There's definitely a lack of self-belief in many players, which is the only complaint I have about men's tennis.
A different type of human has to play that sport. Hockey players keep fighting - nobody cares what's wrong with you, as long as you have one foot to skate on, you keep playing.
When I see Messi - who is the best player in the world in my opinion - lose the ball, he runs off until he gets it back or commits a foul. Our guys lose the ball and fold their arms.
I'm the type of player, I want to win a game.
When it's over I just want to be able to look in the mirror and say, 'Well, you were a half-decent player.'
I'm fighting against becoming soft. That's the worst thing you can say to a basketball player.
I've always kind of been a guy that's played the whole season.
I like being on the floor, listening in on the huddles. It makes me feel like a player again.
I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer with it. I think I'm somewhere in the middle... now. I've become tougher as I've got older.
I try not to measure myself against other players.
I consider myself a player who fights and gives everything on the pitch. Those who know me and appreciate those values understand what I say.
I believe a young player will run through a barbed wire fence for you. An older player looks for a hole in the fence, he’ll try and get his way through it some way, but the young player will fight for you.
I can play against a player like Messi; I don't fear anybody. I just play my game.
I can separate very well. I can do everything I need to do as a player. I'm not the fastest guy always, or the strongest guy, or the biggest guy, but I always get the job done. I'm a workaholic.
I don't know if every player in the Premier League feels hurt when they lose a game. The right sort is very important. I was naive in thinking that everyone was like me.
I'm not the kind of player to see out my time and sit with my bum on the bench too much. I want to be involved. That's my character.
Once you're a player, you always have a little bit of that in you.
In the past, I've been a selfish player. I'll definitely admit that.
I may not be the most physically tough player, but I think mentally I'm right up there.
The one thing about players today is that they're very sensitive, and very fragile. They didn't grow up with tough coaches.
I think in the lifetime of a tennis player there are many times where you feel that tremendous confidence.
As a player, I always felt confident that if I was caIm, my teammates knew, 'He's going to do something to help us win.' As a coach, my hands are really tied. I got to believe in my players. If they see I'm calm, they'll believe I trust them, which I do.
When I was very young, coming into the Sunderland side, if we got beaten, I'd be very down. I'd go home, and it would drag on for days, I'd be thinking about the game. I was from Sunderland, felt things like a fan, and got really down.
Rules or no rules, pitchers are going to throw spitters. It's a matter of survival.
If I win and play well, then the ranking will take care of itself. Defending points is really not a problem. Just go out and play and not worry about it.
