HULL CITY: Barmby keen to carry on regardless

IT IS an admission that comes with a certain reluctance but Nick Barmby accepts he is nearing the end of his playing days.

Turning 36 last month, the Hull City veteran has grown accustomed to questions over the timing of his retirement.

But while his current deal at the KC Stadium is nearing its summer conclusion, Barmby insists this season will not be his last.

The former England international is eyeing a return to the Tigers' starting XI at former club Everton tomorrow and hopes to play a key role in his hometown club's fight for survival.

And hungry to earn himself a seventh season with City, Barmby is not yet willing to sign off his glittering career in the spotlight.

"I still want the challenges of playing football. You want to play as long as you can," Barmby told the Mail.

"Your body will dictate that but I'll be the first to hold my hands up when the time comes and I think I can't play at this level.

"At the moment I think I can and it's a great challenge for me to play at the highest level so late in my career.

"I feel as though I can play another year but that decision is ultimately down to the club."

Like team-mate George Boateng, who is also out of contract in June, Barmby is content to see City's fate decided before his own.

"The main focus is on us staying in the Premier League," he said.

"I'll speak to the manager and the chairman when the right time comes around but the main thing is to keep Hull City in this league.

"I can hopefully have a big input into that, whether it's on or off the pitch, but I'm pretty easy about my future."

Barmby looks certain to be involved in some capacity again at Goodison Park tomorrow, a venue where he is guaranteed a hot reception after leaving Everton for Liverpool in 2000.

But if survival is his only short-term goal, what about the years to come?

Barmby makes no secret of his desire to remain in football and takes a keen interest in the rearing of homegrown graduates at the KC Stadium.

However, those long-term goals remain intrinsically linked to the here and now.

"Since I've been at the club I've always coached anyway. I'm always trying to help out with the kids," he added.

"That's an ingrained thing for me. It happened when I started out at Spurs where the senior pros would always try and give the young lads some guidance.

"It's something I'd like to explore in the future. But the main aim has to be for us to make sure Hull City is still a Premier League club in the long-term to set the foundations in place.

"I'd like to be involved in all that but it's up to the club, I'm not going to beg for it.

"I love the club and would like to play a part in its future for as long as I can but the main thing is keeping Hull City in the Premier League first."