Monk – I Want To Finish My Career Here

Monk joined Swansea City back in League Two and quickly was appointed as club captain.

Now as he prepares to lead the team into the Premier League, he is ready to commit the rest of his career to the club as he explained to the Western Mail

“I’ve always said that’s what I wanted to do,

“I’ve been on such a journey with the club from League Two to here and I don’t want that to stop.

“I’ve never made any secret of the fact I wanted to stay here, so to get the chance to do that is fantastic.

“I’ve been lucky enough to achieve a lot of my goals here. It would be great to be able to achieve another and make it 10 years at the club and finish my career as a Swansea City player.

“And I think I’ve earned that right. We’ve both come a long way from when I first signed, but I like to think I’ve played my part in that.

“My mind’s not on hanging up my boots – it’s on next season and beyond that.

“This is a big deal for me at this stage of my career, but I still feel there’s more of the story to go and a lot more for me to give to it.

“I feel I look after myself well, I’m fitter now I’m in my 30’s than I ever have been and I don’t think I’ll be physically different to now in three years. Fitness wise I’ve never had a problem – you can talk about some of my injuries, but I’ve averaged 32 games a season.

“I’ve progressed with the club year-on-year and now it’s obvious that this is a huge year ahead of us and hopefully beyond that too and I very much want to be part of it – there won’t be anyone fighting harder for the shirt than me.

“You can never be 100% happy with injuries, but I am pleased with how things have gone. I’ve still been able to do my fitness work and take part in the tests and heart monitoring that goes with pre-season.

“It is progressing well and my mind is still set on that first game.

“And it will be right up until I physically know that can’t be the case.

“Leading Swansea out in that first game in the Premier League is something I want to do and that first home game against Wigan will also be something very special that I want to be part of.

“But I know what will be will be.

“There’s a long season ahead and there will be plenty of big games so I will only be there if I’m ready and 100%. I’m not going to come back if I’m not right.

“But if it progresses as well as it has done in this last week then I will have a good chance.”