Fabian Delph happy to escape family and finally watch England at major tournament
England ace admits he has barely watched any of the action from the last two major tournaments because his family hate football
FABIAN DELPH cannot wait to represent England in Russia after spending the last two major tournaments in Soccer Siberia.
Manchester City’s versatile 28-year-old admits his only chance of seeing England play this summer is to actually be there with the Three Lions.
Back home his three lionesses — wife Natalie plus daughters Sophia and Aleya — call the shots once the football season ends.
Girl power rules in the Delph household and the City star says it keeps him protected within the family bubble — safely cocooned from the pressure of top- level football.
Delph, a shock inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad, said: “I’ve got two daughters, a baby on the way and the missus – and they all HATE football.
“I was at home when I got Gareth’s text informing me I was going to Russia.
“I thought I had a chance of going so I wouldn’t say I was surprised but I was still over the moon. I was doing cartwheels!
“But the family, they couldn’t care less. In fact my daughters are absolutely devastated I’m away for the World Cup! However, the missus is buzzing to get rid of me — she probably felt like doing back flips!
“No, they’re great and I’d probably prefer it like that.
“I finish a game and whether I played well or didn’t, I can switch off.
“I literally have no outside distractions. I’m a family man — I’ve only got about three friends! If you think about what goes on outside of your bubble it could drive you mental, couldn’t it?”
So while England were humbled by Iceland at Euro 2016 and finished bottom of their group in Brazil four years ago, Delph was not mentally scarred by those failures because he barely saw any of the action.
He added: “It’s hard to watch England with my family because I put absolutely everything into what I do with Manchester City on a daily basis, I’m very intense.
“I don’t neglect them but there’s times when I can’t do as much with them because I have to make sure my preparation is spot-on.
“Once the season is finished I try my hardest to switch off. I saw snippets of the last World Cup but it’s like an agreement I have with my missus and kids — no football!
“I’m on holiday, doing stuff with my girls, letting them paint my nails pink and all that stuff, putting things on my head . . . ”
Even if England go all the way to the final in Moscow on July 15 it is unlikely Delph will be scrambling for VIP tickets.
Natalie is expecting their third child on June 30 — two days after England’s potentially-defining final group game against Belgium and three or four days before a potential last-16 match.
With a grin, he added: “They’d probably rather not go, even to the final. With the baby due on June 30 it’s a tricky time.
“We’re not 100 per cent certain if I’d go home for the birth because the last group game is on the 28th.
“There might be an opportunity to fly back and then get back fast. Gareth has been absolutely fantastic.
“There’s not just me, there’s Phil Jones as well. I think his wife’s expecting before the tournament begins.
“There’s nothing more important than family to me, as you’ve probably gathered — family always comes first, so if I have an opportunity to get back I will.
“But if not she’s tough, she’ll deal with it. She’s Yorkshire, I’m Yorkshire, there’s only Yorkshire Tea bags in our house . . . and some of them will be coming to Russia with me!
“There’s a few Yorkies in the squad but they’re posh Yorkshiremen like Stones, who’s from Barnsley but he’s neglected his roots. I’m Bradford — reet proper Yorkshire.”
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Delph’s delight at being selected for Russia was in stark contrast to his despair at missing out on Euro 2016 because of a groin injury.
He said: “It’s one extreme to the other. I played in most of the England games in the build-up to Euro 16 and was quite confident I’d get a seat.
“But I was hit and miss that season in terms of injuries and didn’t really get going. I wasn’t able to showcase what I could do in my first season at City because I wasn’t playing regularly, so I can completely understand why I didn’t make the squad.
“I was devastated at the time. It was a hard summer.
“But I have great people around me. I’m a family man and my only focus was on them.”