Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore has insisted that he won't dwell on failing to feature in the club's squad for the Capital One Cup final with Manchester City.
Ignacio Scocco was included on the substitutes' bench in place of Altidore as the Black Cats lost 3-1 at Wembley, but the USA international is determined to regain his place at the Stadium of Light.
The 24-year-old told the Northern Echo: "To not be able to play in a final like that was a big disappointment for me. But the gaffer felt that there were people who deserved to be there more than I did.
"But hey, this is life and I have to move on and get better. It's nothing personal, you can't look at it that way. I need to get my head down and work hard."
Altidore has scored just twice in 32 appearances for Sunderland since a summer move from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.