Stephen Carr may have come out of international retirement but he refused to discuss the issue any further when he spoke to the media before Ireland's friendly international with The Netherlands at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday.
Carr said: 'I don't want to talk about that to be honest. I'm here now and that's it. It's my choice. I'm back and to me that is all that matters.'
However, the Newcastle United full back did admit he was excited by his inclusion in Steve Staunton's squad. He admitted: 'I'm looking forward to coming back into the squad. Once I made my decision to come back the lads accepted me back into the fold and it is a great game to come back to against such a great team like Holland.'
Carr, who has been plagued by injuries in recent years, has enjoyed a full pre-season and is ready to put his injury nightmare behind him.
The Dubliner added: 'To be honest, it is the best I have felt for a while, now the injuries are behind me. I have had a good pre-season and am waiting for the season to start.'
With a growing Irish contingent at St James' Park, Carr and goalkeeper Shay Given have been joined on Tyneside this season by their international colleague Damien Duff.
Carr said: 'Damien coming to the club is great and it is one of the biggest signings we've had for a long time. Hopefully we will get a few more players in with his quality. Once he gets fit, he started later than us, he can be a great buy. I'm enjoying it and having Duffer at the club now is great. Hopefully it continues.'
Carr also gave us an insight into the talents of the other slightly less well-known Irish left-winger at Newcastle; Alan O'Brien.
The full-back said: 'He is electric. He has got ridiculous pace and once he matures as a player and really learns how to use that pace he could be a very, very good player. Once he gets the right coaching, and he has a good player in Duffer to learn from, he could be unbelievable. His pace is absolutely frightening.'
Players like O'Brien represent the future of Irish football, but Carr and his established international team-mates must now focus on the first Euro 2008 qualifier against World Cup semi-finalists Germany on 2 September. Ireland also take on Euro 2004 semi-finalists the Czech Republic in Group D but Carr is not overly worried about taking on such opposition.
He said: 'It is going to be a very difficult group but most of our groups have been difficult over the last few years. I have seen Germany in the World Cup. They have a young team coming up and look very good. It is going to be difficult but I think we are a good enough squad to go through.'
Carr sees Wednesday's friendly against The Netherlands as an ideal warm-up for the clash with Germany in Stuttgart. He said: 'Holland have got some world class players. It is a great test for us and good preparation for the next game against Germany. Holland were there (at the World Cup) and we weren't there. I didn't watch many games to be honest but from what I have seen of them, Holland are a good team and it will be a very difficult game for us.'
Dutch coach Marco van Basten has chosen to omit Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy from his squad but Carr sounded a warning.
He urged: 'They must have the quality there that they can leave players of that standard out.'
