Three years ago, Upson's career had hit a full stop. In his own words, he was 'stagnating' at Birmingham, a seemingly endless line of top-class central defenders blocking his path to national honours.

But a chance meeting with psychologist Mike Griffiths transformed the 29-year-old's career.

A move to West Ham also helped, so now, when Upson takes his place in Fabio Capello's side for tomorrow's World Cup qualifier with Belarus in Minsk, he will feel he truly belongs.

"I was relatively stagnant in my career and was doing things the same way I had always done," he said.

"But I had a bit of a realisation that if I really wanted to move on I'd have to sacrifice a bit more to my job and commit a bit more in certain areas.

"My path crossed with Mike Griffiths and he helped me figure out how to go about it.

"Most great things you do, you'll have pictured it before you've done it. So you'll start at the end, which is achieving it, and work backwards, on how do I get there?

"There's loads of factors involved, ups and downs and mishaps, positive things; it's a process.

"But it is not as easy as someone just telling you what to do, you've got do it under pressure."

Upson admits the mind games are not for everyone. Paul Gascoigne's reaction to being offered such work during Glenn Hoddle's time in charge is legendary.

But it works for the former Arsenal man, which is why the fact Ferdinand and John Terry, who has again been ruled out with a back problem, are his chief competitors for a place in Capello's side is of little consequence to Upson. "Just because John Terry is the captain and Rio Ferdinand is the vice-captain does not automatically mean they are going to get picked," he said.

"Things change very quickly in football. You get injuries and loss of form. It doesn't matter what someone else is doing, it is about how I am playing.

"Previously, when I joined up with the squad maybe I didn't believe I deserved to be here.

"But you must have that belief or you might as well stay at home.

"Now I fully believe I deserve to be here and am capable of stepping in and doing a good job."

Upson feels he is far tougher, mentally and physically, than he was when Arsene Wenger discarded him five years ago.

It is not so much he feels Wenger was wrong to let him leave Highbury, more that when he started to analyse his career, Upson recognised he had not done himself justice.

"Arsenal was a lesson for me," he said.

"I left having not touched the potential I had as a young lad.

"I didn't really come through and do the things I knew I could. That was to do with my mental approach.

"It didn't matter how hard I trained, all these other things weren't up to scratch.

"There was a sense of failure and if you behave in the same way then the outcome is generally the same so you have to change your approach."

As Upson has become more single-minded, so his challengers have fallen by the wayside.

The fitness of Tottenham duo Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate is too fragile for them to be considered, Sol Campbell's age has finally caught up with him, while Jamie Carragher has retired, stating he was not that bothered about playing for England anyway.

Under-21 duo Steven Taylor and David Wheater still need to show they can make the transition to senior ranks, with Capello unearthing a flaw in Micah Richards, who has been sent back to Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce to further his education.

It leaves Upson in pole position to take advantage of Terry's increasingly frequent injuries and, since the arrival of Gianfranco Zola at Upton Park, develop under two Italians, a prospect he is looking forward to immensely.

"I don't think working under two Italian coaches would be a bad thing," he said.

"Zola is obviously not as experienced but he focuses on the same things.

"They bring a real tactical awareness to defending. Even if I have not featured in the game, I have learned a lot from training.

"It doesn't have to be particularly demanding work but you need repetition to develop the habit of being in the right position."

With Ashley Cole sidelined by a hamstring injury, Wayne Bridge should start his first competitive international since November.