Phillips sees future in top flight

Posted Monday, February 08, 2010 by PA

Kevin Phillips believes he has a future in the Barclays Premier League after the veteran Birmingham striker came off the substitute's bench to earn a dramatic 2-1 win over Wolves at St. Andrew's.

Phillips, 36, has had only a bit part to play during the first half of the campaign and revealed he had offers to move to other clubs during the January transfer window. But City manager Alex McLeish has promised Phillips, whose current contract runs out in the summer, will have more game time during the remainder of the season.

Phillips said: "I think I've shown that I can still do it. It was only last season that I was still knocking goals in for fun. People forget about you when you are not playing week in and week out but I believe, as I did at the start of the season, that I can still do a job in this league."

He added: "It was just great to be on the pitch to be honest. I've not had much game time recently. I've said to myself I knew I was going to have to be patient this season.

"I knew I would get my chance. The gaffer said to me after the transfer window had shut 'we've not brought a forward in, if we had it would have been disrespectful to you' and that I was going to get more game time."

Phillips added: "People write you off when you get past the 30 mark and I'm 36 now. You have to be mentally strong and have to keep believing you are going to get your chance.

"It is a short career and I'm not that many years away from retiring and I want to try and play as long as I can at the highest level I possibly can.

"Moments like this (against Wolves) make me want to play for even longer."