Sunday 29 April 2018 13:08, UK
Kyle Walker insists he wants to be the best right-back in the world and believes Pep Guardiola's experience in helping his idols Philipp Lahm and Dani Alves will help.
Walker has enjoyed a fine first season at Manchester City, who were crowned Premier League champions this month, and are on course to break numerous records.
In an exclusive interview with Soccer AM's Tubes, the England full-back gave an insight into how Guardiola has helped him so far, and says his role is far more complex than it was at Tottenham.
Walker said: "I've said numerous times, [Guardiola] worked with two of my idols, Philipp Lahm and Dani Alves, so for him to pass on that information to me, to take little bits from their games and put into my game.
"I want to be the best in the world, everyone wants to be the best in the world and that's what I want to strive to do. With his knowledge, experience, hopefully he can get me to that.
"I think there's a way to go. You look at Joshua Kimmich, Dani Carvajal there, Antonio Valencia, who I rate highly for switching from midfield to right-back, I like to think I'm up there, but football is a strange game, one minute you're up, the next down. It's about being consistent, and those three are consistent.
"I think he's made me a more intelligent player, I feel. I think he's taught me how to read the game, when to go forward, when to come inside, and made me think about the game a little bit more, whereas at Tottenham I was basically a winger, my job was to control the right flank and get up and down.
"I'm not saying you don't need brains to play there but it was a simpler job to what I'm doing here at City. He may show you a video from the last game, where he would have done things different, he's happy to pull you into his office, and vice versa on the training field. He's spent a lot of time with me and Delphy."
Guardiola's City are on course to break the all-time Premier League points, wins and goals scored records, in just his second season in English football.
Walker, brought to City by Guardiola from Spurs in the summer, says the Spaniard commands respect at the club, but does get involved with the banter at times.
"I think there's a fine line between a mate and a gaffer, and I think he's got it down to a tee. When he speaks, everyone listens, because he's a gaffer first and foremost. He's won, and he's got knowledge. But if you want a little joke with him, he's happy to join in with the banter on occasions.
"For me, the big surprise is Yaya, I find him hilarious. He and Mendy are like Barry and Paul the Chuckle Brothers. It's entertaining in the mornings, just messing around. "
With the World Cup just around the corner, Walker says England's following must stay positive throughout the tournament, and he insists Gareth Southgate's side are in it to win it.
"We're in it to win it. We want to go there and win it, of course. Do I think we can? Of course, because I need to believe in it. But in past knockout games we haven't been terrific, so just on previous, I have to say it's going to be tough, but we know that because it's a World Cup stage.
"We need to perform, need to go and make the country proud, and I keep saying it but we need everyone behind us, to give us that motivation to go there."
