He told the Sheffield Star: "One of the biggest and best advice I've ever gotten from a coach was that I only can control what I can control. When I was younger, I used to get really tied up and think about the national team and dive in deeper like 'why did they do this and do that?', but at the end of the day, I can't control people's decisions and I can't control people's actions. I'm just going to control mine and that's me advancing my career by doing my thing and just doing me.
"You've seen that since I started in Philadelphia, in Colorado, then moved to Arsenal and went to Birmingham now playing in the Premier League with Sheffield United. I've just focused on myself and controlled what I can control and, other than that, I can't do anything else. I can't control (the USMNT selections), but of course, I want to be there and in the mix.
"I can only control what I can control. Whether that's Nations League, Copa America, Olympics... whatever it takes. Whatever God puts in my path, I'll take advantage of it but I want it all. I want to be involved in all of that."