Sydney FC centre-back Jacques Faty reckons he could keep playing for up to four more years but would find it hard to reject a coaching offer with childhood club Rennes.
The 32-year-old joined Sydney in January 2015 and helped the Sky Blues to the Hyundai A-League Grand Final that they lost 3-0 to Melbourne Victory.
That prompted Faty to sign a contract extension until the end of the 2015-16 season.
After a tougher second campaign – Sydney sit seventh in the A-League table ahead of Saturday’s clash with Central Coast Mariners – and having been omitted from the Sky Blues’ AFC Champions League squad, some may have expected Faty to leave the Harbour City.
But in an interview with Goal France, the Senegal international indicated he would be interested in another contract with Sydney.
“I feel good here,” Faty said.
“Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
“I have everything you need to feel good even though Australia is not a football country. Here, the most popular sports are rugby, [Australian rules football] or cricket.”
Faty believes he still has a lot to offer as a professional footballer but is starting to consider his post-playing career, where he would like to work in youth development.
The France-born defender wants to return to Rennes, the club where his professional career began in 2002.
“I want to invest myself for Rennes in the coming years,” he said.
“Why not with young people, as a coach or something?
“That would be my way to give back to Rennes.
“For now, I’m still in Australia. I still have three to four years in competition, but if [Rennes academy director Patrick] Rampillon or [club director Mikael] Silvestre decide to call me…”
Faty has played 28 games for Sydney since moving to Australia, scoring two goals, including the opener in the Sky Blues’ 2-1 derby win over Western Sydney Wanderers in January.
