John Stones insists he wants to be known as a defender first and a ball-player second

JOHN STONES has defied all assumed logic that he is a cultured, ball-playing defender.

Few would deny the England and Manchester City centre-back is good in possession.

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But the former Everton player wants to be recognised for the basics.

Stones, 23, told the Mail on Sunday: “I don’t want to be known as the ball player.

“I want people to say that I have got that in my locker as well.

“But I want to be known as a defender first.

“That’s what I love to do: make those last-ditch blocks.

“When we played Feyenoord the week before last, they had a break away and an attacker was about to take a shot.

“I made a last-ditch block and that was as good as scoring a goal.

“I did actually score two goals in that game, which was great because it doesn’t happen often.

“But making that block was as much of a buzz as winning and scoring.”

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Stones, though, concedes that at least part of his ‘ball-playing’ reputation is right.

Recalling his days as a youngster at Barnsley, he explained: “I was first taught to express myself as a defender by my coaches, Ronnie Branson and Mark Burton.

“I’d be 13 or 14 and Ronnie and Mark loved how Barcelona played and they tried to bring that to our youth team.

"I am massively biased but I think our youth team was brilliant.

"We did have those aspects and principles of how Barcelona played: splitting wide from goal kicks, trying to play out, keeping the ball on the deck.

"All those fundamental things that they researched and embedded into all of us."