The former Crystal Palace captain has joined Charlotte on-loan from Galatasaray for the full MLS season.
He said: “It doesn’t stop my journey. I’ve left Palace and I left Palace in a good way. I’ve played for a childhood club, I’ve left there with a mural.
“I feel like there’s nothing more I could have done really.
“I’ve gone to Turkey, I’ve managed to play Champions League, score a Champions League goal. So I’m just ticking boxes of things that I’ve wanted to do from a child.
“I’ve managed to do that and things happen. All I can do is just keep my head down and just keep on working. I was in Turkey, it didn’t work out with Gala.
“It didn’t work out with Lyon. It doesn’t stop me. I’m still thinking I’m still the player that I am and if I get the opportunity, I’m going to show it every time.
“These are just experiences that make me who I am, make me stronger. So it’s a thing where it happens, I move on from it and do the best that I can.
“I have come in here to score goals and try to win stuff. I set myself incredibly high standards. So when I do speak, people will actually listen because I show you an example by what I do.
"Going into the season, I want to try to score as many goals as I can. That’s what I mean by my own history here.”