Wes Hoolahan, “The Irish Messi” has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 35.
Hoolahan has been the most technically gifted Irish player of his generation but has only won 43 caps, mostly due to being overlooked by former international manager, Giovanni Trapattoni.
According to many fans and pundits, that was nothing short of criminal and I`m of that opinion myself.
“It wasn`t an easy decision to make, to retire, but I feel it`s one I had to make and this is the right time to do it,’ Hoolahan told The Herald via the Irish Independent
‘It`s a mixture of things that led me to make this decision but mainly age, I will be 36 soon, I`ll be 38 when the next Euros come around, so it`s time to move aside,’ Wes added.
“I had a great two campaigns with Ireland and the Euros in France was an amazing experience,
‘I spoke to Martin O`Neill last week and he accepted my decision. He didn`t try and talk me around, he knew my mind was made up and it was time to go.’
I remember my own feelings when I retired from local league football, it`s not nice but Old Father Time catches up with all of us.
The next big question will surround the little wizard`s Norwich City future, we`ll no doubt no more in a few months time.
OTBC