Phil Jones leaves door open for Manchester United return in new role: ‘Hopefully, one day’ - Interview

“The wiser you get, the more mature you are, the more you understand how to deal with certain emotions at different times.”

For someone who wore the Manchester United shirt for over a decade, Phil Jones never quite had the luxury of telling his story. Not the way he would’ve wanted to, anyway. Too often, the noise drowned him out; fitness updates, contract extensions, fitness updates again, the brutal social media ridicule, and the relentless focus on what he wasn’t doing instead of what he’d endured.

But now, away from the spotlight and no longer bound to treatment rooms, Jones is beginning to find his voice. And people are listening.

At 32, the Englishman closed the book on a playing career that once promised greatness but was repeatedly interrupted by injuries that left him battling as much off the pitch as on it. Yet as he speaks now, there’s clarity.

The word Jones uses most often is “difficult.” Not as an excuse or as a crutch; just as a fact.

“It was very difficult. Mentally, it was tough,” he tells Hindustan Times from the sidelines of the Apollo Tyres' ‘Road to Old Trafford’ finals in Chennai.

“For young players who suffer injuries early on, it's difficult, but it has to be the right people around them and the right coaches to help them with those emotions and take them through the journey. Football is full of peaks and drops, so yes, it's very important.”

Jones’ own journey was filled with both. From bursting onto the scene at Blackburn Rovers as a teenager to joining Manchester United in 2011, Jones was touted as England’s next great centre-back. Sir Alex Ferguson saw leadership in him. So did many of his teammates. But his body didn’t.

Recurring knee, ankle, and muscular issues saw him miss matches for months at a stretch. He was mocked and often misunderstood, but behind the scenes, he never stopped trying to come back. It’s that perseverance that still defines him.

“When you play football as a professional player, you don't really get the chance to look back at your career. It's always the next game or the next tournament. It gets difficult,” he admits.

“But when you do finish your career, you have time to reflect... and look back at certain games and certain moments. Yeah, I've so many fond memories. I played with so many amazing players under so many good managers. I'm very thankful to the game and now, I want to give back to the game I love so much.”

Finding new purpose

When the end came, it wasn’t loud. There was no farewell match. Just a quiet goodbye and a growing urge to find meaning in a new role within the game.

“When I finished, I was unsure where I wanted to go. I wanted to be in football, but I wasn't sure exactly what it was,” Jones says. “I was allowed to go back into the club (Manchester United) to work with the U18s and help them out. It’s something I really enjoyed doing.”

That stint turned into something deeper. Last season, Jones completed his coaching license. In January this year, he enrolled in the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence course with the Football Association; the final step for elite-level coaching in Europe.

“It’s an amazing course with the FA,” he says. “We get some of the top coaches and top managers coming through it. It’s a great networking opportunity, a great chance to be with people who are striving for the same goal. That’s my goal now. As a little boy, I wanted to be a professional footballer, and now that I’m on the other side of it, I’m passionate about this.”

It’s not hard to see why. The many emotions that football may have once taken from him, coaching seems to be returning. There’s no rush to jump into a first-team gig, though; just a quiet commitment to learning, growing, and being there for the next kid who may pull up with a hamstring and needs someone who truly gets it.

“Maybe one day,” he says when asked about a potential full-circle return to Manchester United as a coach.

“I'm still developing, still learning as a young coach. Still developing my skills and how to communicate and connect with players. Tactically, too, both on and off the pitch. There are a lot of things I need to improve on. But hopefully, one day.”

Watching from the outside, but still invested

Even as he navigates a new chapter, Jones remains emotionally tethered to Manchester United. And with Ruben Amorim’s side gearing up for a crucial Europa League quarterfinal against Lyon this week, Jones isn’t giving up on the team’s European dreams.

“It has been a difficult season. There's no getting away from that,” he says. “As difficult as it is on the pitch, we still have something to fight for in the Europa League. There are chances we can still get the Champions League qualification through the Europa League. There's still hope, and there's a great opportunity that we can progress and get the Champions League football next season.”

With United languishing in the 13th spot in the Premier League, 15 points adrift of the top four, the Europa League might well be the only viable route back to Europe’s elite competition. Jones, for all he’s been through, knows what hope can do in a dressing room.

And he also knows the value of a fanbase that stays the course. Jones urged the passionate fans in India to stick with the club during these troubling times.

“Listen, the support out here is incredible for Manchester United,” he says.

“It’s the first time I’ve visited, but believe me, I know all about the culture and the fans out there and how passionate they are, so keep supporting us. It’s not easy at the minute but keep supporting us through the tough times, and there will be better days ahead for sure.”