Ciaran Clark insists the Republic of Ireland players are blocking out the "noise" that's blaring all around the camp this week in the wake of Declan Rice and Harry Arter's withdrawals.
Rice's hesitation to commit fully to Ireland, with England turning the West Ham defender's head, has been a blow to the squad ahead of the Nations League game against Wales and subsequent friendly in Poland.
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Things have been worsened by Arter's absence in Martin O'Neill's trimmed squad, the manager admitting a fallout with Roy Keane may have played some part in the Cardiff midfielder stepping back from the international fold for the time being.
For Clark, it's a case of concentrating on the job at hand.
"The noise outside is there, but we can’t concentrate on that at all," he said.
"We have just got to focus on the first game [against Wales] and do our best to try to win that game.
"It’s a massive game and it’s obviously disappointing the lads aren’t here - they’re two great lads - but we have to concentrate on the game coming up with the squad we’ve got.
"Every player wants to play games, train hard. We’re all training for spots now in the starting XI. It’s going to be a competitive few days, especially leading up to the first game. I’m looking forward to it."
Clark wouldn't be drawn on Rice's tug of war. O'Neill is happy to give the 19-year-old time and space to make his call and Newcastle defender Clark agrees the player himself should be left to resolve the situation himself.
"That’s down to Declan, that’s a decision that he’s going to have to make himself, and the same with Harry," he added.
"It’s something that he has to sort out himself. It’s hard for us, really. We are trying to concentrate on the games. There’s a lot of different things going off outside and all we want to do is just concentrate on the football.
"Obviously everyone is aware of the situation, but we have come in now, we’ve had our first training session and everyone’s head is focused now really on the game coming up.
"That’s up to the individuals to sort out their situations and for us, our situation is to concentrate on training and work hard in training to try to win the games."
It's been a tough start to the Premier League for Rafa Benitez's Toon Army. Clark has been playing well in a rearguard that's actually performed impressively, but a lack of goals has proven costly - the Magpies have one point from four games.
"I felt like we were unlucky in a couple for he games," Clark said.
"If you look back at the Tottenham [game], in the second half we could have nicked at least a draw. We should have gone on to beta Cardiff. And against Chelsea it was a penalty and an own goal.
"We've just got to keep doing what we're doing and hopefully the luck will turn."
