Forty-year-old former Manchester City goalkeeper Scott Carson talks about his decision to retire, career highlights and his special role as third goalkeeper under Guardiola.
You have made the decision to retire. Does this feel like closure?
"I think I held on for a few months. When I left Manchester City I probably still thought I might be able to play another season, but obviously things didn't work out. I felt like it was obviously the time for me to officially retire."
What is the standout moment of your career for you?
"Obviously, making your debut for Leeds United at Old Trafford at the age of 18 was a huge achievement. I think the biggest achievement was in Austria, making my debut for England against Austria. Getting a clean sheet was a big, big achievement and it was a proud moment and all the hard work paid off."
How do you look back on your career?
"I think when I started out at 16 and left a small village in Cumbria to go to Leeds United, I never thought it would end up like this. When I first joined Manchester City on loan from Derby County it was, well, there weren't a lot of options, so let's see what happens and see if I can learn from Pep, from the goalkeeping coach there and then see what happens and see if that's the case next season. Other opportunities. And then you just kind of stay like that year after year for six years. So obviously I look back and you always see people joking about trophies and stuff like that, and obviously I wasn't the one who won those trophies, I was just lucky enough to be there when they were really successful."
So hopefully you helped the team in one way or another. You mentioned Guardiola, what is it like working under him? Do you remember your first conversation with him?
"In the beginning, my role was basically that of the third goalkeeper. I just came in and trained hard, that's all. I just kept my head down and did my job."
Has the situation changed since then?
"Then obviously, after a few months, you get a little more comfortable and you start... you start to reveal yourself more and start talking. I remember one time, I was just in the dressing room before a game, trying to get the guys excited a little bit, trying to stay positive. And the next day at breakfast, he was like, I really, I really like that." What exactly did he say?
"'You need to do that more. The boys do look up to you and I hope... I hope to see more of that.' So, that was probably the first bit of confidence he gave me and he encouraged me to do that. So I feel like that's obviously what he was looking for."
People ask you what did you do there?
"People ask me what do you do? I can't point to anything specific that I do, other than I'm just being myself. I stay positive every day. I know my role on the team. No matter how well I train or what I do, I know I'm never going to be the number one goalkeeper there, or even the number two goalkeeper Will. So, I'm just trying to be the best person around me day in and day out. Especially the day after the game, we have a training session and the guys who didn't play on Saturday, they're a little bit disappointed and maybe not happy about training."
So you play the role of motivator?
"I think this requires me to work hard to encourage everyone."