a huge game.

"I certainly do not regard it as a hindrance. But I accept that Sir Alex Ferguson does not really look at it that way. He has his own agenda and there are things to be won at domestic level," he said.

"But, as players, you have to put that to one side until Thursday morning."

"He has never put me under pressure not to play in a friendly," Carrick claimed.

Abundance Of Talent

Regarding his international chances, he added: "I don't look into the past too much so I never got too concerned about falling off anyone's radar. I always believed in myself and knew if I was playing well enough and doing what I am good at I would get the opportunity again.

"It's not really for me to say why I didn't get picked. I just want to look ahead and try and be a part of something that can be big and special. I'm not sure midfield is the hardest area to get into because we have talented players throughout the squad.

"Hopefully the competition for places will bring on everybody's game," he concluded.

Alan Dawson, Goal.com