Former Fulham defender Chris Smalling has returned to the UK to search for a new club.
The 36-year-old is without a team after leaving Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Fayha but insists he still has plenty left to offer.
Despite racking up more than 580 club appearances, 31 England caps and winning silverware with Manchester United (including two Premier League titles) and Roma, Smalling admits football was never even on his radar growing up.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: “It wasn’t even plan D. I had everything set out. I already had my A levels, and I was looking at other non-league clubs near Leicester because I still wanted to play.”
Everything changed when Fulham offered him a contract after Roy Hodgson watched him in a practice match.
Smalling added: “It wasn’t even a full week. I didn’t have any time to get my head around it. I was just in total shock.”
That shock was followed by another when Sir Alex Ferguson convinced him to join Manchester United in January 2011.
Recalling their first meeting, Smalling said: “He told me I would get a chance and he believed in me. To be able to share the dressing room and the pitch and have conversations with him is just incredible.”
Another huge influence on his career has been Jose Mourinho.
Although the Portuguese once publicly questioned Smalling’s willingness to play through injury against Leicester in December 2017, the defender insists the pair have always enjoyed a close bond.
Smalling said: “For Manchester United or Roma, Jose picked me for most games because we had a good relationship and he trusted me.”
“He’d message me funny memes and things like this. So that camaraderie is still there.”
“I was having injections in a broken toe because he had created that mentality in me that I could do anything, even if, maybe, I shouldn’t.”
Now back in Britain, Smalling insists he is still capable of performing at the top level thanks to changes he’s made away from the pitch.
“I know my body now better than when I was 26 and that’s shown in the games I’m playing,” he said.
While he is preparing for life after football through education projects, retirement is not yet on his mind.
Smalling added: “Once my football career comes to an end, I can put more time to them but at the minute it’s all focused on playing because I have that passion and drive and physically my stats are good.”
Looking back, the former England international has no regrets about turning down university to chase his dream.
He concluded: “It would have been the safer route… I never took anything for granted.”