New Birmingham City signing David Bentley is determined to bounce back from his problems at Tottenham.
His failure to justify a £15million transfer fee following his move from Blackburn Rovers during the summer of 2008, however, is weighing heavily on the 26-year-old.
He said: "There's a misconception of me out there. I think people believe that I don't want to play. But I love what I do.
"I love waking up in the morning, coming to work. I think it has got lost in translation. You see me bouncing behind cameras, throwing things over the manager. I like enjoying myself, being around the lads. I accept that I could be more media-savvy. I think more with my heart than my head sometimes.
"You can be protected by public relations teams. The media can make a pile of old rubbish look like gold. I've never bought into that. I play my football, smile and come home. I've never lost touch with where I've come from. I love what I do. I love football."
Words from then England manager Steve McClaren that Bentley could be "the next Beckham" were ringing in the midfielder's ears when it all began to turn sour.
"My move to Tottenham wasn't financial," he said. "It was purely for football. 'There was a manager there in Juande Ramos who I thought was the new Arsene Wenger - someone who could develop my career - and that's why I made a beeline for Spurs.
"I could have stayed at Blackburn for the rest of my career but I had football ambitions."