There is a hint of sᴜrprise in Phil Foden’s voice as he checks if he has heard correctly.
“We’re not talking about football?” he asks, whilst positioning himself in a chair in a quiet corner on the Academy side of the City Football Academy (CFA).
Early on in the community’s educational programs, the 19-year-old had a beaming smile as he encountered local schoolchildren from one of the cities.
He smiles back, covering his little confused expression, and tells us that instead of talking about football, we’ll be talking about two of his other great loves in life: fishing and fatherhood.
The former is the hobby he admits sets him apart in most dressing rooms.
“Probably about 95% of the football lads don’t enjoy it,” says Foden, who missed the City players’ 2018 Premier League title celebrations due to a pre-planned fishing trip with his dad.
“The odd one likes fishing, so when people find out they say: ‘what a weird sport to enjoy’. They don’t understand why you enjoy it.
“Obviously, they need to go and try it. I think it’s the perfect hobby to rest your legs and have some down time.”
Fishing, however, has had to take a back seat over the last 12 months, during which the midfielder’s free time has become increasingly limited.
Ronnie, his one-year-old son, was born in January 2019, meaning away from football, Foden is now more of a doting dad than a catcher of carp.
It is quite the lifestyle change, swapping the stillness of the riverside for the nonstop nature of fatherhood, but City’s No.47 has made a seamless transition.
There were tears when Ronnie made his entrance into the world and a father’s pride emanates from Foden when he speaks about his young son.
“I was there for the birth. I walked out of the room, gave it a little tear and then went back in like nothing happened,” he reveals with a smile.
“I’m not one for crying in front of people. I like to be on my own, but I was there in the room, watched it happen and it was a special moment.
“Your life changes. There’s no free time, which is probably why I’ve been struggling to fish as much.
“I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. He’s been quite well behaved to be honest. He’s not been making it hard for me, which is good.
“He sleeps through until about 7am. I haven’t really had to get up in the middle of the night, so I’ve been able to get my sleep.”
His son brings us to Foden’s own sacrifice and his reduced time out on the riverbank.
In the digital age, fishing is not your typical hobby for a footballer born after the turn of the millennium and it’s something that sets him apart in the City dressing room.
However, he is steadfast in his singular interest, surpassing all other pursuits outside of football.
Although his mother was the one who first inspired him to love City, his father—Manchester United’s Phil Sr.—kindled a passion for fishing that dates back more than a decade.