THIS SECOND part of my interview with Stiliyan Petrov features a brilliant breakdown on the way Martin O’Neill has repeatedly made a team perform beyond the sum of its parts. At Aston Villa, Petrov felt both the warm sunlight and the shade cast by his old boss. He also talks brilliantly about his year-long campaign to win back the trust and affection of the Villa fans, and where that journey took him and the team he would eventually captain.
Then we get on to Stiliyan’s battle with leukaemia. He regrets that having worked so hard to “be somebody” as he puts it, his children now see him represented more for his illness and recovery than for his achievements on the football pitch. However, he also knows his story can offer support to others, and that he is in a position to materially affect the fight against cancer in this country.
I had never met Stiliyan before this interview and I found him an inspiration. His description of what he went through, and how it gave him a new perspective on life, is unforgettable.
Stiliyan has a foundation through which he continues to take the fight to leukaemia. To learn more, and become involved in supporting Stiliyan through awareness and action, go to The Stiliyan Petrov Foundation
