”Look, hopefully [retirement] is still quite a few years away. I feel fit. I love playing football, and I want to play as long as I can. But you’re a long time retired in this game, and I don’t see myself just doing nothing after football.
”For me, it’s a great learning experience as well – to see how it all works behind the scenes in the world of football. This is a great start. It’s more than just a role for me; it’s great to be able to give back as much as I can to a footballing country that’s given me so much.
”It’s hard to put a nail in it where your future lies. If something falls on my lap in the coaching world, then maybe that will be my route. But I want to be able to use my expertise and what I’ve learned in the best way that it can be, and I don’t know what angle that takes after football yet.
”I’d like to be someone who maybe, at some point, crosses that divide from a player to the boardroom or a front-office kind of role, because I haven’t seen too many players over the years who have done that.
“I think it definitely adds a pretty good perspective when making decisions.”