Two years ago, it was Gerrard and Lampard on the game’s biggest stage in front of 41,000 fans. Yesterday, it was the Accrington Stanley reserve left-back at a mostly empty Brunton Park.
However, not even a Soca Warrior is immune to the game’s fluctuating fortunes, as Birchall is now discovering as he tries to bring his career back to life at Carlisle United.
While his international exploits brought the midfielder plenty of acclaim and a high-profile move from Port Vale to Coventry, recent times at the Ricoh Arena have seen Birchall cast onto the sidelines after the manager who signed him – Micky Adams – was dismissed.
Frustrations under Iain Dowie and Chris Coleman eventually led to last Thursday’s loan move to United, and the prospect of first-team football again for the 24-year-old, who has been asked a thousand times about his World Cup exploits but prefers now to focus on the future.
“At the time it was just a blur,” he said of his experiences of Germany ’06, which also included matches against Paraguay and Sweden.
“I was only about 22 at the time and when you get an experience like that, you just want to play well – that’s all you think about.
“I think everyone expected us to get whipped every game but we did well. At the time you don’t realise what a massive event it is. I’ve played 31 times now for Trinidad and it has been a brilliant experience. Playing with players of that calibre, going to different countries and playing there – it’s priceless.
“But I just want to come and play well for Carlisle now and that’s what this move is all about.”
Consultations with Coventry’s former United goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, and two former Vale team-mates now in the Blues ranks (Jeff Smith, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson), convinced Birchall to make the loan move to Cumbria, the place where he hopes his exasperation at life on the margins will quickly end.
Having been starved of first-team involvement for most of this season, yesterday’s reserve outing against Accrington was, Birchall says, the first step towards the kind of sharpness he intends to quickly claim before caretaker manager Greg Abbott unleashes him on League One.
“When the gaffer puts me in I want to be ready,” he said. “I want to make an impact when I first play in front of the fans. I don’t want to be out there and just die off. So it was good to get 90 minutes in yesterday.
“Last season I had a few calls off my agent saying Carlisle were interested, but it never came off. I’m glad the gaffer has brought me in this time. He has put some faith in me and I want to do my best for the club and get back to where I was a couple of years ago – playing first-team football and enjoying it.
“Keiren told me I would enjoy it. He told me a lot about the club and so did Jeff and Marc. They said it’s a nice family club and from what I’ve experienced over the last few days, it looks that way.
“The lads are brilliant. There’s a lot of banter in the changing room, and while there are a lot of good lads at Coventry, the camaraderie isn’t as good as it is here. That’s the first thing I’ve picked up on.”
Ineligible for tomorrow night’s FA Cup second round clash with Crewe, Birchall will instead hit the training ground in a bid to show Abbott he is ready for league action at Swindon on Saturday.
The midfielder has until January to showcase his talents to the extent where a longer deal will land on the table, by which time he expects United’s mini-revival under Abbott to have gathered more pace.
“As an onlooker, it was surprising to see them struggle after last season,” he said. “Everyone expected them to be up there, and it is the same group of players, so there’s no reason why they can’t be there again.”
Whilst his claims have been largely ignored at club level of late, Birchall is an automatic pick for his country, and United are certain to lose the 24-year-old to international duty on at least three occasions in the new year.
T&T are through to the final qualifying stage in the CONCACAF section for the 2010 World Cup, a six-team league also featuring the USA, Honduras, Costa Rica, Mexico and El Salvador.
“The top three qualify and the fourth go into a play-off with a South American team,” said Birchall, who is likely to get the nod for matches in February, March and April.
“There were a couple of times at Port Vale when I had to go away. It wasn’t a problem at Coventry, but the international break doesn’t apply in League One unless you have a certain amount of players called up.
“It could be a problem if my loan is extended in February, but I’ll have to wait and see and then speak to the gaffer. Until then, I’m just thinking about doing well for Carlisle.”