Arsenal and England winger Theo Walcott has admitted he has not been on top form because of a number of injuries.
With David Beckham potentially ruled out of this summer's World Cup due to an Achilles tendon injury, a place has been opened up for another wide man in Fabio Capello's England squad.
Many see this as the youngster's opportunity to really impress the Italian and nail down a starting spot for the Three Lions.
But Walcott, who turns 21 on Tuesday, insists that he listens to neither praise nor criticism and concentrates on becoming a better player.
He told the press: "It doesn't bother me whatsoever. Maybe if I keep performing like I have it will shut people up.
"The thing is I am always the country's biggest hope or the country's biggest disappointment, and I think I dealt with that quite well.
"I have had so many injuries this season, people don't realise how hard it is to come back from setback after setback after setback.
"You can't be at your best straight away and if you think you can, then you put more pressure on yourself. That's what I had been doing this season.
"The best thing is I do know what's going on on the outside, but I don't listen to it, I only listen to people around me."
Walcott was thrust into the media spotlight when he joined Arsenal in a big-money move from Southampton as a 16-year-old, and then being included in Sven-Göran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad, although he did not make an appearance in Germany.
He has had to deal with carrying the expectation of a nation on his shoulders, increased by a stunning hat-trick in the qualifying victory away to Croatia in September 2008, currently his only international goals.
Walcott added: "My development has gone very well. I am only 20 still and I have been in the limelight all the time.
"As a young player you normally do your development in the background and build yourself up, but the World Cup 2006 call-up shot the pressure on me straight away.
"The thing is I am always the country's biggest hope or the country's biggest disappointment, and I think I dealt with that quite well.
"Now I have had experience, I played in the Under 21s and played in the Premier League.
"There is definitely more to come from me, but those experiences will now move me on to great things."
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With David Beckham potentially ruled out of this summer's World Cup due to an Achilles tendon injury, a place has been opened up for another wide man in Fabio Capello's England squad.
Many see this as the youngster's opportunity to really impress the Italian and nail down a starting spot for the Three Lions.
But Walcott, who turns 21 on Tuesday, insists that he listens to neither praise nor criticism and concentrates on becoming a better player.
He told the press: "It doesn't bother me whatsoever. Maybe if I keep performing like I have it will shut people up.
"The thing is I am always the country's biggest hope or the country's biggest disappointment, and I think I dealt with that quite well.
"I have had so many injuries this season, people don't realise how hard it is to come back from setback after setback after setback.
"You can't be at your best straight away and if you think you can, then you put more pressure on yourself. That's what I had been doing this season.
"The best thing is I do know what's going on on the outside, but I don't listen to it, I only listen to people around me."
Walcott was thrust into the media spotlight when he joined Arsenal in a big-money move from Southampton as a 16-year-old, and then being included in Sven-Göran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad, although he did not make an appearance in Germany.
He has had to deal with carrying the expectation of a nation on his shoulders, increased by a stunning hat-trick in the qualifying victory away to Croatia in September 2008, currently his only international goals.
Walcott added: "My development has gone very well. I am only 20 still and I have been in the limelight all the time.
"As a young player you normally do your development in the background and build yourself up, but the World Cup 2006 call-up shot the pressure on me straight away.
"The thing is I am always the country's biggest hope or the country's biggest disappointment, and I think I dealt with that quite well.
"Now I have had experience, I played in the Under 21s and played in the Premier League.
"There is definitely more to come from me, but those experiences will now move me on to great things."
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