Baines believes Champions League key to his ambitions

Baines will make his first competitive start for England tomorrow night, when Roy Hodgson’s men open their World Cup qualifying campaign against Moldova in Chisinau.

Yet the 27-year-old is acutely aware he is only getting his chance because Ashley Cole had been ruled out with an ankle injury, and if the Chelsea man shrugs it off, he will be back in for the visit of Ukraine to Wembley next Tuesday.

Baines recognises Cole’s status as one of the world’s best defenders, and the ability that has seen the Londoner collect 98 caps.

But he also feels his chances of getting involved in a fight to be first choice are hampered due to never playing in the greatest club competition.

“You want to get to the highest level you can and I keep doing my best in the hope that it comes,” he said. “The main thing at club level is Champions League which is always going to be an aim. If you can do that it strengthens your chances at international level.”

For a good part of this season it did appear Baines would get his chance.

Manchester United were so heavily touted as being interested in the former Wigan man that a bid – and eventual transfer – seemed inevitable.

In the end, neither came so it was just as well Baines refused to allow his head to be turned when the speculation was at its most intense.

“There have been different bits in the last two or three windows, although there was probably a little bit more this time,” he said.

“There’s nothing you can do but get on with your job. We’re very blessed to do this job so I just stayed focused on that.

“You can’t affect it anyway. It was mentioned that often I got puzzled by it because I’d heard nothing.”

Baines could have taken matters into his own hands, and demanded showdown talks, or downed tools altogether.

He never thought of it though. It isn’t his style. “I’ve never been one to rock the boat,” he said.

“You do need to have that ambition because, before you know, your career will be over.

“The ambition for Everton is to finish as high as we can and if we can build on what we’ve done so far we have a chance of getting back towards European football.”

So, now Baines has to accept his lot, which means a 10th cap tomorrow and then a wait to see whether Cole returns to reclaim his place.

Under such circumstances, it would be understandable if there was a certain frostiness between the pair.

As it happens, Baines finds it impossible to dislike Ashley Cole due to the bond they have established in a rather bizarre manner.

For so cramped is the changing accommodation at Arsenal’s London Colney HQ England tend to use at their training base that there is not enough room for an entire 23-man squad.

The answer has been to shove the smaller members into a side room.

“When we are training, the changing room isn’t huge so to create a bit more space there is a room which all the smaller lads end up using – because we all wear smaller kit I guess,” he said.

“There are only about three of us so I tend to get on quite well with Ash because we rub shoulders in there.”

Baines’s international team-mate Gary Cahill believes he has answered questions about his ability to play on football’s biggest stages as he strives to regain his England spot.

The Chelsea defender missed out on the Euro 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine with a broken jaw suffered in the final warm-up international against Belgium at Wembley.

Sheffield-born Cahill acknowledges he faces a four-man fight with John Terry, Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott for a place against Moldova.

But at least Cahill believes he is now a genuine contender rather than merely making up the squad numbers and has overcome the doubters with his performances for Chelsea after his move from Bolton.

He said: “There were times when I travelled with England – 10 or 11 times – when I didn’t even get on the pitch. I was in the stand a lot of the time and only getting called in when people could not make it or were out.

“I suppose doing that makes you appreciate it a bit more when you do get a chance. Now the fact I feel I can fight for a place is pleasing.”

Cahill admitted: “The Champions League experience with Chelsea pushed me on and made me learn. I think it gave me a chance to play in the big games that people could say I had not played in.”

Cahill watched England’s Euro 2012 campaign on holiday in Spain and admits it was a painful experience – not because of their performances but through the nature of his injury setback.

He said: “It was just a freak thing. Running into Joe Hart is not the best person to chose. I probably should have run into Ashley Young or somebody like that.

“I went away, but it is awkward when you struggle to clean your teeth and are just eating a soft food diet. It was painful at times, as well so it wasn’t ideal.”

Injured Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has withdrawn from the England squad following a scan yesterday on a minor thigh injury.