I think every footballer in the world wants to be on the pitch as much as possible.
I have figured out it's not what you do on the field, it's how many games you play in.
If I'm not going to play a lot I'd like to have a chance to win every time I jump between the pipes.
Like I've always said, in football the most important thing is the quality of minutes not the quantity.
First year in the league, I tried to block everything. And I'd foul out. I averaged the most fouls per minute.
I played 51 percent of the snaps outside, though. But you can go ahead and call me a slot as well.
Obviously, I don't want to be a sub, so I will just keep working hard in training. It's not that easy for me as a sub to come on with tempo.
Mentally, starting the game versus coming off the bench, there are different vibes.
I average 25 with three guys on me and they are just looking at stats I guess.
I left Barcelona because I believed it was very difficult to have minutes in the first team, as there are very good players.
They say that when it comes to the depth chart, it can change any day and that we dictate how the depth chart goes. If one person has a great day, he might be going with the 'ones.' If a person slips up a little bit, he might be going with the 'twos' and 'threes.'
It's always good for a player to be on the pitch.
I don't like sitting on the bench even when it was very rare at Hull to rest during cup games.
I think when you come off the bench, you know you're going to play, but you don't know really when, what time in the game, what quarter, so it's kind of different.
I am enjoying playing as a full back, and I would like to continue in this position.
The more I get on the field, the more comfortable I am.
If I had a great game, and I was hot, usually we were up by 20-30 going into the fourth quarter. That means I don't get to play in the fourth quarter.
I think it inhibits a guy's development when he's simply handed minutes and doesn't have to do anything to earn them, and thus, there's no reason to work harder or change the way you play.
Not playing is frustrating; you want to play in every game. But it's the life of a keeper. You'd rather be on the pitch than off.
I wanted to prove that I could be a starter. And then once I realized I was gonna be a sixth man and it wasn't gonna change, I just relished the role. I just said, 'I'm going to make it really hard on whoever it is that has to guard me these next 10-11 minutes that I'm in here.' And after a while you just create an identity.
Hell, Lou (Gehrig) it took fifteen years to get you out of a game. Sometimes I'm out in fifteen minutes.
Obviously when you're a striker you need to score. The manager's not going to just play you if you're not scoring.
My playing time in 1992 was limited because of an injury I suffered in a practice.
You have to defend the perimeter guys otherwise you're going to struggle getting playing time or staying on the court.
I left Bayern because I needed the game time.
