Robert Green has admitted that his hopes of playing for England in the near future are being damaged by his lack of activity at West Ham.
The keeper has had a turbulent year, as he missed out on a trip to the World Cup finals while with Norwich after damaging a groin during a warm-up game for England.
Green battled back to fitness and was snapped up by West Ham in the summer and immediately made the first-team jersey his own.
However, he has been dislodged by Roy Carroll in recent weeks and Green is aware that if he is not playing, his chances of turning out for England against Spain next month are remote.
"It is everybody's aim to play for England but at the moment it is pretty unrealistic," said Green.
"Up until the Reading game I thought I had done well and it is always disappointing to get dropped. But you pay the price for losing 6-0.
"I know the size of the task just to play for West Ham. You have one bad game here and you are out.
"Ever since I came here my aim was just to get into the team and if England happens, then it happens.
"All you can do is play well for your club and at the moment I am not in the West Ham team, so that is my first aim."