John Stones says City wont underestimate Slovan
30/09/2024
uefa24
Národný futbalový štadión, Bratislava
30/09/2024
uefa24
Národný futbalový štadión, Bratislava
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good evening, guys, same again, please, we'll take questions in English and then anything
00:24in Slovakian after that.
00:25Martin?
00:27Hi, John, how are you doing?
00:29I'm good, you?
00:30Yes, all right, thank you, yes.
00:32There was some news last week that Rodri is going to miss the rest of the season,
00:35are you ready to move back into midfield again?
00:38Yeah, I've called upon 100 per cent.
00:41Difficult news for us all to take.
00:45I actually spoke to Rodri yesterday and he's doing well, recovered well.
00:51It's sad for, you know, the standard that he's set over the past few seasons
00:58has been incredible and we know what a key player he is for us
01:02and we've got now to look forward to him coming back
01:08and hopefully coming back quickly and speedy recovery,
01:10which we know he's going to be a long time.
01:12But a lot of quality and a lot of players that are more than capable
01:18of filling in in that position.
01:21Just one more, John, at the end of the summer you were part of the England team
01:24that played Slovakia, got through eventually but it was a close one,
01:28is that a warning that you can't take them lightly tomorrow night?
01:31Yeah, I think we show them the respect that we do everyone else
01:34and we know the quality that they've got.
01:37Obviously in that game was right into the wire,
01:41played a great team that made it so difficult for us on that evening.
01:48Yeah, we know what we're in for tomorrow night,
01:51which is a well-organised team.
01:53It's going to be, I'm sure, an incredible atmosphere here
01:56and something that we're all excited for.
02:00Hi, John, how was Rodri yesterday when you spoke to him?
02:03Yeah, he was good, in good spirits.
02:07I think now he knows what's happened and knows his process to get back.
02:14He's come to terms with it and he seemed in good spirits, which I'm glad.
02:20Obviously we're checking, I think he's over in Spain with his family.
02:26He needs to take some time now and relax and recover the best he can.
02:33I think when people think about a defender moving into midfield,
02:37you think about how you played in the Champions League final.
02:41Is that difficult in a sense?
02:43Because it was a once-in-a-lifetime performance
02:46that maybe people think,
02:48oh, it'd be easy, John can just go into midfield again
02:50and play like he did every week of the season.
02:54I think it happened a lot over the past two years of going into midfield.
03:01It was a bit different in the Champions League final,
03:04I was a bit higher up,
03:06which was new for me and one that I enjoyed.
03:13But I think whatever position that I'm asked to play,
03:17or whoever plays in midfield,
03:21has played there before and knows what's asked of them from the manager,
03:26and hopefully can recreate even better moments like the Champions League final.
03:33How much do you enjoy stepping into that role,
03:37and how much of an influence has Pep given that he played there?
03:41What kind of advice and challenges has he set you in that position?
03:45Yeah, I love it.
03:47It's a totally different look on the game
03:51and appreciation for the game of players that have played in there.
03:55As I'm sure you've heard me say before,
03:57it's more about understanding the game
04:00and learning from a defender's point of view
04:06when to receive the ball, when to pass the ball.
04:12Appreciation of the guys that play that role so regularly.
04:18I always enjoy it and try to improve every time I go in there and give my best.
04:25I think that's all the manager wants from us,
04:27to go and show our qualities, because he puts us there for a reason.
04:33Then it's about us going and doing the job.
04:37Hiya, Jon.
04:39The manager gave you a bit of an extended break after the Euros,
04:43but obviously you've only made one Premier League start so far,
04:46because it seems like he's been easing the English guys back in.
04:50You must be itching to really get going now?
04:54Yeah, 100 per cent.
04:58I think we know how long this season can be.
05:02The amount of games that we have,
05:05we know we're all going to play an important role during the season.
05:10It's just about being ready when called upon
05:14and grabbing that moment.
05:16I think how much he rotates the squad,
05:20it's about being ready.
05:23Staying fit is a massive thing for us all this season.
05:27I can't imagine you're a brilliant watcher of football,
05:31but is it easier to stay calm under Guardiola,
05:37given how much he does rotate,
05:39and that everyone will get their chance?
05:41Yeah, I think we all know we will,
05:43because he chooses different systems, different players for different opponents.
05:50He knows all our qualities, all our weaknesses.
05:55Then form comes into play, things like this.
06:00We always know that we'll get our chance
06:02and know how important we are to the team.
06:07I think that's why we've been so successful over the years.
06:10Everyone's played a massive part in that success
06:14and playing the role when called upon.
06:17For instance, coming on at Arsenal and scoring the winning goal,
06:23that was my time to be ready and when called upon.
06:29As other players, I've done the same.
06:35I wish I could play every game,
06:37but we have an incredible squad and a very busy schedule.
06:44It's just about being ready when he wants us.
06:47Let's take some Slovak questions.
06:49Hi, John. Martin Geigel, Slovakian Radio.
06:52I have two questions.
06:53First, is there anything that comes to your mind
06:57when you hear Slovakia apart from that game at Euros in Gelsenkirchen?
07:01Definitely that game.
07:03It put me through a lot, that game.
07:07They've got a lot of quality players.
07:11I've not been able to experience the country,
07:15so I can't say anything from that side.
07:20I know it's easy for me to reference that game,
07:22but I think that gives them a lot of credit.
07:27How they played the game,
07:28how they fought right into the last minutes of it
07:33made it really difficult for us.
07:35I think it was probably more difficult for our fans back home,
07:39our families watching there in the stadium.
07:42It was a great battle between us and them.
07:46I was happy to come out on top,
07:48but I think it shows the resilience and character that they have as players.
07:54My second question is,
07:55tomorrow this will be the high stage for Slovakian football
07:59and for Slovan having one of the best teams in the world.
08:05It's like a fiesta for Slovakian football.
08:08What kind of experience is it for you,
08:10a player that plays in the Champions League,
08:13usually in the Premier League,
08:15that the highest stage of football is somewhere else,
08:18not in Bratislava?
08:22I think at the end of the day it's a game of football against a quality team.
08:28You can get sucked into what goes on around the game,
08:32what goes out of your control.
08:36We're focused on doing the job in hand coming here.
08:39We know what's in front of us and how difficult it's going to be.
08:45What's expected of us as well.
08:47We're coming here to try and win.
08:49That's not going to be easy.
08:52It's another opportunity for us to try and get some points on the board
08:59and see how we can improve on previous games as well.
09:07OK?