Fernandinho: I’ve got years left in me!
FERNANDINHO HAS NO PLANS TO QUIT CITY
FERNANDINHO insists he can still play at the highest level as his City contract enters its final months.
The 34-year-old Brazilian has been one of Pep Guardiola’s most important players in the last two seasons, helping the Blues to win seven of the last eight domestic trophies available.
In theory, the summer arrival of Rodri should have relieved the pressure on Fernandinho to play twice a week, but injuries to key central defenders has seen him deputise in defence for the last two months.
Fernandinho’s contract runs out at the end of the season, when he will have just turned 35. But the midfielder insists he can play for another few years.
“To be honest, I just thank god for giving me a body that I can do this,” he said.
“Every three days, I have to be mentally ready and improve my body to be ready.
“Of course, I take care of myself, but we have great staff taking care of us behind the scenes which helps because first you have to get the mind ready and then the body and just go on.
“I always say I’ll play until my mind will allow me to play,” he continued.
“When I feel happy and motivated to play every day this is important. To train happy and fresh every day so until I don’t feel like this, I will play, but I don’t want to say until 37, 38...40; we shall see.”
Discussing his move to central defence, Fernandinho added: “Having the help from the teammates and the manager, it’s been great for me, trying to do my best as always since I signed for City.
“We know we have to improve but this is the beautiful thing about football, you know you can improve, and you can get better every time.”
ERIC Garcia is close to challenging for the City first team in the Premier League, according to Pep Guardiola.
Brought to the club from Barcelona’s academy in 2017, the Spanish centre-back has impressed with every opportunity he has been given, and his most recent start came against Southampton in the Carabao Cup.
However, he has not started in the Premier League for the Blues despite the lack of defensive options in recent weeks. Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte have all missed games but midfielders Fernandinho and Rodri have been preferred.
Despite that, Garcia is closer than most to breaking into the team and is an example for other youngsters to follow.
Asked which academy players were good enough to have an impact in the Premier League, he said: “Right now, Phil Foden.
“Eric Garcia is closer every time he plays incredibly at a high level, he doesn’t make mistakes, and the others have to work and work and work.”
Taylor Harwood-Bellis, another Stockport youngster, excited the fanbase when he made his firstteam debut in the Carabao Cup game at Preston and Tommy Doyle, grandson of two club greats, impressed against Southampton in midweek.
There are hopes that both will be able to join Foden in contention and the players have not had to work for a connection with the local fans.
Guardiola, though, does not feel an obligation to play the local lads and insisted it would only be their talent that he would be judging on.
“Of course it’s important to have a relation with the local players with our people our fans, people who were born here,” he said.
“But this happens because of the quality of the players, not because you were born here you are going to play for Man City or Man Utd.
“You have to deserve to be there, and because of the problems we had.
Because we know [Doyle] from pre-season when he played here, it’s nice to watch him and he played a good level.
He is still 18, so young and in his position right now is in the second team, to play as much as possible there and be ready like he was in the last game.
“It was important for him and his family, his grandpa... and it’s good.”