Glenn Whelan puts focus on team as he targets play-off glory with Aston Villa

The 35-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of next month, is one of several players who could see their fate determined by the result of Monday’s play-off final showdown with Derby.

But for Whelan, ever the committed professional, the only focus is on getting the right result against the Rams at Wembley.

He said: “My own future is not an issue. I signed a two-year contract to get this club back in the Premier League and I was a whisker away last year. Hopefully I have a chance this year.

“I have not spoken to the manager. Everyone at the club is just waiting to see. We don’t want to upset anything.

“I am never one to be knocking on doors or busting down doors to find what is happening.

“I keep my head down and hopefully, if we get the win, something will happen. I am worried about Monday and getting the right result before anything else.”

Whatever happens Whelan, who spent nearly a decade in the Premier League with Stoke before joining Villa in 2017, has no plans to hang up his boots anytime soon.

“I’m loving my football,” he continued. “I think I’ve missed one training session this year. So I will keep going as long as I can.

“I have a young lad who is nine and he’s telling me I’m not allowed to retire until he’s a professional.

“So I don’t know, what’s that, 50?! As long as I’m wanted and can affect games and I’m enjoying it, I’ll keep going.”

There has been plenty for Whelan to enjoy over the past few months. Coupled with his own excellent form has been a dressing room spirit he rates among the best he has ever known.

“The older you get, the more appreciative you are of the dressing room,” he said. “It can get you a long way.

“All the lads get on really well with each other, we are pushing each other, there are no grudges.

“The manager picks the team, I don’t think there is anyone giving out or moaning about the player ahead of them. Everyone just gets on with it.

“We are pushing each other, but only so far. You don’t want to go over the top. The dressing room is one of the reasons we are where we are now.”

An elder statesman of the squad, Whelan has been described by Dean Smith as among the best professionals with whom he has ever worked.

Hugely admired by his younger team-mates, the respect is certainly reciprocated.

“You talk about experience but we have young lads who have no fear,” says Whelan.

“They have played in big games and big stadiums. We have one or two who are confident, rather than cocky.

“That is great. That is how they deal with things and how they get on.

“We will be treating this game as if we were playing Derby at home. I know it is a play off final and we can get to the Premier League. But for us, it is just another game.”

Villa are aiming to go one better than a year ago when they were beaten 1-0 by Fulham.

Whelan, an unused substitute in that game, believes the pain of defeat can be used as motivation.

He said: If you saw how we all were afterwards, it is definitely motivation to go out and turn things around.

“Everyone wants to play in the Premier League. It is the best league in the world. For us to be one game away, we have to use it as motivation and embrace everything which comes with it.

“We didn’t perform (in the first half). Credit to Fulham, they went out and played their stuff.

“I think if you saw how we played second half. I believe them getting a man sent off did not help us because they ended up sitting in more and we just could not break them down.

“It is different now, a different manager and a different mentality. We will be worrying more about ourselves, rather than worrying about Derby.”