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Cleverley hails classy Carrick

Image: Tom Cleverley: Enjoyed Team GB experience and hoping to make up for lost time with England

Tom Cleverley knows how tough it will be to star for England - because Manchester United team-mate Michael Carrick has just 22 caps.

United midfielder looking forward to England debut after frustrations

Tom Cleverley knows how tough it will be to star for England - because Manchester United team-mate Michael Carrick has just 22 caps. Cleverley is preparing to make his England debut in Wednesday's friendly against Italy in Berne. As the 23-year-old embarks on his international career, he will be joined in the squad by fellow United midfielder Carrick who has been recalled at the age of 31 after two years out. "Michael is a fantastic player, one of the best I'll ever play with," said Cleverley. "This country must have had some good midfielders if he's only won 22 caps. "Sometimes you need to see it first-hand with Michael to realise how good he is. "A lot of clubs have those players who are massively important but go under the radar a bit."

Unfortunate

Cleverley himself has been forced under the radar by a series of unfortunate circumstances. The former Wigan loanee should have made his Three Lions debut against Holland last year but the match was cancelled due to the London riots. He then went on to miss much of the season through injury and the Basingstoke-born player is keen to make up for lost time. "Sometimes you can get frustrated and think I've missed this or that," he added. "These things happen in football. It's how you bounce back from them. "There's still a lot I can achieve in my career and I'm not going to let a bad four or five months change that." Cleverley did get to enjoy the experience of playing in the Olympic Games for Team GB. It was an experienced he enjoyed and now wants to take the positive mood into the Italy game. "Even after only a couple of weeks I look back on it as being just amazing," said Cleverley. "I'm not too sure what the situation is, but if there's a Team GB going to Rio in four years' time and a young player at United asked me about it, I'd advise them to go. "Obviously, the nation seems to be on a high. We want to keep that going."

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