Fionn Fitzgerald says he has moved on with his life after being dropped from the Kerry panel by new manager Peter Keane.
The Dr Crokes defender co-captained the Kingdom to their last All-Ireland title in 2014 and was also skipper last year but was not asked back by Eamonn Fitzmaurice's successor.
At 28, some might feel he had another few years to give to the cause but Fitzgerald insists he is happy to have more time for his personal life and to focus on Crokes' efforts to win a second All-Ireland SFC club title in three years.
"My status is Kerry is done for me really," he told RTÉ Sport. "I'm very happy with Crokes. I'm not back in with Kerry next year. I'm looking forward to it. It'll be different next year. It'll be different this summer, it'll be different these couple of months.
"I got married in December and I was on honeymoon. For the last two months, between that and getting back into work in Crokes, I've had plenty to get my teeth stuck into.
"I'm only after coming out the whole inter-county bubble; it's been a hamster wheel really for the last seven or eight years between Crokes and Kerry.
"I'm looking to enjoy myself this year. I'm enjoying my football with Crokes, maybe get a bit of work experience and explore a few options in the summer abroad or whatever."
"I haven't really thought too far ahead, getting married and preparing for this (next week's semi-final against Mullinalaghta) are the main focus.
"We have a strong team at the minute and I love playing with Crokes. I'm looking forward to being able to give a little bit more to them over the next while.
"They're my boys, they're the guys I grew up with. We've been very lucky over the last number of years. It's something we never knew would happen really. You're just trying to live in the moment and enjoy it as best you can. It won't last forever, it definitely won't, enjoy it while you can."
Keane was criticised for not personally contacting members of Fitzmaurice's panel who weren't asked back, admitting "it could have been handled better", but Fitzgerald is adamant he isn't nursing any grievances over the abrupt end to six years of senior service.
"I had a wedding," he said. "I was indirectly linked with it, I had nothing to do with it. I don't really have an opinion on it and that's not flunking the question or anything.
"I'm very happy with Crokes and I'm very happy with where I'm at and really looking forward to next year. I'm not really going to look back in the wing mirror too much. That's the honest answer. Kerry will move on, I'll move on. That's where it's at. I'm happy out."
Kerry have made a positive start under Keane, beating Tyrone and Cavan to sit joint-top of Division 1A of the Allianz Football League but for Fitzgerald, league success is very much secondary to rebuilding a team to challenge for Sam Maguire.
"I still think League and Championship are a different ball game," he said. "You're looking really at - if you're contending for an All-Ireland - where are you at in August. We weren't in a good position in August.
"We lost a good few games at the start of Eamonn's tenure. It's hard to know. It's better to be winning games, of course, but I think the most important thing really is that you're trying to develop a team to see where you're going to be at for the Championship. If you did well in the league, it'd be great, it would be bonus territory.
"I went to the first game. I know very little about Kerry, I'll be straight about it. Between being away with the wedding and everything, and with Crokes, it's just taken up my time. Even the lads I'd be good friends with, I kind of left them for the last time."
Dr Crokes’ Fionn Fitzgerald was speaking ahead of the AIB GAA All-Ireland Senior Football Club Championship Semi-Final where they take on Mullinalaghta St Columba’s at Semple Stadium on Saturday, 16 February
