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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Richard Forrester

Andy King and Ronaldo have one thing in common as the Bristol City veteran enjoys a swansong

When Andy King was asked if he knows what his plans are beyond this season, the veteran Bristol City midfielder likened his position to a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 34-year-old continues to work towards his coaching badges and after signing a one-year player/contract deal during the summer, there's every chance King could opt to hang up his boots at the end of the campaign.

For any footballer, the realisation to call time on a playing career - a life that for many is all they've ever known - can't be an easy decision to make. Still, they have plenty of time ahead of them and if they opt to move away from football, retired players have the task of seeking a new passion in life which can be easier said than done.

Speaking last week, King said: "I want to have my badges done because that's what I want to do when I finish. I want to see how my body feels and what I plan to do at the end of the season.

"I'm 34 and a lot has been made about how you want to finish your career. You've got Cristiano Ronaldo - and I'm in no way comparing myself to him but there's certainly an area; do you want to carry on and keep playing or are you prepared to understand that your body is winding down and it's time for other players to come through and can you take that role?

"For me, I'm not sure. I'm just enjoying it week after week at the moment."

For King, he is already laying out his career path. By the time May comes around, he hopes to have his A licence under his belt, Level 4 in the Coaching football pyramid. Only the UEDA Pro licence remains.

But until that moment, King remains firmly focused on his football and having adopted a temporary new role in the heart of City's defence, he is creating his own swansong under Nigel Pearson.

With the number of youngsters coming through the ranks, King's role in the side can't be underestimated. He relishes being that experienced head that can help with the transition between youth and senior football - that appreciation was evident in the "Day in the Life Of..." series last week where he admitted Alex Scott and Tommy Conway's presence helped him feel young.

On the pitch, King is still proving he has plenty to offer. Pearson's decision to start him in the middle of a back three against Rotherham on Saturday, leaving Rob Atkinson on the bench, was a gamble that could have backfired.

If you go back to the defeat at Birmingham in October, King - like the majority of the side - endured a very difficult afternoon in defence. The hosts ran out 3-0 winners with all comes coming from headers.

That could have easily been that for King in defence, an experiment consigned to the past. Although due to injury and illness, he returned in the middle of the three in the 0-0 draw at home to Watford and was exceptional as City did everything right but score.

Pearson has often said he will continue to start players if they deserve their chance and even with the four-week World Cup break, the manager stayed true to his word by opting with King to take on Rotherham. It was a decision that was entirely justified.

Of course, playing King at the back depends on the opposition. A moment on Saturday, he was beaten for pace around the outside and had little option but to bring down his man and receive a yellow card.

In fairness to him, he put in a disciplined and assured second-half showing despite walking on eggshells which reflects on his experience. Aerially, he could also fall short as seen against Birmingham two months ago.

Where this leaves Atkinson heading over the festive period remains to be seen but Pearson, for some reason or another, doesn't seem to fancy him in the middle of the defensive three. That could be because he either doesn't trust him from playing out the back or, more likely because he doesn't boast the same leadership qualities as either King or Kal Naismith.

When comparing Naismith and Atkinson earlier in the season, Pearson described the former as an "extrovert" and the latter as an "introvert".

As attentions turn towards the game with Stoke City on Saturday, the manager will have to make a decision on his defence. The Potters have the pace of Tyrese Campbell and the height of Liam Delap - two players who can cause any team trouble on their day.

One of those is whether to opt for the expected return of Zak Vyner over George Tanner, who also barely put a foot wrong at the weekend. The other will be whether to bring Atkinson back into the fold over King and move Naismith back into the middle of the three.

Given the necessity to build momentum, you wouldn't bet against Pearson naming an unchanged side, depending on the severity of Andi Weimann's ankle injury. That's likely to mean another start for King who continues to prove that he can be trusted.

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