Hard-working Koscielny feels young at 30
(Reuters) - Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny said he is feeling young at 30 and is training hard to survive the rigour of club and international football.
Koscielny, who celebrates his birthday on Thursday, has been a key figure in the Gunners' backline since joining them in 2010.
"Footballer or not, after 30 is a big part of your life," Koscielny, who has made 150 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, told the club website (www.arsenal.com).
"For a footballer it is important as you are closer to the end of your career than you are to the start. But, I feel like a young man.
"...my body is ready to play more games, just the age has changed.
"I try to work hard and to be ready for training and the games and when you are older you need to work harder in training before the session and after," he added.
Koscielny draws inspiration from senior players in the squad such as Petr Cech and Mikel Arteta and is confident his experience would benefit his team mates.
"I can see the older players like Cech or Arteta before and after training and it can help (extend) your career (to work hard like them)," Koscielny said.
"I think it is true because you have played a lot of games before and you are more experienced. When you play in the Premier League against a lot of big teams and in the Champions League every game can help you to be better," he added.
Sixth place Arsenal resume their league duties when the host Stoke City, who are third from bottom in the league table, on Saturday.
(Reporting by Shravanth Vijayakumar in Bengaluru; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
