West Bromwich Albion manager Darren Moore has said that he believes midfielder Gareth Barry can play into his 40s.
The 37-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down this season, and Moore feels that there’s no reason why he can’t play on into his fourth decade.
“Why not?,” he told the Express & Star when asked about the prospect of the veteran continuing his career.
“I’ll never put a lid on it. Let him continue. He wants to train every day. I’m not telling him to rest. He’s done it at the highest level of the game and credit to him. He is somebody who just loves playing football.”
OPINION
Why not indeed? Barry is the model professional and has been for 20 years now. He’s still playing at a pretty high level for the Baggies and it’s worth remembering that it wasn’t long ago he was starting week in week out for an upwardly mobile Everton team in the Premier League. His time with Moore’s side hasn’t been the smoothest so far but he continues to plug along and contribute in a positive way every week. His game has never been one that relies on pace and so it’s perfectly reasonable to expect him to keep playing into his 40’s. As long as he is fit enough and still has the same desire to play then there’s no reason why he shouldn’t. He is an excellent passer of the ball and is a remarkable leader. Any team would be lucky to have him and he will likely continue to get offers from sides for the next few years. So, yes, it’s perfectly plausible that the former England international could still be playing when his body clock hits 40.