Exclusive Interview with Phil Jones

Exclusive interview with former Man Utd defender Phil Jones

Speaking exclusively to OLBG, former Man Utd defender Phil Jones says, If Man Utd win the Europa League it’s not a successful season, it’s a sensible decision not to have an open bus parade if they win, he wouldn't swap Man Utd’s season for Arsenal's and discusses potential Man Utd signings Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo and Emilio Martinez.

Man Utd Q&A

Q: Is Ruben Amorim the man for the job at Manchester United?

PJ: “Yes, he is. 

“He's honest, he's humble, he's a winner and these things take time. 

“I think it's difficult for any manager to walk into the club at the minute. 

“There's been a lot of changes in and around the club, to the team and to the staff. 

“I think if he wins the Europa League and he gets it over the line, I wouldn't say it's been a successful season, but I think it certainly gives him a platform to really stamp his mark next season.

“Maybe he enters the transfer market, brings one or two more in, and sees how he gets on. 

“From what I see from the outside and the inside, I like what I see here”.

Q: If Man United win the Europa League but finish 17th - is that a successful season?

PJ: “No, it’s not!

“Listen, Man Utd shouldn't be competing in Europa League full stop, but that's where they are at the minute, and it's a competition that they want to win, just like when we won it in 2017, it's a competition we wanted to win. 

“It's not a foregone conclusion, it's going to be a tough game against Tottenham, who are also having a difficult season and period, but if they can get it over the line, I'd like to think that will give them a real incentive for next season.

“And a platform where they can go ‘right this is where we're at now, let's try and improve on the pitch and off the pitch,’ I think it'd be a positive”.

Q: And speaking of the Europa League - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a score prediction, what would that be?

PJ: “I’d go 2-1 Man Utd”.

Q: Goal Scorers?

PJ: “Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo. Don't ask me about Tottenham, I'm not bothered!”.

Q: If you had to give us one value bet for the final, what would it be?

PJ: “A penalty in the game”.

Q: In terms of tactically, where do you think the finals are going to be decided? What are the big matchups that we should be looking for?

PJ: “I’d look down the right-hand side for Amad Diallo.

“Amad against Destiny Udogie, I think that's going to be a good battle. 

“I think Amad's just come back from injury, but I watched him the other night when he came on against Bilbao, and he completely changed the game on its head. 

“Amad and Mason Mount completely changed the game and won Man Utd the game. 

“So I think that would be a good battle between Udogie and Amad and seeing how Tottenham try and stop him (do they double up on him or not).

“I think Dominic Salanke against Harry Maguire will be a good contest, and in the middle of the pitch as well. 

“I think the game will be won in the middle of the pitch. Who can control the play better? Who can manage those big moments in the game better? There will be times in the game when Manchester United have to suffer, but who can manage those moments? Which team can rely on the experienced ones to get them through those moments? 

“I'll probably look at Man United's squad and say they have a little bit more experience than Tottenham do. With the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who’ve seen these games many times, this is not a one-off for them. 

“So I'd like to think United have enough strength and depth to win the game. 

“However, like I said before, it's not a foregone conclusion by any stretch of the imagination”.

Q: Manchester United have confirmed they won’t have an open-top bus parade if they do win the trophy - do you think that’s the right decision? Does that feel fair to the players and fans?

PJ: “Yeah, it’s a sensible decision given the season that they’ve had. 

“They’ve struggled in the league and for form and for all sorts of different reasons. 

“I think if it were me and the team and I'd won the Europa League, I'm not sure I would be wanting a trophy parade either. 

“I think it’s a sensible option, they can have a small win and celebrate at the training ground and prepare for next season, but they’ve got to win it first”.

Q: From a Spurs POV - do you think they will sack Ange Postecoglou even if they win?

PJ: “You know what, I think they do. 

“I think it's really unfair, I really like Ange Postecoglou.

“I think he's a good manager and there are a lot of people who speak really highly of him. 

“I like the football he plays, he's really aggressive, really intense, a high-pressing team.

“Some games it works, some games it doesn't, but I think you like him because he just sticks to what he knows and what he likes.

“You know he's not going to be crying, he's not going to hit the reset button just because the man walking his dog on Saturday decides that he wants to add his two cents' worth, 

“He'll stick to his guns, he likes what he likes and knows what he knows.

“Again, I like what I see, two managers going head-to-head tomorrow night (Wednesday 21st) who have got their own sort of personalities in their own way.

“I think it'd be disappointing if they sacked him, really would, but it is looking that way from what you hear on the outside”.

Q: Your old teammate Paul Scholes recently said, "I wouldn’t swap Man United’s season this year for Arsenal’s even if they go on and win the Europa League” - do you agree?

PJ: “There's no doubt that Arsenal have had a better season than Man United, but I think they're in a different area to what Manchester United are in currently, in terms of where they are development squad-wise. 

“Arsenal haven't really contested the league again, so they can't be sitting there thinking, well, ‘we've had a successful season’. 

“They made it to the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and listen, they've had an all right season from where they are, but if you're asking me where they are now, should they be pushing Liverpool all the way for the league? Yeah, absolutely they should. 

“Mikel Arteta's done an absolutely unbelievable job at Arsenal, but then you think if he doesn't win the league next year or he doesn't contest it next year and he's out of the Champions League, then what happens to him…

“Who would want to be a manager? 

“I agree with Paul Scholes to be fair”.

Q: Your old teammate Marcus Rashford had looked back to his old self at Aston Villa before his injury. Do you think it was a mistake for Manchester United to let him leave in January, and do you think he has a future at Old Trafford?

PJ: “No, I don't think it was a mistake. I think he needed a fresh start, a change of scenery, different faces around the changing room, different messages and ideas from a different manager. 

“I absolutely don't see a reason why he can't come back and flourish next season. He looks like he's rediscovered his form and looks like he's fallen back in love with football, which is what he needed to do. He's a great lad, great kid, loves the game.

“Personally, I'd love to see him back in the United shirt next season. I think if he can really get him firing on all cylinders and scoring goals again and being aggressive with his running, I think you've got a real player on your hands”.

Q: Barcelona have been heavily linked with signing Marcus Rashford - would that be a good move for all involved?

PJ: “Would Barcelona be a good fit? I think any team is, as long as Marcus is playing to the top of his game.

“I wouldn’t say he's at the top yet, but he's getting there again. 

“I don't see any club in Europe who wouldn't take him, because when he's playing and he's playing well, he's frightening and I remember his first training session with England and the lads all came into the dressing room after the game saying ‘wow’, ‘what a player,’ and he was only 17, 18 at the time.

“So listen, he's an unbelievable talent and he's got so much ability, he just needs to bring that out more consistently, and I think he's showing that recently”.

Q: Rasmus Hojlund has recently been linked with joining Jose Mourinho at Fenerbache in the summer - would that be a good move for all involved?

PJ: “It’s a difficult one, I feel really sorry for him. 

“It's obviously been a difficult season for him, but I always find it's difficult for a number 9 in a difficult season. 

“He's probably not getting the chances, you know, the seven, eight chances a game. He's feeding off one or two that might come into him in the 70th minute, and he's got to produce. 

“It hasn't quite happened for him yet.

“It's been difficult for him, but I think if he were to move on, he would probably benefit from that in terms of, a bit like Marcus, it's a fresh start for him. 

“Difficult one for Rasmus Hojlund, difficult one. 

“What I would say is, I think that Man United will be looking for another number 9 and maybe that takes a bit of the pressure off him as well if he can manage his minutes between the two number 9s.

“Yeah, we'll see. 

“He probably is a typical Jose Mourinho type of player - typical number 9”.

Q: Have you been impressed with Lenny Yoro’s start to his Man United career?

PJ: “Really impressed. He's comfortable on the ball, he's quick, he's strong, he's aggressive, he's athletic. He's good when he's stepping in with the ball and driving in and creating the attack. 

“I've been really impressed with him at such a young age to come to a club like Man United and deal with the pressure and the demands and cope with them demands. Yeah, he's been a real positive this season for sure”.

Q: Reports suggest Man Utd are on the verge of signing Matheus Cunha - is he good enough for Man United?

PJ: “Really good, I really like him. 

“He's a player who I've watched twice this season against Man United and done well in both games. 

“He reminds me a little bit of Mousa Dembele, who played for Tottenham. That sort of player, he's so strong when he's running with the ball and powerful, but he's got that ability to shift the ball, move the ball, find a pass, score a goal”.

“I really like him. I think he'd be a really good addition if the club were to bring him in”.

Q: Bryan Mbuemo has also been linked with a summer move to Man United - do you rate him?

PJ: “Yes, he's a really good player. He's done really well for Brentford, especially in the last two years. 

“He's been so consistent with his performances and his goals and his assists. 

“He plays on the right and drifts into the left, so it'll be interesting to see where he would play if Amad Diallo was out there. So I'm not sure that's a player who we'll see at United, but definitely a good player”.

Q: Emilio Martinez has also been linked with joining in the summer - is he the best keeper in the world?

PJ: “Best goalkeeper in the world is a strong statement. 

“I like him. I think he's a very good goalkeeper. 

“I look at David De Gea, who Man Utd let go, he won us so many games, so many points throughout the season when I played with him, and obviously had a good season at Fiorentina. 

“I think Emi Martinez, if he came in, would be a top signing. No, there's no getting away from that, but it depends on whether you go for experience over a bit more youth who can develop and nurture. 

“Depends if they stick with Andre Onana, if they want to stick with him, then it depends what they do, but he would be a good signing for sure if they brought him in”.

Q: Kai Rooney (Wayne Rooney’s son) has been tearing it up in the Utd youth set up - does Wayne think he can make it? 

PJ: “I did my coaching A license, a little bit with the Under 14s, 15s, 16s, a couple of years ago.

“He was in that group and he undoubtedly had a lot of talent then. He's a strong boy. You know, he reminds me of Wayne, the way he moves, and the way he shifts the ball. 

“He's got a really powerful shot. 

“I don't want to put too much pressure on him; that would be unfair to do, but he's got huge potential for sure”.

Q: Speaking of Wayne, he recently said he was surprised that Man United had never tried to sign Jean Phillipe Mateta - would you rate that signing?

PJ: “Listen, I like Jean-Philippe Mateta. I think he's a top player for Palace, but I'm not sure he's a Man United player. 

“I'd put it like that. I like him, I like what he brings. He brings people into play, he's a handful to play against, he scores goals, but I'm not sure he's a Man United player”.

Q: Viktor Gyokeres is another name consistently linked with Manchester United - would you like to see him join?

PJ: “I like him, I think he's a good player, I think he's proving himself in the Portuguese league, and he's scored loads of goals, in European competitions like the Champions League. 

“What I would say is it's a different kettle of fish when you come to Man United. 

“It's a huge club with high demands, and it's a heavy shirt to wear. 

“I've seen many players come here who are huge stars, and it doesn't quite work out for them.

“I think he's a top player and I think he would definitely flourish and blossom in Man United's team, but I think he's still a young player and maybe he would get another move somewhere else in Europe before we see him at Man United.

“He’s someone with so much potential and is already scoring goals at the top level, but I think he probably needs one more move before he comes here. 

“I've seen so many players and people might say, ‘he's ready now, he's ready now’, but I've seen so many players come here and not be quite ready because they're used to being the big fish in a small pond. 

“I don't mean to be disrespectful to Sporting as they’re still a huge club in Portugal, but Man United is a massive club and I've seen so many players not perform at that level when they come here just because of the demands and the expectations and stuff”.

Q: Where else do you think Man Utd need to strengthen in the summer? Which three players should they sign if money was no object? 

PJ: “I think they need to strengthen the 6 position.

“I think they're probably gonna go in the market for another centre-half if a couple of players leave that are out of contract.

“It wouldn't surprise me if they went for maybe a number 6, a number 9 and potentially a wide man, but I think they'd be looking for a number 6 who's athletic, can get about the pitch, is comfortable in possession and building the play up. 

“I think that's the sort of characteristics you're probably looking for in that area, and a number 9 that obviously can score goals”.

Q: Man United play Aston Villa on Sunday - what are your thoughts for the game, and if you had to give a score prediction what would that be?

PJ: “Last home game of the season, I'm probably going to go 2-0 Man United, just because it's the last home game. 

“Hopefully, I'm being optimistic here on the back of winning the Europa League. 

“There'll be some young faces probably playing in the game. 

“Aston Villa will have to win the game to get in the Champions League still, so there'll be a lot riding on it for them. 

“I'd go 2-0 United”.

Blackburn Q&A

Q: Blackburn finished 7th and just missed out on the playoffs - would you back them to get promoted next season?

PJ: “Yeah, it'd be tough.

“I think they were overachieving a little bit during the middle of the season. 

“I thought they did a fantastic job under John Eustace.

“I thought John Eustace was brilliant.

“I went in to see John at Blackburn and watched him train for a couple of days and you could see the culture he'd created there was a good one. Then obviously he left to go to Derby. 

“He's kept them in the league (Derby), which is a great achievement for them, pleased for them.

“Blackburn didn't win in eight games, nine games and I think it absolutely killed them, so I think it'd be difficult for them to get playoffs next year.

“They're going to have to recruit well. 

“I'm not sure what the transfer budget will be either, but it'd be nice to see them competing for sure. 

“It's a club that I grew up supporting when I was a little boy and played for.

“Yeah, so many fond members down at Blackburn”.

Q: Is Valérien Ismaël the right man for the job there?

PJ: “Obviously, he’s had a tough start; he only won two out of his first eight games or something like that, but I think it'd be too early to call that one. 

“I mean he's only been in the job short of six months, so let's see how they get on next season.

“I think they do need to bring one or two in, I was just looking before the retained list and the lads who have gone and stuff, I think they're going to need to strengthen that area for sure”.

Q: Former Blackburn lad Adam Wharton won the FA Cup with Crystal Palace at the weekend - how good can he become?

PJ: “Yeah, he's a top player. 

“I called it at Blackburn when I saw him play there. 

“I think the way he takes the ball and protects the ball, and he's got creative passes in the build-up. I really like him. 

“I think he's a top player and I think if he did play for a bigger club than Crystal Palace, I think he would play with better players (that's no disrespect to Palace, what they've done is incredible).

“I think if you put him in a City team or you put him in a Chelsea team or an Arsenal team I think you bring out a real player in there”.

Q: How did you rate Todd Cantwell’s first season at Rovers?

PJ: “Yeah, I think he's done all right.

“I think he's scored a few goals, got a few assists, but again, I think he was out injured towards the end of the season. 

“I think he struggled for continuity, but again, he's a player that I think was on the retained list. 

“They need to keep hold of him because again, he's somebody who can score goals. He's played at that level before, and he's been to Rangers, he's played in big games.

“He's a big game player, he's a type of player and character that you want to play in big games because he's not frightened of taking the ball under pressure or in difficult circumstances”.

General Q&A

Q: You spent over a decade at one of the biggest clubs in the world—what’s the one moment that defines your time at United?

PJ: “Winning the Premier League in 2013 was an incredible moment and achievement, something that I never thought I'd ever do as a young player when I grew up in Blackburn's Academy. 

“Winning the Premier League was an incredible feeling, an incredible moment for me, my family and my friends. 

“A day that you can never forget”.

Q: Take us back to 2011 when Sir Alex Ferguson signed you. Tell us the story of how that happened and what he said to you.

PJ: “Yeah, I was in Dubai at the time. My girlfriend, now my wife was with me and I had an unknown number ringing me, and it's probably the only club to be fair (Man United) that hadn't reached out yet. 

“I don't answer unknown numbers (well, I do now but not back then), and it rang a few times, so my Mrs said, ‘you have to answer that,’ so I answered it and obviously it's Sir Alex Ferguson down the phone saying, ‘I'd love to meet up with you,’ ‘I love what you do,’ ‘ I love the way you play,’ ‘I'd love to bring you in at Man United’.

“That was it, I got the first plane back home and then went to Nice to meet him with David Gill and my agent.

“I was actually meeting a few other clubs that day as well, but I ended up coming out of there saying that there's no other club that I want to go to and I had a conversation with him for about half an hour, 45 minutes and my agent went upstairs with David Gill.

“He didn't even ask me any questions about football. It was just all about how your family is, what I took in school, what did you like growing up? And then at the end he looked at me and he said, ‘Phil, are you a winner?’ and sheepishly I went, ‘yeah’ and he said, ‘well, come to Man United because we win things’. 

“That was it, done”.

Q: Fergie once said ‘he could be our best ever player’ about you. How did that make you feel and did that add pressure at such a young age?

PJ: “I've said this before, when I was that young at the time, it's nice to hear them things but you don't think about these things. 

“When you're a young player, you just go out play football, play with your mates, go out for some food with your family or whatever. You don't really understand what a comment like that is from such a magnitude of Sir Alex. 

“So probably in hindsight, it didn't help me, but yeah, it was what it was and it was always nice to hear comments like that from the man himself”.

Q: How did it feel being labelled ‘the next John Terry’ at 19?

PJ: “When a young player's coming through now and people ask me how they are, I'm always cautious and always trying to play it down because I never want to be the one who makes that one comment that kills them. Do know what I mean? He's going to be this, he's going to be that.”

Q: What’s your proudest moment in a Manchester United shirt?

PJ: “One of the proudest moments in the United Shirt, it was probably something you wouldn't associate, but was probably when I came back from my injury against Wolves after being out for 12 months. 

“Just to be on the pitch was amazing, and then my kids were in the stands and watching the game. 

“My family were there and that was probably the proudest moment I've had just because of the effort and the slog that I went to just to get fit and try and just to get through that game, to be able to be in a position to play. 

“That was a really proud moment for me”.

Q: Which manager got the best out of you at United?

PJ: “Sir Alex obviously. Jose Mourinho was Marmite but I loved him.

“I thought he was brilliant and I wasn't even playing regularly at the time when he came in but he managed me really well and if you're playing well for him, he's brilliant to be around.

“He just got it for that period of time after Sir Alex, it's probably the best period of football I played under him”.

Q: What’s one thing Sir Alex Ferguson told you that’s stuck for life?

PJ: “I think one thing that always sticks out is when we played Bilbao at home. 

“I think we drew 1-1, but we were winning 1-0 and I passed the ball back to David De Gea. David was having a difficult season in his first season, and it was a bit of a strong pass, but like a firm pass back to him just so he could clear it at the pitch, it was the last minute and he sort of shanked it a little bit, it's fallen to one of strikers and they scored.

“I remember the goal in my head, I don't know if it's that game I'm on about, but I came in the training room after the game and Sir Alex just hammered me in for the pass and said it was too strong. 

“I remember looking around the room thinking, that wasn't a bad pass, was just a clean pass, but then obviously I realised later on that he was obviously protecting David who was going through a difficult time. Again, smart management. And I could take it, I was frustrated at the time, but I wasn't the guy who was going to cry about it”.

Q: How different were Moyes, Mourinho, Van Gaal, Solskjaer and Ten Hag in terms of managing people?

PJ: “Man management, Sir Alex was the best. There's no better than Sir Alex. He knew his team three weeks in advance. 

“He knew his team, how they were going to set up and play - it was just mad. 

“I thought Van Gaal was terrific in terms of tactics, probably one of the best I've played under. 

“Just really his understanding of the game and the team we were playing and their strengths, their weaknesses.

“He nailed it down. So what I would say, we didn't win every game, but every player knew exactly to a T what they had to do in that game, individually and collectively. I thought he was really good tactically”.

Q: Was Mourinho as tough on players as the media made out?

PJ: “Yeah, brutal, but this is football. 

“This is football, it’s a different game to any other game in the world. 

“So everyone understood, he's a winner and he wants to win. I don't know anybody who's nice when they're losing. 

“So, you know, there's no problem with that. It was difficult towards the end when he left, but yeah, listen, I owe him a lot.

“He brought me back into the team when I wasn't playing and I was out and he really managed me through with my knee and my injury and stuff so no problem. I thought he was really good for my career”.

Q: You mentioned Van Gaal earlier. Which manager taught you the most tactically? Would you say it was him at the club?

PJ: “Definitely Van Gaal. Yeah, just in terms of the relationships on the pitch and your distances between, you know, the players in front of you, the players behind you, your goalkeeper and just all the little connections on the pitch, when to jump, when not to jump. 

“You know, we played a back three, so you had to time the press, you had to time it well.

“Everything was really good. Made me think about the game so much differently than just going out and playing or training, so you're really thinking of the finer, finer details of the game”.

Q: After Sir Alex left, I think it was a difficult moment for the whole club. Did you personally ever feel lost at the transition that was happening?

PJ: “I think we all did. I think it was a really difficult time. 

“I felt sorry for David Moyes, great man, great manager. 

“Look at what he's doing at Everton now, he's turned the club around. I'm really pleased for him, good man, but it was always going to be tough for whoever took over. 

“It was going to be an absolute mammoth job. We were lost as a club, as players. 

“When you've had someone around for so long and someone who’s part of the furniture and it just lost its feel and that speaks volumes of sort of the aura he had around the place and you know the respect that he commanded, and it was just a difficult period, a really difficult period”.

Q: Who was the best motivator of all the managers you worked under?

PJ: “Yeah, obviously, obviously Sir Alex. 

“Sir Alex, you know, he used to go around the changing room before a game and he used to go around every single one and say, ‘this is why you play for me and this is why I have you, and not him from the other team’.

“You know, you'd go out on the pitch, you'd won the game before you'd even walked onto the pitch. It was a really crazy feeling actually. 

“You look at the opposition in the tunnel, this is the first season at United and you're thinking, ‘we've won this game’. 

“I never went onto the pitch thinking there's a slight possibility we could get beat here. 

“I always thought we'd win the game and that comes from him and his motivation and his passion and his desire to win that fed through from him to the players and the staff”.

Q: Talking about managers, I want to take you back to April 2022 and half-time at Anfield against Liverpool. Ralf Rangnick substituted you and is it fair to say the decision didn’t go down well?

PJ: “With all due respect, I have nothing against him and I don't hold any grudges. 

“He's obviously gone off and done well in Austria as the national team coach, but yeah, I felt really hard done to, really hard done to. 

“I battled really hard to get a start in the team, trained really well, so professional as I was throughout my career, played in the back three, played on the right of the back three.

“Liverpool, Anfield away, we're going through a really tough time, a difficult period. 

“I get thrown into the team right centre half of a back three, I’m happy, playing at Anfield, I'm thinking, look, it's a tough, tall order anyway, playing at Anfield. 

“I think we were 1-0 down after 25 minutes. We ended up being 2-0 down at half time, but take away the goals. 

“I thought my own performance was good, I was aggressive and jumped into the midfield when I needed to. I didn't give a pass away. I defended well when I needed to defend well. I did all the right things, but we were 2-0 down. 

“So I just thought I was just the easy guy to be the scapegoat. 

“The easy guy to bring off. He's not played in six weeks, it looks like he's a bit rusty. We'll bring him off, bring someone else on.

“I just thought it was a really poor move, poor judgment from his side and yeah, I was disappointed, really disappointed. 

“If I was a manager, then I'm not sure I would have made that decision, but he was the manager, I respected it. It was what it was. You know, it's probably the only time in the changing room where I've sort of voiced my frustration.

“I respect every single manager, whether I played or I didn't. I have huge respect for it.

“I respect any manager who walks into this football club because it's a difficult job, but I wasn't happy. I wasn't happy at all. 

“I did apologise afterwards, and that was it. Done. Move on”.

Q: Were you ever close to leaving United before you actually did?

PJ: “Yeah, think, think sort of 2020, 2021, I think it was.

“My minutes in the team were limited, but I was struggling a little bit with my knee injury.

 “I did have a few opportunities to go elsewhere, abroad and in this country, but I just was never in a position to go.

“I was never a guy to go and take a big contract somewhere and three weeks later break down and then you're asking for all the money and you've only been there three weeks. 

“I just couldn't do it. There will be some players who do that and fight through it, but I wasn't in a position to do it. 

“I wasn't gonna do that”.

Q: When you did leave Man Utd, you’ve previously spoken about the moment you left the WhatsApp group and your goodbye message was initially ignored. How did that feel?

PJ: “I was in the WhatsApp group that I’d been in for years. 

“I knew I was leaving, I knew I needed to come out of the group because they were preparing for games. I was leaving the club, you know, I don't want to be in it, it's their group now, it's not my group.

“I just said, listen lads, it's been an absolute pleasure, I’ve loved playing with every single one of you, I wish you all the best, I'll always be a fan, always support you and then obviously I waited like two minutes and then left the group so that was it.

“So I didn't even get to see anything, but i had loads of texts afterwards, like messaging me and stuff like that, so no problem”.

Q: You once joked that ‘only your mum and dad’ would turn up at your Man Utd testimonial. Is that how you really felt and did you turn down the chance to have one?

PJ: “I spoke to loads of people and people pulled me up in the street, loads of people pulled me up and said, ‘do you know what we'd have 25-50,000 people there if you had a testimonial, no problem’.

“But it was just a joke saying there would only be my mum, dad and me”.

Q: How much would a prime Phil Jones cost in today’s game?

PJ: “I look back and I think I went for £16 million plus add-ons, and that was 2011.

“In this day and age, if I were to move from Blackburn again to Man United, you'd be looking at £40-50M for sure.

“I mean, I'm not trying to bump my price up and add a few noughts on the end, but I think coming from Blackburn, I would have definitely thought at least £40 million”.

Q: Was there ever a club you regretted not joining?

PJ: “Not really, no, because I grew up supporting Blackburn, so to play for Blackburn was an incredible achievement for me. 

“I remember being on the terraces watching from the stand all those years, and then I'm playing there, which was amazing.

“Then playing for Man United, whilst I would have liked to have played more, there's not really another club I would have liked to have played for.

“Obviously you look at Real Madrid, everyone wants to play for Real Madrid, look at Trent going there now (and I don't blame him by the way).

“I don't think I'd go to any club that I look back and think, we should have gone there or we should have gone here.

Q: Most memorable moment travelling with England?

PJ: “World Cup, representing my country at the World Cup for the first time in Brazil, albeit a dead rubber game because we were already out of the competition, but yeah, what a proud moment to stand in the line and sing the national anthem at a World Cup stage.

“Obviously I played in a World Cup in 2018 in Russia. 

“So yeah, I think I made 28, 29 appearances for England.

“That one that I look back on and I'm super proud of, to play for your country. 

“Really good memories of playing for England”.

Q: If you could relive one 10-second moment from your career, what would it be?

PJ: “The last 10 seconds of winning the Premier League in 2013, 2-0 against Villa. 

“We had about 30 minutes left, up 2-0. 

“We'd won the game. 

“It was giving you goosebumps on the pitch, thinking that you'd won the Premier League. 

“Yeah, the last 10 seconds of that game would be unreal”.

Q: Who were the biggest leaders at Manchester United when you played there?

PJ: “So many, so many different ways of leading. You don’t have to wear an armband to be a leader. I would say Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs, and Nemanja Vidic.

Q: Who’s the best centre back in the world right now?

PJ: “I think it's got to be Virgil van Dijk. 

“What he's done. I mean, he did have a blip. 

“I think he had like six months where I think he was coming back from his injury and he didn’t quite look the same.

“He’s been fantastic for Liverpool, an unbelievable servant. 

“Talk about leaders, he's a leader, somebody who commands respect. 

“I think two or three years ago people were saying he's got to prove himself still to be in that category but I think Van Dijk’s certainly up there. 

“I like Dean Huijsen, who's just gone to Real Madrid from Bournemouth.

“I like him. I remember watching him in his debut. I think he's done brilliantly and I'm looking forward to watching him at Real Madrid as well”.

Q: Who's one striker you never want to face again?

PJ: “Luis Suarez was hard to play against. 

“I played against Didier Drogba in my first ever game for Blackburn. 

“Eden Hazard was always an absolute nightmare to play against, even though he wasn't a number 9, he's like a number 10, but I go with them three.

Q: Who's the most underrated player you played with?

PJ: “Who's the most underrated? Michael Carrick for sure. 

“Michael Carrick guaranteed. No other player. He was unbelievable at what he could do, but I just never felt like he got the credit. 

“He did get credit, but like not to the level that I thought he deserved”.

Q: Is there one player that you wish you played with that you never got the opportunity? 

PJ: “I think there are some absolute legends of the game at centre-half.

“Do you know what, I always liked, I was never going to play with him, I always liked Sergio Ramos and watching him and he had a bit of swagger about him at centre half, took the penalties, took a few free kicks. 

“It would’ve been nice to have played with someone like that for sure”.

Q: Who's the hardest teammate you ever played with?

PJ: “Probably Anderson at Man United.

“Just always a bit jokey in training and you know when you want to take it a little bit seriously he's still a bit, but that's the way he played and that's why he was so good because he didn't care. 

“Gave the ball away, didn't care, he’d just go and get it again and do something special. 

I'd say Ando”.

Q: Who's the toughest player you ever played against? 

PJ: “I always found it difficult playing against Jamie Vardy just because he keeps running. 

“He just keeps running, he doesn't stop, he runs in behind and you've got to follow him. 

“He comes short, then he spins in behind, you've to follow him. 

“Then he sprints 40 yards from a corner, and then you have to sprint 40 yards. He’s just always on, he just doesn't stop. 

“Especially when he was in his prime, he just didn't stop running. He was tough to play against”.

Q: Be brutally honest - has the standard of defending in the Premier League dropped compared to your era?

PJ: “No, I don't, I think it’s got better if anything.

“I think it's tactically got better.

“I think the positions they take up on the pitch now and defenders understand if the opposition is pressing with a three or pressing with a two, where do they create the overload and build up, or when to jump into midfield onto the number 10, or if they try and create a box in midfield, then it’s the right back who jumps in. 

“So I think that they're tactically a lot more aware of different positions and formations on the pitch now, definitely.

“I think defenders these days are so athletic. 

“Every defender's so powerful and strong.

“I think you look at Arsenal, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães, they are like monsters.

“I think it's got, if anything, better”.

Q: What’s your favourite shirt you ever wore?

PJ: “Obviously the Blackburn shirt when I made my debut.

“Then it's got to be your England badge, the three lions, you know, wearing the England badge.

“We used to have a salmon pink kit at Man United, remember the old salmon away kit. The soft pink one, I loved that kit, it probably didn't suit me, but I loved that

“I had pink boots, we were sponsored by Adidas as well so we had soft pink Adidas boots as well. 

“I remember it clearly in my head and I remember it getting battered but I just wasn't bothered, I loved it”.