Wilfried Zaha admits he was affected by summer transfer window interest from Everton.
The Crystal Palace winger was subject to a £52m bid from Merseyside and eventually handed in a transfer request to force through a move with Arsenal also reportedly interested.
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Roy Hodgson stood firm, however, and Zaha eventually appeared against Everton at Selhurst Park on the opening day of the campaign.
The Ivorian failed to score in his first nine starts back in the side but has recently began to edge back towards top form.
When asked about the transfer window, Zaha told the Express: “As you get older you grow a thicker skin. You realise that you can only control the things you can control.
“That’s why I’m back to enjoying my football again. What happened in the summer did affect me. When the season started it was still in my head.
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“But after a while I told myself that I have got to get over it. Going around sulking is not going to help. I told myself I can’t be like that.
“The team has not disrespected me, or the club, or the fans. So they don’t deserve me disrespecting them.”
Zaha was speaking to the Express on behalf of Carling as he donated £10,000 of Carling’s Made Local Fund to his local Sunday league club, Lambeth Allstars, to help them continue to make a difference to lives in south London.
