'Now is the time for me to step up' - Foden
'Now is the time for me to step up' - Foden
Pep Guardiola "just simplifies football".
Those are the words of Phil Foden, who has just won his sixth Premier League title under the irrepressible Spanish manager, being named Premier League player of the season in the process.
"I feel like maybe there's other managers out there who complicate it a little bit," he told the BBC's sports editor Dan Roan in a wide-ranging interview.
"But I think with the manager it’s all about just playing simple and play what you see and I feel like it goes a long way sometimes. He just simplifies football.
"The best advice he gave me this season was just don't try and be Phil Foden in every action and I feel like that advice he gave me really went a long way."
In senior football, Foden has only ever been managed by Guardiola and the 23-year-old does not want to look ahead to any potential exit despite comments from the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss casting doubt on him signing a new deal.
"Obviously it would be really sad," he added.
"I’ve not known any other thing apart from him, so yeah it’ll be strange when he does go. I don't want to think too much about it. I want to enjoy now and the things we're doing now with him."
Foden has enjoyed his most productive season so far after being elevated to part of Guardiola's leadership group, filling the shoes of the injured Kevin De Bruyne for much of the campaign and registering 19 goals and eight assists.
"I think this season, I've come on as a player," he added.
"I’ve changed my role a little bit, I’ve moved more centrally in most games now. I've enjoyed it a lot, scoring a lot of goals, assisting, helping my team-mates.
"I knew I was capable so it is good to say that I've had a good season and I want to continue to play well.
"I’m not much of a speaker but I try and lead on the pitch with the things I do and how hard I work.
"I've been here for a long time now working with the manager and I think now is the time for me to step up and try and be the man who’s going to score the goals."