Fabian Delph admits he suffered a sharp come down after the thrill of England's 'lads' holiday' at the World Cup.
Delph enjoyed an unforgettable summer, making his return to the national side just in time to play a part in the Three Lions' charge to the semi-finals and briefly returning home from the tournament to welcome his third baby.
The Manchester City player was also namechecked by manager Gareth Southgate as a key dressing room influence in Russia and relished his time with the squad after two-and-a-half years off the scene.
But after the highs of reaching the final four on the global stage came an unavoidable lull.
'Yeah, it was a massive come down,' he told BBC Radio 5Live and TalkSport.
'Speaking for myself, we only had 10 or 11 days off then it was back at the club and I felt a little bit of that come down. I did have a moment of thinking 'I wish I could be back there or be part of the World Cup again'.
'We spent so much time together in Russia it felt strange the first week being back home.
'We pretty much nailed everything from the start of the camp, the togetherness. It was a really relaxed, chilled out camp. When we weren't on the pitch it was everyone laughing and joking, watching movies, just getting on. It felt almost like a lads' holiday.
'But on the pitch we mixed it up, were very serious and had our game plans and we nailed that as well.
'I spoke a lot out there about the chemistry and energy we have at City and the energy here is the same if not better.'
Delph won four caps at the tournament but has yet to play a single minute for the reigning Premier League champions this season.
That did not cost him a place in Southgate's plans for the forthcoming double header - the Nations League curtain-raiser at Wembley on Saturday, followed by a friendly against Switzerland at Leicester's King Power Stadium - but game time is a must if he is to feature in the long term.
That is easier said than done given the wealth of midfield options available to Pep Guardiola and the return to fitness of left-back Benjamin Mendy, for whom Delph deputised for extended periods last term.
Yet the 28-year-old remains phlegmatic about his place in the pecking order and is willing to wait for opportunities to present themselves as City challenge on multiple fronts.
'I'm not concerned about it, it's a very long season,' he said.
'At a club like Manchester City we're soon going to be playing three games a week and not everyone can play three games a week.
'There will be rotation, there will be times I'm needed to play and times I'm needed to come off the bench.
'I definitely will play games, I'm 100 per cent certain I'll get minutes on the pitch. It's up to you once you get the opportunity.
'When I do it's my time to shine and give what I can to the team. It's a fantastic squad and I'm very privileged to be part of it.'
Sabyasachi23
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He needs to move on. (-City fan)