A 42-year-old veteran of 23 professional seasons might be forgiven for spending more time thinking about his son's burgeoning career as a goalkeeper – but Mark Schwarzer is no ordinary footballer.
Far from winding down his career, Schwarzer last month swapped the comfort of being Chelsea's third-choice stopper to the frontline at struggling Leicester City, and is set about proving he is fitter than ever.
“You have to look after yourself otherwise you don’t play,” said the former Bradford City, Middlesbrough and Fulham player.
Aston Villa v Leicester City
FA Cup Fifth Round
Villa Park
Sunday 15 February 2015
Winning side receives £180,000
“As old as I am in footballing terms, people talk, and they know that I look after myself and train as hard as I have.
“Leicester was was an opportunity to play first-team football, which I wasn’t getting at Chelsea.
“I have an association with [manager] Nigel Pearson who I played with at Middlesbrough – but my desire to carry on playing football was the overriding factor.”
Schwarzer has a warning to anyone playing the game who is thinking about hanging up their boots.
“I’ve come across so many team-mates who have retired and there was an overriding sense that they miss it and that you should play for as long as you possibly can.
“So if you ask me why I still do it, then it’s just for the love of playing football.”
Mark Schwarzer playing for Middlesbrough in 1997
Schwarzer reached a crossroads at the age of 36. He had helped Fulham reach the Europa League Final and many saw the occasion as the icing on the cake for a distinguished career.
But it was anything but a final lap of honour.
“From a footballing perspective I stepped up my training, not just on the pitch but in the gym,” he said.
“I worked with a dietician and strength and conditioning coach at Fulham, called Steve Hines, and away from the pitch I completely changed the way I ate.
“I have a very high-protein diet and very little traditional carbohydrate. I eat good fats too, like nuts and avocado – those kind of things.
“I shed a lot of body fat in a very short period of time and felt very good. I attribute a lot of that to the longevity of my career.”
Football clubs leave little to chance when assessing players’ wellbeing and it is fair to say that Schwarzer aced his fitness test on arriving at Leicester.
“They check your body fat and it’s definitely the lowest it has been in my career,” said Schwarzer.
Mark Schwarzer in action for Chelsea last season
So how do his Leicester team-mates view a player who began his career before many were born?
“I don’t feel that old. I don’t think: ‘I’m old enough to be most of these guys’ dads’. I just try to be judged as a footballer,” he said.
“You feel you are going to be judged as a 42-year-old, but in training and in matches hopefully I can prove that I am still good enough to play at this level.”
Schwarzer, who has been brought in to bolster Leicester’s goalkeeping ranks following an injury to No1 Kasper Schmeichel, might be intrigued to ask the Dane what it is like to follow in the illustrious footsteps of his Manchester United legend father Peter.
Schwarzer’s son Julian, 15, is on the books at Fulham, and after years of playing outfield, has decided to forge a career between the sticks.
“He’s just gone in goal about eight weeks ago and he is going pretty well,” Schwarzer said.
“He was an outfield player and I kept saying he should play there for as long as he could enjoy it.
“I was playing for Bradford at Everton and Chris Waddle chipped Neville Southall from about 45 yards!”
Mark Schwarzer shares his FA Cup memories
“We had a few conversations and his response to me was very good – he wanted to play in goal because that’s what he enjoyed doing and I was very happy with that.”
Schwarzer has made it clear to his son that goalkeeping can be unforgiving.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on him. My brother is 10 years younger than me and was a goalkeeper and I know what he went through growing up in Australia. There is a negative effect it can have on you.
“But my son has proved that he is happy in goal and wants to prove to people that he can make his own way.”
As Schwarzer prepares to face Aston Villa on Sunday lunchtime, he reels off FA Cup memories as if they were yesterday.
“Sunday is a massive game for us. First because it is The FA Cup and secondly because Villa are a massive rival of ours”
Mark Schwarzer on Leicester's Fifth Round opponents
“My first memory is at Bradford City when we played Everton at Goodison Park in the Third Round January 1997. Chris Waddle was playing for us and he chipped Neville Southall from about 45 yards!”
He added: “I remember watching The FA Cup Final every year when I was in Australia, particularly as Craig Johnston was playing for Liverpool and was the only Aussie playing in Europe at the time.
“We got to the Semi-Final with Middlesbrough and I’ve been at Wembley a couple of times and a few times more as a spectator. It’s a tremendous trophy to be a part of and the history is second to none.”
He is already Leicester’s oldest player in The FA Cup, and now he is eager to write more history.
“It is going to be a traditional FA Cup occasion. Sunday is a massive game for us. First because it is The FA Cup and secondly because Villa are a massive rival of ours,” he said.
“You don’t need to be at a club long to know who your rivals are.
“We played in the League a couple of weeks ago and you pick up that tension around the stadium.
“You know from the fans that it is important to beat the big rivals and it is a game that everyone wants to win.”
