Retirement Off The Agenda For Foster

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster has no plans to retire just yet and hopes to continue playing into his 40s.

Foster, 35, believes he is more than capable of continuing at the top level for a few more years. “I can carry on for as long as I want. I feel brilliant,” he told reporters. “I have always said about my knees but, touch wood, they have been brilliant lately and so two, three, four more years.

“I’m trying to get to that 40-year mark. I’m training most of the time and I’m enjoying it.”

Foster was Edwin van der Sar’s back-up during his time at Manchester United and says he learnt a lot from the Dutch legend.

Van der Sar retired at 41 but Foster believes he could have continued playing if he had retained a desire to do so. “I was with Van der Sar at United and when he actually signed for them I think he was 35,” Foster said.

“He learnt how to look after himself properly and he knew how to make himself fit for the Saturday.

“I watched him go year after year after year and actually when he retired, he could have gone for another two or three years, I think he just got bored in the end. He was too good and I learnt a lot from him.”