Laura Bassett heads to the Women's European Championships as England's only unattached player - but she is making international glory the priority before seeking out a new club.
The 33-year-old has been without a club since Notts County Ladies folded on the eve of the Spring Series due to debts owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Bassett opted against signing with another club straight away and instead trained with former club Birmingham City to keep herself fit for the Lionesses' efforts to win Euro 2017 in Holland.
The ex-Arsenal defender suffered heartbreak at the World Cup in Canada two years ago, scoring an own goal at the end of extra-time in England's semi-final clash with Japan that led to their exit from the tournament.
Since then she has been presented with another challenge as she will now look for a new club - but only after she has taken care of business with England at Euro 2017, which begins on July 16.
"My main focus is the Euros and it has been for the last four or six weeks," she said.
"I'm sure what happens after the Euros will happen, wherever it takes me, who knows? One thing I have learnt is anything can happen in a day in football so my main focus is to play whatever my role is here and things will work out.
"I'm 33 and I don't have many moves left in my career and a lot of my friends who I know very well are retired and you are a long-time retired.
"You don't want to end your career bitter and with ill-feeling, you want to end on your terms and do it your way, have a project or a move you really believe in.
"You don't want it forced upon you or that you are being trapped and that was one thing I didn't want to happen.
"The fact I am 33, I knew I could deal with it, get over it and I knew what the best thing was for me to do. Being older and wiser helps."
A return to tournament football on the international stage will no doubt bring back memories for Bassett following her harrowing semi-final experience in the World Cup as England finished third.
But she considers it just another setback and is happy to take it on the chin as she sets about banishing any lingering ghosts.
"I own it, I take full responsibility," she said. "It was me, a lot of things have happened. It was two years ago and I think I am a different person and a different footballer.
"Likewise with the rest of the staff and players here, I'm excited to have another chance at being at another tournament.
"I believe things happen for a reason. Those two things, the own goal and leaving Notts, have been exposed in the media.
"You build your own resilience, you have to be brave and own things and the quicker you move on and look to the future, the more equipped you are going to be.
"I think time is a great healer. With age comes experience and wisdom and I think when I meet with the staff and players, when we talk about Canada, they are very fond memories and we have something to show for it.
"We can share our bronze medals when we go to hospital visits and school visits, to see a kid put it around his or her neck is special.
"It is not only about the stats or what happened, the bronze medal still takes pride of place. It is not on the wall or anything - people still want to see it."
The women's game was boosted by the performance of Mark Sampson's side at the World Cup and Bassett wants to build on that in Holland to continue the development of the sport.
"People recognise you and at games the amount of young girls who want autographs and photos has gone up," she added.
"Even how ambitious the FA are now with their targets, we want to double participation so we are getting access and trying to raise the standard and the bar of the Women's Super League and hopefully, if we are successful in this Euros, we can take it to the next level again."
Source: PA
