JAGS AGREES TO EXTEND HIS CITY STAY

PHIL Jagielka is to play for Stoke into his 40s after agreeing a new deal to take him until at least January. The centre-back, who turns 40 in August, has been a fixture in the middle of defence since joining as a free agent halfway through this season because crisis club Derby County, in administration, were not allowed to trigger a contract extension.

Jagielka, main, has played in a back four and a back three and Michael O’neill trusts him to set a good example on and off the pitch.

Assistant manager Dean Holden said: “He’s a great personality and we wouldn’t have awarded him with a new contract if he could perform on the pitch as well. Even at his age now approaching 40 he is still able to do that, which is the key thing.

“You hear a lot about what senior players bring and he brings fantastic enthusiasm every day. He trains and plays every day like it’s his last, like a young kid. He’s still got that love for the game.

“He’s happy to share his experiences. He’s a great story teller in terms of what he’s experienced in his career at the very highest level. We always talk about the youngsters learning from that but also us as a staff, picking up bits about managers he’s worked under in the past and what’s worked for him.

“I think going back 10 years ago then getting to 35 years of age was probably the age everyone aspired to get to and then you tailed off. But Ryan Giggs proved you get beyond that and Jags is doing that.

“How does he do it? What does he do every day that he does to make sure he’s ready to play in one of the toughest divisions in Europe physically? He’s a great example of somebody that has maximised his career.

“To see someone who still has that love for the game is fascinating.”

Stoke will hand out their player of the season award at full-time of this afternoon’s final game against Coventry (12.30pm).

Players will stay out to show their appreciation to supporters and then awards will be presented on the pitch, rather than at a gala dinner. Jacob Brown and Josh Tymon, inset, are among those in the running for recognition.

Holden said: “It’s the right thing to do. I saw a little bit of noise at Old Trafford surrounding that but it’s the right thing to do and a chance for the players at the football club to thank the supporters for being with us this season, to thank them for the money they’ve spent travelling up and down the country, for coming to support the team particularly when it hasn’t been the end we’d all wanted.

“We’ll stay out on the pitch immediately following the whistle.

We don’t need to go up the tunnel and go out. We’ll stay out, thank the supporters and then do the player of the year announcement.”

Brown is favourite to take the top honour thanks to his 13-goal return while Tymon has been a fixture on the left. Joe Allen, who was appointed captain last summer, has also made 40 appearances while Harry Souttar, Lewis Baker and Nick Powell have been influential in shorter spells.

Josh Maja and Ben Wilmot have been ruled out, not recovered from niggles which forced them out last weekend at Middlesbrough. For Maja that means the end of his time at Stoke on loan and a question looming about what happens next.

“Both of them have not trained this week so we’ll be surprised if they make the game,” said Holden. “Nick Powell has been back around it on the back of a decent cameo at Middlesbrough but other than that we don’t expect too many changes.

“Wilmot has had an issue once or twice this season coming from his back and going down to his hamstring and calves. It’s making sure we manage that correctly. It’s a risk that’s not worth taking in terms of what he could potentially do in terms of a calf strain.

“Maja has just got some bruising on the ball of his knee. He’s shown in spells that he’s got real good potential. We know what he can bring to the team when he plays consistently. Prior to coming to the club he hadn’t played a great deal so it’s been very stop-start for him this season.

“The key thing for Josh, who has a year left at Bordeaux, is that he’s gets himself fit over the summer and we’ll see where that leads to in terms of where he’s playing next season.”