SILVA’S BIG GOLD
IN a sport littered with highlypaid superstars, Manchester City’s Spanish international David Silva is among the elite earners in soccer.
Most certainly Silva and illustrious City teammates such as Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany, the Belgian captain, will be the most wealthy sportsmen to ever appear on the Gold Coast.
They are all in the estimated $15 million a year salary range. This is exclusive to the millions they earn in endorsements.
But for most of the City’s exclusive group, this will be the first time Down Under.
And Silva is one who is looking forward to the “working holiday”.
“It will be fairly unique for us coming out to the Gold Coast,” Silva said.
“Most of us (players) have not been out there before but we have heard great things about the country and the people there.
“And from what we have seen the Gold Coast looks beautiful, so we are looking forward to it.
“Of course this trip is important for us and is not a holiday. We’ll be focused on readying ourselves for next season and improving as a group.
“We’ve got some great games lined up in Melbourne against some very good opposition in Real Madrid and Roma, so it will be important for us to be ready both mentally and physically.”
City arrived late last night for a nine-day preseason camp.
This will lead into practice matches against Adelaide City and Melbourne City at Cbus Super Stadium next week before heading south.
The Adelaide hitout will be played behind closed doors.
City’s manager Manuel Pellegrini never parades his team in public for the first practice match of a new season.
But the one against sister club Melbourne City is on Saturday, July 18 (5pm kick-off).
At 29 years of age Silva is a silken-skilled midfielder or winger who has enjoyed plenty of international success playing for Spain.
He has won three major consecutive international tournaments – Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 with Spain – and two English Premier League titles with Manchester City (2011-12 and 2013-14).