PHIL SWIMS WITH BIGGER FISH NOW
City’s Foden desperate for success
PHIL FODEN plans to cast the net far and wide in the search for more glory with club and country. After suffering the savage heartache of missing England’s European Championship final against Italy through injury, the Manchester City sensation overcame those football blues with a spot of fishing.
Not on some millionaire’s yacht in the Mediterranean, mind.
No, the Stockport-born star, 21, spent a few days post-euros holidaying with his dad on river banks over here.
Foden, father to two young children including son Ronnie (above), loves nothing more than kicking back in his spare time with a rod and line in hand.
So that’s what he did as he recovered from the blow of having to watch the country’s defeat to Italy from the wembley stands – following a freak ankle injury sustained 48 hours earlier.
The Three Lions playmaker said: “Obviously, it was a great experience, making it to the final, but for me, personally, getting injured just before was gutting.
“It was two days before in training. No impact. Just me. I was unfortunate. I twisted my foot before one of the biggest games in my career.
“But that’s football and while I was out, I did get a few chances to go fishing. It was nice to catch up with my dad and relax – and good to spend more time with my family.”
No chance of that now, though, with fully-fit Foden proving a vital part of City’s fine start to the new season
– and back among the England fold for this month’s world Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Hungary.
The youngster’s appetite to help take Gareth Southgate’s men to Qatar – and all the way once there – is only growing.the City star is convinced the whole England set-up can only get better between now and the finals in November and December next year.
Foden, who describes last season’s Premier League title triumph as his first proper success, added: “It’s the same for all of us.we want to keep the winning streak going, we want to be the No.1 country in the world.
“What is nice too is that we haven’t let the Euros affect us. We’ve come straight back in, playing our best football.we are building on what happened.
“I see so many great talents here. I feel we have one of the best squads for a while. we’re all young as well and have years ahead of us.”
That, of course, means his own battle with Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish to start in City’s first-team continues on the international stage.
Plenty of big fishes in a very big pond yet Foden, who along with Grealish has been getting the nod from Guardiola ahead of Sterling, is adamant theirs is a fierce but friendly rivalry – and is
mirrored throughout Southgate’s side.
However, unlike with Guardiola’s troops, he does not expect Group I leaders England to operate with a false No.9 any time soon.
Not when they have prolific skipper Harry Kane.
“There’s no need to, no. we’ve got Harry! I don’t see why we would to do that,” said Foden.
“At City we have got so many quality players and we play in every competition – the manager always rotates and I think this year everyone has played.
“We could all play together, if the manager wanted to do that.why not!”