00:00Rico, many congratulations on your new contract. It's fantastic news. How does it feel for you to have committed to City again?
00:08First of all, thank you. There's nothing else going on in my head but happiness. It's a proud moment for myself and family.
00:18I think the main thought is now cracking on and getting ready with the season.
00:25Obviously, it's a really good moment for me but I just want to keep on enjoying my football and get the season started.
00:32You obviously grew up not too far away from here at the Etihad in a sports mad family.
00:37As you referenced, it must be a real special moment for them and they must be so proud of you too.
00:42I think it's a bit for me to give back as well because they've been with me since I first started when I was 2-3 years old kicking the ball about.
00:50They're the reason I'm here today so everything really goes to them.
00:54It's easy to forget. I mean, you're still only in your fourth year of senior football.
00:58How much do you think you've developed and progressed since you first came into Pep's squad?
01:03Yeah, so much. I think in both sides as being a player and being a person.
01:07Being around these kind of people in the dressing room, being around the manager on the pitch as well.
01:13I think it's made me a better player and a better person.
01:16I'm just excited to see where I can go in the future as well.
01:19Along with your natural ability, Pep always references your attitude and desire.
01:24How important do you think those qualities are in a squad that's challenging for the biggest trophies?
01:29Yeah, I think it's important. I think the main thing that everyone's got though in that squad is the passion to play, the desire to win.
01:37I think that's, again, credit to my dad and my family that brought me up that way.
01:44Again, like I said, that's the reason why I'm here today.
01:47Across the course of your career today, we've seen you playing in several different positions in the side
01:53and also really shining that hybrid role where you flip between defence and midfield.
01:58But for you, where do you think your best position is in the team?
02:02For me, I like playing midfield. I think it's easier than changing from full-back to midfield or midfield to full-back,
02:10just in terms of running. It's a bit long. But yeah, I like playing midfield. I like being part of the game more often.
02:18So yeah, but like I say, I'm happy to play wherever as long as I can help and contribute to the team.
02:25You're now approaching 100 games at senior level for City.
02:29And I think only Phil Foden and Michael Richards have achieved that before their 21st birthday in the Premier League era.
02:36Could you have believed that you have achieved so much at this stage when you first broke into the side?
02:41No, you know, even before that, you know, when you're coming up through the academy,
02:46you don't really see it as a possibility to achieve, to get through to the first team.
02:51And, you know, especially when I was coming through, the level was so high, you were always winning.
02:56And you look at the players in the squad and you think, you know, it's impossible to even think about getting to that level.
03:01And, you know, to be here today, like you say, nearly 100 games, it's an amazing achievement for myself.
03:07And like I say, it's a credit to my family.
03:09Obviously, you were very early in the new season, but I mean, you've already made an impact, not least in that Wolves game at the start of the season,
03:16with that superb assist for Erling's first goal.
03:19How important is it for you, as well as your defensive duties, to get forward and contribute with assists and, you know, areas of that side of the game?
03:28Yeah, I think, you know, I always say, like, when you grow up, that's what you want to be doing is scoring and assisting.
03:33And not everyone can do that.
03:34But, yeah, it's important.
03:36I want to develop both sides of the game because it's important nowadays that you can't be just one sided.
03:42You've got to be able to do both.
03:43And I think it's something that I want to improve on this season as well.
03:46It's worth noting you've also scored some really spectacular goals, not least in that FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.
03:53I mean, I was lucky enough to be there that day.
03:55That's a moment that we all dream of as kids.
03:58But what was it like for you to actually live it and realise it?
04:01Even today, it doesn't even feel like a real moment.
04:04I think the whole day was special, you know, being able to start in the semi-final and scoring so early.
04:11It was amazing and, yeah, something I won't ever forget for the rest of my life.
04:15And is that an area that perhaps you're looking to sort of build on?
04:18Because when you do score, they're normally really memorable goals, aren't they?
04:21Yeah, definitely.
04:22If I can get in those positions more often and, you know, work on that kind of finishing and being, you know, feeling more natural in them positions,
04:30then it will only get better.
04:31But, yeah, like I say, it's something that's really special and I enjoy doing it.
04:35Obviously, over the last year, Rico, there's been a sense of evolution in the squad with several really fondly remembered players moving on
04:43and a lot of new guys coming in.
04:45For someone like yourself, do you feel a bit of responsibility given how long you've been here to help everybody who's new to the club to bed in and sort of feel at home here?
04:54Yeah, I think to a certain extent, yeah, it's true. All the people that do come in, though, are, you know, top level players, world class players that, you know,
05:02they could go anywhere and, you know, they could feel at home.
05:06And I think with the environment that they're already coming into, it's really difficult to not feel at home here and stuff like that.
05:13But, yeah, I think everyone's got their own responsibility to, you know, kind of welcome these players in and help them do their job as well.
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