Thursday 14 December 2017 19:43, UK
Ben Gibson says he knew he would lose his place in Gareth Southgate's England squad following Middlesbrough's relegation to the Championship.
Gibson received his first senior England call-up in March but has been left out of Southgate's two England squads since Boro dropped out of the Premier League.
The 24-year-old central defender realised his decision to stay at the Riverside would work against his chances of getting back into the Three Lions' set-up.
Sky Sports News understands West Brom had two bids rejected for Gibson by Middlesbrough over the summer.
Speaking as an ambassador for Teesside Hospice, he said: "Everyone knows how football works. I knew it was going to be difficult [to get selected for England] once I decided to stay at Middlesbrough in the Championship and that's the way it has been.
"I'm not focusing on that. I'm focusing on achieving with Middlesbrough, getting back up that table to where we belong."
Boro captain Gibson admits he did harbour ambitions of representing England at the 2018 World Cup in Russia before losing his place under Southgate.
"Everyone dreams of getting into the squad and playing for England at the World Cup," he said.
"It's difficult but that's part and parcel [of the situation]. I'm dealing with the here and now. I'm trying to get out of the Championship with Middlesbrough."
Promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough are currently eighth in the Championship standings but Gibson insists they have not given up on catching pace-setters Wolves and Cardiff City.
"[Wolves and Cardiff are] 100 per cent still in our sights," he said. "I believe we'll get promoted this season. We've been in those positions before and the pressure that comes towards the end of the season is difficult to handle.
"We have got to concentrate on ourselves. We know we'll get results if we get it right. We have to make sure we hit the same standards every week."
