Manchester City midfielder Jack Rodwell is determined to make the most of his late England call-up as he looks to hit the ground running and make a 'fresh start' next season.
Rodwell is perhaps one City player who did not want last season to end after finally starting to shine late in an injury-ravaged first year at the club.
The 22-year-old has spent more than four months on the sidelines since his £12million move from Everton but he underlined his talent with a late burst of form that has now been recognised by England manager Roy Hodgson.
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Great timing: Jack Rodwell's two goal on Sunday against Norwich caught the eye
Rodwell scored both goals in City's otherwise disappointing 3-2 final day Barclays Premier League loss to Norwich and will link up with England for the upcoming friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil, with Manchester United's Tom Cleverley struggling for fitness.
Rodwell, who is now with the City squad in the United States ahead of post-season friendlies against Chelsea in St Louis and New York, now wants to carry momentum into next term.
City will also be returning to competition in August hoping to reassert themselves under a new manager after surrendering the Barclays Premier League crown in 2012-13.
Rodwell, who has two previous caps, said: 'It's all about the future now.
'Obviously a new manager will come in and everyone is intrigued to see who that is going to be.
'It's a fresh start for everyone and we will all be on it.
'First game of next season everyone will be flying, and we will do our best to prove ourselves to the manager.'
While the rest of the team looked drained against the Canaries, Rodwell relished the encounter as he again looked to put hamstring trouble behind him.
Composed: Rodwell's performance was one of the few positives City would have taken from Sunday's defeatHis second goal was particularly eye-catching, his vulnerable muscles holding up well as he raced on to a long ball from Yaya Toure and finished clinically.
He said: 'I am a great believer in my ability but I've not had the chance to prove it.
'I am back for one game after 10 games out and it's always hard.
'You are never match-fit and it's hard to produce. You need a good run of games.
'Once I am fit, I can do what I did for that second goal, and I can do it for 90 minutes. I have proved that.
'It's just getting games under my belt, getting match fitness and hopefully next season I can do it a bit more.
'When I made the run all I was thinking was that I could score. I saw a big gap and knew Yaya had the pass in him.
'It was one-on-one, and I knew that as long as the pass was right I could score, so that was all I was focused on.
'I have ended on a good note personally, now I can put my mind to rest and have a fresh start.'
Debut: Jack Rodwell won his first England cap in the 1-0 friendly win over Spain in 2011Rodwell will hope to retain his sharpness on City's short but lucrative trip to the US.
He said: 'It will be good. There will some team bonding and a lot of commercial stuff - who wouldn't want to go to New York? It should be a good end to the season.
'The season has just started for me. I have been back playing for the last few weeks and I just want more.'
City are likely to play at significantly less than full intensity in the lucrative games against Chelsea in the United States, with a number of players heading off on international duty after returning home.
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He said: 'I am getting married in Australia, where my fiance is from.
'It's great for me, and I'm happy and looking forward to a good, long marriage.'
Cleverley is yet to officially withdraw from Hodgson's squad but he was substituted during Manchester United's 5-5 draw away at West Brom and is unlikely to be fit to face either Brazil or Ireland.
The midfielder has featured regularly since Hodgson's appointment and his versatility can offer several options that will be missed with several other important players already unavailable.
Versatile: But Premier League winner Tom Cleverley is a major fitness doubt JACK RODWELL FACTFILE1991: March 11 - Born in Southport.
1998: Joins the Everton academy.
2007: December - Makes his first-team debut for Everton as a substitute in a Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar aged 16 years and 284 days, making him at the time the youngest player to play for the club in Europe.
2008: March - Makes his Premier League debut as a substitute against Sunderland.
2009: February - Scores his first Everton goal in a 3-1 FA Cup win over Aston Villa. Signs a five-year contract at Goodison Park.
March - Makes his debut for the England Under-21s against France
May - Is an unused substitute as Everton lose the FA Cup final 2-1 to Chelsea.June - Part of the England U21 squad which reaches the final of the European Championships, where they lose to Germany.
2010: May - Signs an improved five-year deal with the Toffees.
2011: October - Harshly sent off in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool. The red card was rescinded on appeal.
November - Makes his senior England debut as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Spain.Makes his first England start three days later in a 1-0 friendly win over Sweden at Wembley.
2012: August - Joins Manchester City on a five-year deal for £12million rising to £15m. Makes his City debut in a 3-2 win at home to Southampton.
May 11: Gets a second FA Cup runners-up medal as he comes off the bench as City lose 1-0 to Wigan.
May 19: After an injury-plagued season, scores his first two City goals in the 3-2 home defeat by Norwich on the final day of the campaign.
May 20: Called into the England squad for the friendlies against the Republic of Ireland and Brazil.
Lee Bryan
