Leeds United star Patrick Bamford admits suffering at Crystal Palace was the surprising boost his career needed.
The 27-year-old is in line for his full England debut against Hungary on Thursday night, earning a senior call-up for their three World Cup qualifiers this month.
Bamford, who enjoyed his first Premier League season with Leeds last term, was poor in the top flight with Palace during a loan spell in 2015-2016.
"It was a slight setback but, if anything, I probably learned more from it than I realised I actually had to," Bamford told the Evening Standard.
"I went from playing in a Middlesbrough team in the Championship, winning Player of the Year, to thinking that I would walk into the Premier League and do the same.
"I was a little bit naïve. It probably did set me back but, ultimately, if I didn't get over it then [an England call-up] might have happened at a later stage of my career. It is nothing that I regret. It's just been a learning process. It has taken a while to get to where I wanted to be – but eventually I did."
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