EXCLUSIVE: With his sights firmly set on becoming a personal trainer, Matty Phillips has revealed the one teammate he’d love to coach more than anyone else.
Throughout his career, the forward has proven his skills beyond doubt, mesmerising fans with his silky footwork and eye for goal. And now, he’s determined to pass on his knowledge to athletes coming through.
Matty Phillips explains why he’d love to coach Darnell Furlong
With a love of football coursing through his veins, at one point, Matty Phillips couldn’t picture himself doing anything other than smashing the ball into the back of the net.
However, as he hit his late twenties, the winger realised he had a passion for helping others and decided he’d love to make the transition into becoming a personal trainer.
Having spent eight years at West Bromwich Albion, the talented player has developed skills in abundance, which he’s now showcasing at Oxford United.
The footballer is currently working on securing his level 3 qualifications with The Fitness Group, perfectly setting himself up for once his time on the pitch has come to an end.
And while he’s played with so many great footballers, there’s one more than any other he’d love to coach.
In an exclusive interview with Sporf, he said: “Darnell Furlong is still at West Brom. He has a very similar mindset to me. He made his debut with me at QPR. I think we’d work really well together.”
Matty Phillips dreams of owning his own gym
Throughout his athletic career, the 33-year-old has enjoyed the process of preparing for games just as much as he has participating in them.
Phillips is always willing to go the extra mile in the gym, ensuring his body is in the perfect condition to play to his optimum ability.
With so much experience, the sportsman is buzzing to open his own gym, where he can share all his expertise with his clients.
He explained: “I just feel certain experiences I’ve been through in my career can help people avoid certain things and learn about lots of different aspects of fitness to help them perform better.
“I can educate them at a much earlier stage than what was available in my generation. Any additional help you can give someone to prolong their career is vital. In terms of working with individuals, I see myself as a more experienced player in the dressing room, so if other players can take anything from me, I’m happy to help. In terms of being a role model, it’s great to help them progress in their careers.”
Matty Phillips is looking forward to the next chapter of his story
While many players are terrified of what the future will hold after they say goodbye to ‘The Beautiful Game’, Phillips is excited.
Despite still possessing the desire and ability to play for another couple of years, the former Scotland international is prepared for his new venture.
He beamed: “This summer, I was without a club for a little while, which was another reason why I did an additional part of the course where I’m face-to-face with someone in the gym and getting that exposure to being one-on-one with someone in a gym space, putting on a session.”
Phillips continued: “I feel like that experience gave me a further excitement towards that. It’s something I feel after a long time deciding what I’m actually interested in; it gave me the desire to get stuck in.
“I feel like it is difficult for other players that might be similar to me. I’ve only ever been able to focus on the one thing, which has been my football. So, coming into the later years and defining what else interests me has been exciting as well. I’ve dug through certain things and found this route. It excites me for when I do eventually call it a day.”
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Featured Image Credit: Getty
