Stephen Ward says he will not let his snub by Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni get him down and, rather, he will use it for extra motivation in his bid to help his club Wolverhampton Wanderers survive in the Premier League.
Many expected Ward, the only Ireland-qualified left back playing in England's top flight, to earn a first senior call-up for Tuesday's friendly against Brazil.
But instead there was a shock call for Manchester City youngster Greg Cunningham, while Kevin Kilbane - without a league start for Hull since October - is the man who will actually start and earn a record-breaking 103rd cap in doing so, a record that will simultaneously be broken by goalkeeper Shay Given.
Ward - who Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has successfully converted from a striker to a full back - admits he was disappointed not to be given a chance by Trapattoni, but says keeping Wolves up is the most important immediate goal anyway.
"I looked at the squad because I knew it was named on the Monday and I was disappointed not to be in it," Ward was quoted as saying by the Express and Star.
“It would have been nice to have seen my name, but I quickly put it to the back of my mind.
“My priority is Wolves and trying to help us stay in the Premier League first and foremost. But when people have asked me about it, I got a sense of what it would be like to be selected.
“All I’ll be doing is keeping plugging away and trying to do things right for the club. I carry on doing that and working hard, hopefully I will get a chance.
“If that come, all you can do then is take your chance. I saw Greg Cunningham had come on in an FA Cup tie for Manchester City, but good luck to the lad.
“It’s one of those things – I wasn’t too upset about it – I had a look at the squad and moved on.”