JONNY Howson is talking about the future. He's talking about his desire to keep playing but also about what happens when he finally has to hang up the boots.

That won't be this summer. Regardless of whether he gets a new deal at Middlesbrough - which will surely be the case - the 35-year-old intends to carry on playing next term.

But when it is time to bring an end to his sterling playing career, he already knows what he'd like to come next.

"There are a few of us that have just started on the coaching badges," reveals Boro's skipper.

"We have a good group with a couple of the analysts, physio and a few of the lads. I'll be honest, I'd like to stay in football, I'm laughing thinking what my mates would be saying, football is the only thing I really know, I'll keep it at that because they'd say a lot worse!"

Howson and Michael Carrick are close. Boro's captain has benefited enormously from picking the brains and learning from one of the best midfielders of the Premier League era and the head coach is doing all he can to help prepare Howson for his eventual step into coaching and - perhaps - management.

"I get on really well with the gaffer," says Howson.

"We have a chat about all sorts. From my point of view, I ask him about his career, different things. I ask him all sorts about his success and what it was like when he was coming to the back end of his career, to get some idea.

"Coaching is not something he's pushed on me but when I have spoken about that's maybe a route I might take, he's been very helpful. He sat with me one afternoon and I know he's done it with one of the other lads as well, taking time out of his own schedule and spent a good couple of hours going through the ins and outs of managing and coaching. His staff have been the same, Danksy (Aaron Danks), Woody (Jonathan Woodgate), Grant (Leadbitter), it's something I appreciate."

The transition into coaching can wait. Howson's age might suggest retirement time is close but his performances don't. He's as crucial as he's ever been to Middlesbrough and is showing no signs of slowing down.

"It's really nice that you say that because obviously that's what I want," he says.

"I don't want to slow down but at some stage I am going to or it is going to maybe take its toll. When that will be, who knows.

"I'm fairly lucky body wise in that I don't naturally put weight on, I've been lucky with injuries, no real serious ones.

"I do look after myself day in day out, I try to do the right things. I don't want to cut corners. I remember going back a few years, young Nathan Wood who I was fairly close to, he used to be in the gym all the time and I use little bits like that as motivation or things to keep me pushing. I looked at him and if he's doing extras in the gym, why can't I be rather than taking the easy route?

"There are players at other clubs putting the extras in and come a Saturday I have to compete with that.

"Sometimes when you get a bit older you have to do a bit less to look after yourself but on the other hand you maybe have to do a bit more, whether that's recovery, looking after yourself, eating the right foods, that's how I look at it.

"If I want to play on as long as possible, I have to give myself the best chance of doing that and hopefully we're here in another year or two years asking the same questions."

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The former Leeds and Norwich midfielder cares as much about his teammates as he does himself - particularly those who've come through Boro's academy.

"I look at the likes of Hayden (Hackney), Dael (Fry) - I was fortunate enough to play for my home side or the club I supported and it's an unbelievable feeling," he said.

"They'll have been kids supporting the club, then to go on and play for that club, it is what dreams are made of. I was very fortunate. So you look at the likes of Hayden, Dael and the others who have come through, I know how much it means to them.

"I want them to have all the success they can. When you get a bit older, you appreciate more things. I've had most of my career now, so I want to help them go and achieve."

And Howson remains desperate to achieve himself and fulfil his ambition when he joined the club seven years ago.

He says: "Whenever you spend a bit of time in a certain place, and I've been very fortunate throughout my career, I'm only on my third professional club - from my point of view, I've built strong relationships with everyone involved, whether that be the fans, different managers.

"You obviously have emotions and attachments to the place and you care about the place. I've spoken in the past, I'd love to be part of this club getting promoted because when I came here that was the aim and we've still not achieved that, so that is a disappointment and while I'm here I won't stop trying to do that.

"When I first came to the club that was my aim and that hasn't changed. We've failed up until now and we've still not achieved that. That's still my aim and my main focus. A cup run this season was a bonus or something we didn't expect. Sometimes in football you get opportunities and you have to try and take them. It wasn't to be but getting promoted out of the league is the main focus because we've been trying to do it for years."