Fernandinho EXCLUSIVE: Man City star on the great coaches who helped him develop, the importance of faith, and his role as a senior player
Fernandinho says he owes his career to some of the great coaches he has played under - including Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola.
The Man City defensive midfielder has established himself as one of the best in the world in his position and credits those who have helped him develop.
The Brazil international spoke to talkSPORT’s Laura Woods about the people who have helped him, starting from his time as a youngster back home in Brazil and then throughout his career.
He said: “During my football life I’ve had a lot of people who have helped me develop a lot. I started playing for a small team in my hometown of Londrina, I was 13 years old.
“After that to Curitiba, another city in Brazil; the club Athletico Paranaense had unbelievable coaches as well. In general most of them taught me a lot about football but, more importantly, for me it is about what they teach me about life; to be a very good person and human being.
“Sometime your football career is going to end, and my time is going to be soon... but the man lives forever.
“I never forget about that when they told me and I’m very grateful to them.
"After that I have a very good coach in Mircea Lucescu (at Shakhtar Donetsk) and then I come to City under Pellegrini, and Pep Guardiola who I work with now.
"A lot of people I have worked with in my lifetime and they’ve helped me a lot.”
Fernandinho will be 35 next month and has enjoyed an illustrious career that has seen him win numerous titles during his time at Shakhtar and City.
The Brazilian is relishing his role as a senior player at the Etihad and tries to impart his wisdom on the younger players in the squad.
He added: “Sometimes I have conversations with some players; of course they respect me and the senior players in general respect us when you have an opportunity to talk to them.
“I think this generation are a little bit different because they can get a lot of info from everywhere, especially with social media. It’s a little bit different from 20 years ago.
“Some people talk about a lot of things in social media, but I like to hear when someone is beside me and try to talk to him rather than someone who is miles away from me and I don’t know where this person lives or what they do.
"I’m trying; sometimes I talk to the players and some players listen and some players don’t. They have freedom to decide by themselves but I’m trying to do my job.”
Fernandinho also explained how his faith has helped him get through this period while football is suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said he was using his new-found free time to enjoy being with his family, but admitted he was missing football.
“I think the faith is something which is very good for everyone," continued the midfielder. "I just try to practice my faith everyday.
"That's what I believe and try to teach my kids because I always say the world is full of bad people and situations, but to have faith, which is bigger than the bad people and situations, you have to take it in your hands and keep going. That’s what I’m trying to teach as well.”
When asked what he is missing the most during this period, Fernandinho replied: “Everything that is involved with football.
"The relationships with the people at the club, missing driving to the club in the morning to having breakfast with everyone. To have some kind of joke with the players and staff as well.
“The preparation for the training sessions, the time we spend in the gym... this is what I’m really missing right now.
“Of course [it’s nice to spend time with my family]; to spend this time with the family at home, especially with the way we live. Sometimes we spend just two or three days at home with the family and most of the time we have to be away travelling, in hotels or at the stadium or at the airport.
LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS
“Now we are with our kids and our wives and you have to enjoy this time. This is what I’m trying to do, enjoy this time with my family, and of course in a bad situation we have to see the good side.
"I have thought about [the moment football comes back], and I hope this moment can come soon; I think it is going to be a very good time for everyone.
“We are reflecting about the situation we are living in now and most of the people are going to change the way they live, change the way they treat people and a lot of things inside them.
“I hope everyone can get better and of course when the people come back to the stadiums to watch the games it is going to be a pleasure for everyone for sure. It is going to be one of the happiest moments for everyone.”