England v Slovakia: John Stones tells Sam Allardyce he’s the man do do the dirty work
JOHN STONES insists he is the man to do Big Sam’s dirty work.
Manchester City’s new £47.5million man is renowned as a ball-playing centre-half — but says he wants to be judged on his defending.
Sam Allardyce is set to start him in England’s World Cup qualifier in Slovakia tomorrow.
Stones said: “I’ve always been a ball player but, at the end of the day, I’m a defender — that’s what I want to be known as.
“I get the blocks and headers in which people don’t recognise that I do. It’s the dirty stuff every defender should do and should be good at.
“That’s what I’m trying to do and the rest of it is an added bonus, where I can play out and start attacks off.”
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Stones, 22, hopes to thrive at City after joining from Everton this summer in a record transfer for an English defender.
But he admitted: “I’m still learning. I’ve always been a ball player and I would like to carry on doing that.
“I do make mistakes, but I just want to keep improving under Pep Guardiola and get more games under my belt.
“That’s why I moved to City and, in my eyes, the best manager to work with in football.
“Hopefully he will bring me on leaps and bounds.”
Stones came under fire last season for a slump in form as Everton finished down in 11th in the Prem.
But he claims he has learned lessons, adding: “I know I’ve got a lot of work to do before I’m winning titles and becoming the player I want to be.”