“Nobody likes to lose 3-0.”
― Gareth Barry
“David Silva at Man City was my favourite player to play with; we had a good understanding on the pitch.”
― Gareth Barry
“Sometimes you want to experience life, but ultimately, you’ve got to make sacrifices and choose the right road.”
― Gareth Barry
“I treat the young boys as I wanted to be treated when I came through at Aston Villa.”
― Gareth Barry
“I have a massive fear of going stale and falling into a comfort zone.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’ve been in the Premier League for 10 years, more, and the money I’ve been paid is phenomenal compared to your average, everyday working man.”
― Gareth Barry
“I was 32 when I signed for Everton, and Roberto Martinez said, ‘With your style of game, you can play until you’re 40.’ I’m sitting there laughing at him, but he was deadly serious. I still laughed.”
― Gareth Barry
“Playing until I’m 40 is definitely a possibility.”
― Gareth Barry
“I want to come and help the team. That’s always been the same for me wherever I have played.”
― Gareth Barry
“To play in the Premier League again would be amazing.”
― Gareth Barry
“In 2012, we had just won the league with City, and I was really high on confidence going into the Euros when I picked up an injury, which meant I couldn’t go.”
― Gareth Barry
“When I started my career, we were running around water parks and ridiculous things like that. You used to drive in dreading pre-season back then, but now you know it’s going to be pretty tough, but it’s going to be probably what you need. It’s going to be good for you instead of just slogging away.”
― Gareth Barry
“I played a lot of games for Villa, and one of my regrets is not winning a trophy there – that still hurts, and that’s why the big games are important.”
― Gareth Barry
“As a younger player, I never really thought about where I should be on the field. It was just about doing a job.”
― Gareth Barry
“I feel very lucky that I’m left-footed because the number of us around is very small.”
― Gareth Barry
“At school, I was always a central midfielder from a young age. Then, when I joined Villa at 16, the pre-season didn’t go too well, so they looked at me as a centre-half.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’m never going to be seen as an attacking midfielder who’s going to dribble past anyone, create untold chances, and score lots of goals, but going forward is something I’ve always enjoyed doing.”
― Gareth Barry
“The easy part, for me, is always playing my football.”
― Gareth Barry
“As a player, you always want to play – it would be wrong to say otherwise – but you can always understand the manager’s reasons if he decides to leave you out.”
― Gareth Barry
“I used to say I preferred midfield because I enjoy trying to make goals, and scoring is a buzz.”
― Gareth Barry
“The England manager didn’t think I was good enough, and as a professional, you have to take it. Sure, it was disappointing, but all you can do is carry on playing well for your club and hope it changes. Unfortunately, it didn’t.”
― Gareth Barry
“Everton fans don’t just come to watch the football. They are there for Everton, the club. They really believe in the history of the club.”
― Gareth Barry
“I like going down to London for a couple of days, but it’s a place where I’d never fancy living – too busy, too lively, people on top of you.”
― Gareth Barry
“It was Martin O’Neill who said, ‘You’re a central midfielder.’ He put faith into players. He was very clever at getting into players’ heads, leaving little remarks to make me believe more. The players at Villa all moved up another level under him.”
― Gareth Barry
“You do hear a lot about ‘player power,’ but I’m one of those who believes the manager is there to take control, to be in charge.”
― Gareth Barry
“I have played a lot of games, had a good international career, and picked up a lot of caps, but it is not going to be complete without winning trophies, so that is my main goal.”
― Gareth Barry
“Having been around, I know how difficult it is to get results in this league. It doesn’t just happen by buying players. It needs a lot of hard work.”
― Gareth Barry
“Against Chelsea, you will have periods in the game when you are right up against it, when they keep the ball. They are pretty solid the way they set their team up.”
― Gareth Barry
“Both Everton and City have fantastic sets of fans who really get behind the players.”
― Gareth Barry
“I knew my first game at Everton wasn’t going to be a stroll around the pitch.”
― Gareth Barry
“Sometimes you’re just not in the manager’s thoughts.”
― Gareth Barry
“In my head, I felt if I’d stayed at City and got a chance, I could have done a good job. It was made clear that wasn’t going to happen, though.”
― Gareth Barry
“We never seem to make things easy for ourselves at Everton, and at City, it was the same, having to come from behind to get ahead in the big games.”
― Gareth Barry
“For me, Goodison is the toughest away ground to come to. I have experienced it.”
― Gareth Barry
“Any crowd that gets on your back makes it difficult, but you are going to get that if things aren’t going well. The fans have got their right to give their opinion.”
― Gareth Barry
“I just take it a season at a time because I know in football, things can change so quickly.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’m desperate to play Champions League football, and that’s why I have to leave Villa.”
― Gareth Barry
“Martin O’Neill has definitely got the best out of me.”
― Gareth Barry
“If players know their role, it is easier to keep to them.”
― Gareth Barry
“If you win games, you think things are comfortable, and they are not. The best players don’t think that way, and that’s why they get to where they are: they don’t worry about what has gone on and think only about the next game.”
― Gareth Barry
“While I could still play in the Premier League, I really did not want to go abroad. I was not thinking about winding down my career.”
― Gareth Barry
“I had my time in the England shirt and won a lot of caps.”
― Gareth Barry
“I think playing international football burns players out, but I was in and out of the England squad so never felt that.”
― Gareth Barry
“Burn-out can be an issue if you are playing too many games.”
― Gareth Barry
“I started my career in an era when footballers were different. There was a different culture.”
― Gareth Barry
“I have always said that management is not something I fancied, but it’s suddenly, naturally started to enter my head.”
― Gareth Barry
“I made my mind up that I want to continue playing as long as I can.”
― Gareth Barry
“Any great club needs the mentality to go on and achieve things – it is what clubs like United have.”
― Gareth Barry
“It’s why the Premier League is watched so much all over the world: because it has more pace and more physicality than in any other league.”
― Gareth Barry
“All I can do is give 100% for the club. That is all the fans will want to see anyway.”
― Gareth Barry
“It’s nice hearing your team-mates wanting you to stay.”
― Gareth Barry
“I obviously think I should always be picked. Every player thinks he’s good enough to be playing every week.”
― Gareth Barry
“When you’re told you’re going to miss out, initially, that first hour after the manager’s named the team, you’re really disappointed. You can’t imagine anything worse. But you can’t show that. You’ve got to go out there and support the lads.”
― Gareth Barry
“Everyone’s expecting you to be playing fantastic football, winning every game, and course it doesn’t happen like that.”
― Gareth Barry
“British managers tend to be a bit more hands off, let you express yourself in training.”
― Gareth Barry
“My upbringing wasn’t overly comfortable.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’ve got three brothers and two sisters. Dad was a plumber who worked really hard to support six children, and Mum was busy at home. The four brothers shared a room, a bunk bed on each side. It wasn’t luxurious.”
― Gareth Barry
“Confidence and momentum are huge in sport.”
― Gareth Barry
“You play the game to win things, and if you asked me whether I would want to finish in the top four or win the FA Cup, it’d be FA Cup every time.”
― Gareth Barry
“No one has said, ‘What are you doing still playing?’ Everyone said, ‘Play as long as possible.’ You stop when you stop enjoying it, and I’ll know when I’ve had enough and can’t keep up with the boys.”
― Gareth Barry
“It’s a fantastic life I’ve been living – let’s keep it going.”
― Gareth Barry
“When somebody tells you they don’t think you’re good enough here, your face doesn’t fit, you don’t just roll over; you’ve got to back yourself.”
― Gareth Barry
“Steven Gerrard – at his peak, he was outstanding both attacking and defensively.”
― Gareth Barry
“You only have to look at the England squad to see the amount of players who get in the squad and start the games – the majority play in the Champions League.”
― Gareth Barry
“I have had four great years at Everton. The fans have been brilliant with me from the day I signed until the day I left. I am proud that the club will always be a big part of my career.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’ve got massive respect for Arsene Wenger for what he’s done for the English game, and it would have been good to work under him, but that didn’t happen.”
― Gareth Barry
“Playing away is always tough in the Champions League.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’m delighted to be joining City. It didn’t take much persuasion from Mark Hughes; they are heading in the direction I want to go. There is great potential here.”
― Gareth Barry
“Anything you’re not in control of you can’t be that comfortable with.”
― Gareth Barry
“I’m not one to plan, but I’m always positive about things.”
― Gareth Barry
“You learn from being out of the team, but it makes you desperate for another chance, and when it comes along, you just have to grab it. Don’t let go.”
― Gareth Barry
“After Euro 2008, football in England was shattered for a bit, and people were losing interest in following England.”
― Gareth Barry
“The way you adapt and play against different teams and different styles is going to be important.”
― Gareth Barry
“It has felt like the World Cup was never going to come for me.”
― Gareth Barry
“Reports you read in the paper, you never know how true they are.”
― Gareth Barry
“I feel at Manchester City I will get the chance to play regularly in my best position and play a big part in a successful side.”
― Gareth Barry
“Most people would snap your arm off to do what I’ve done, but for me to be able to say my career was successful, I need to have some trophies and some medals in my cabinet when I finish.”
― Gareth Barry
“When somebody mentioned yoga for the first time, I just looked at it and thought, ‘This isn’t for me; it’s for an older woman down at the health club trying to get supple.’ But I thought, ‘No, I can see the benefits there. I’ve got to embrace it.’”
― Gareth Barry
“One of my strengths is focusing on football, and even in the summer, I try not to switch off too much.”
― Gareth Barry
“My head has just been all about wanting to play regular football in the Premier League.”
― Gareth Barry
“The main reason I have joined Everton is not to try to help my England ambitions – that will come if I am playing consistently well for Everton.”
― Gareth Barry
“Defensive midfield can be the one position that’s easier to play as you get older.”
― Gareth Barry
“You don’t see too many attacking flair players continuing until their mid-30s at a high level.”
― Gareth Barry
“When you play a lot of games in a row, and you come off the pitch thinking, ‘I can’t do this no more,’ then it is time to look at something else, whether you have six months left on your contract or four years.”
― Gareth Barry
“Everton Football Club is more important than the individual.”
― Gareth Barry
“For a young player, it’s important to have people around you other than yourself. You’re immature as an 18- or 19-year-old.”
― Gareth Barry
“The pressures on younger players now are greater. You’ve just got to be on your toes all the time with social media and stuff. Now you just go to fill your car up, and there will be somebody wanting to film you trying to do something silly like that.”
― Gareth Barry
“If you go into a shopping centre, there are phones and cameras everywhere, and if you’re doing the wrong thing, ultimately you’re going to get found out. So it’s important you’re living your life right, and that’s hard for a young player.”
― Gareth Barry
“That’s one thing that’s been aimed at me since I was 17: a lack of pace.”
― Gareth Barry
“At the World Cup, it’s the very top level. It’s going to be tougher.”
― Gareth Barry
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