Town centre-half Tommy Smith is out to prove the doubters among New Zealand fans wrong having returned to the All Whites fold ahead of their World Cup double header against Fiji.
In May last year New Zealand head coach Anthony Hudson, the son of former England international Alan, said he wouldn’t be considering Smith for selection, citing the 26-year-old’s lack of commitment to international football.
However, the pair met up in London last autumn and resolved the situation with Smith apologising for his lack of communication and Hudson outlining what he expected of him as a member of his squad.
"[I'm] delighted to be back and 100 per cent committed going forwards, no question," Smith, who last played for the All Whites in November 2014, told the New Zealand Herald.
"I can understand [fans] questioning me, to be honest, but there are factors there that I don't want to get into.
"It's down to me to prove them wrong, show my commitment and hopefully win them over.
"I needed to have that chat and lay my cards on the table. Anthony wanted that 100 per cent commitment from me and I am happy to do that.
"That was the crux of the matter really. I love pulling on the shirt, but it was factors out of my hands previously that led to the decisions that I did make."
The relationship between Smith and New Zealand Football initially became strained after the player was angered when the association strictly enforced FIFA rules ahead of their 2014 World Cup play-off against Mexico which meant he was unable to play in a Town game at Blackpool.
Presumably referring to that, he added: "[There] was a situation beforehand that got out of hand really. It happened behind closed doors and I would rather keep it that way, at the risk of naming names.
Recalled All White Tommy Smith on the new level of professionalism within the squad @NZ_Football @tommysmith1990 https://t.co/HXbpkyqZaP pic.twitter.com/63YXuh5BBo– Newshub Sport (@NewshubSport) March 22, 2017
"It's all behind us now, and hopefully we can move forward and get that shirt on again. I would rather leave the past in the past.”
Smith, who qualifies for New Zealand having lived there between the ages of eight and 16, says there’s been no problem integrating back into the squad: "The lads have been great with me, I didn't want to disrupt things and everyone has assured me I'd be welcomed back, I want to help things."
The central defender, who has won 29 caps and scored two goals for the country he represented at the World Cup in 2010 and at the 2012 Olympics, recently returned to action with the Blues having undergone back surgery in September.
"The back is 100 per cent now," he continued. "I'm back in the first-team picture and it all feels good.”
The All Whites face the Fijians in Laukota on Saturday, then in Wellington on Tuesday. New Zealand currently top their qualification group and look set to progress to the next stage where they will meet the winners of the other Oceania qualification group in a two-legged play-off.
The side which wins that will face the team which finishes fifth in the South American qualification group in an inter-confederation play-off for a place at the finals in Russia in the summer of 2018.
Town youngster Monty Patterson, who is currently on loan at Braintree, was also included in the squad but pulled out due to a hamstring injury.