Luke Young says not even a new lease of life at QPR would make him reconsider his international retirement.
Young told the FA in 2009 that he no longer wished to be considered for England selection and later rejected a chance to reverse that decision when he was approached following an injury to Glen Johnson.
And while fellow recent signings Joey Barton, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Jay Bothroyd are keen to force their way back into the England reckoning, Young has no ambitions to add to his seven caps.
Young said: “That’s it for me. I’m 32 now and with the emergence of players like Chris Smalling I think it’s someone else’s time now – time for a couple of other players to make the [right-back] position their own.
“It’s great to represent your country and I enjoyed the times I was given an opportunity, but for the last couple of years I was involved with England I felt like I was making up the numbers. I wasn’t really pushing anyone for a start.
“I made the decision to stand down from it and give a chance to a couple of younger players who could get the experience.”
Young has also been reluctant to be a bit-part player at club level.
A year ago he turned down a move to Liverpool in order to remain a first-team regular at Aston Villa, who sold him to QPR ahead of last week’s transfer deadline.
He explained: “At Liverpool I would have been cover for the full-backs on both sides. I just felt I was at the age where I didn’t want to go somewhere I’d be looked at as cover.
“I would have played a fair share of games as Glen Johnson had a few injuries. But at the time I felt I had more chance of starting matches at Villa.”
This post was last modified on 14/09/2011