There's so many kids out there and it's such a cut-throat world. I've seen a lot of my mates, you know, who are better players than me at a certain age, and they're not in football now.

Being faster would probably make me better at football.

When you take a lot of stick you want to ram it down people's throats.

I never relax on the year before. Every year I want to get more out of myself so I use it as a driving force, rather than a pressure thing.

I admit I was somewhat concerned when we started to sign so many players - naturally you are going to worry about whether you can retain your place in the side.

My dad shaped the footballing side of me, and Mum shaped me as a person. I've always been very close to her - we've only ever had one argument, and that was over something stupid when I was 13.

I'm not silly. I understand that, with age and at different parts of your career, you have different challenges.