Monday 13 July 2015 18:14, UK
Sky Sports News HQ reporter James Cooper reflects on his trip to Gran Canaria to meet Manchester City's David Silva.
The football season can wait a little longer, it's family, fishing and friends that matter right now to David Silva as he enjoys a rare summer without tournament football after his best goal-scoring season in a Manchester City shirt.
We were invited to join Silva on his home island of Gran Canaria, where he enjoys hero status and is an ambassador for holiday group Anfi. We spoke on the balcony of a penthouse suite overlooking the company's latest project transforming a swathe of stone and rock into a luxury golf complex, Anfi Tauro. The trappings and temptations are there for all to see but David Silva prefers the quiet life, often opting to stay with his grandmother in the small fishing port where he grew up.
"I grew up with her, so that's for me something special," he said. "When I can, I always stay with my grandmother. I don't see her in the whole year so the moment I'm here, I'm going to visit her and stay with her all the time I can."
While Silva has been given an extended summer break by Manchester City, before joining up with his team-mates in Australia next week, he has already embarked upon his own pre-season in a local gym under the watchful eye of a friend.
He said: "I always try to do something before, of course, because otherwise it gets very difficult for the body. As it's a friend, it's OK, it's just having a good time, it's good training in general."
The climate and sunshine of Gran Canaria might be in stark contrast to the conditions he's become familiar with during his five years in Manchester but one thing the two places have in common is that he pretty much gets left alone, at least on his own home turf.
"Of course in this area, my town, people leave me alone," he said. "It's much more easy and relaxed here. But the moment I go to other areas where they don't know me, that's something else!"
So what of next season as the midfielder returns to a Manchester City who have just failed to defend a Premier League title for a second time? Why is that feat so hard to achieve in England?
"Every year, it is very difficult," he said. "There are very good teams, very hard teams so every game is at a high level and obviously we try our best. The other teams want to beat the champions and we hope this year, we will win it again."
The Spaniard, who has now clocked up 91 caps and 23 goals for his country, believes his club need to strengthen their defensive options this summer but is delighted that Manuel Pellegrini remains at the helm.
Silva said: "He's been our coach for two years and he's a coach who plays offensive, attacking football and for the attacking players, it's very good, so it's what we want. Criticism is part of football and you have to cope with it."
One of Silva's 12 goals for City last season was in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Manchester City return there for game two of the next Premier League campaign and he's confident that encounter will bring out the best in his Pellegrini's men.
He said: "It's good to have this early and then to take that advantage and to get the mind prepared and get ready for it. But it's not a title decider, not in England, no."
After two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup, Silva is hungry for more success and more trophies in England and he's relieved his summer schedule wasn't interrupted by ankle surgery, something he insists now won't need to happen.
He said: "I had problems during the whole year but I could continue without any difficulties. So, with a little bit of time off everything is okay and I hope the moment we start again with the competition, everything will be normal."
As he contemplates his sixth Premier League season, the midfielder is confident many of the factors that will contribute to sustained success for Manchester City are now in place especially as the Blues squad have come to terms with their new palatial training headquarters.
"We hope so because, of course, we have the team, we have the facilities, everything, so now we have to work for it," he said.
Happy to sign autographs and pose for photos, Silva gives the impression of being most at home among his own people on his own island.
With four years remaining on his Manchester City contract, his ultimate ambition seems to be a return to the place where it all began for him with a footballing swansong in Gran Canaria. First things first, though, another pre-season beckons in a Premier League where he's dazzled and shone since arriving on our shores.
