On Thursday evening Russell Anderson formally announced his retirement from football on www.afc.co.uk and at the AFC Player of the Year Dinner. Today he spoke with the media about his decision and looked ahead to his new role at the club. As ever before speaking with the press Russell spoke to one to one with RedTV. The Dons skipper will also be part of the new look RedTV next season, something he discussed with Dave Macdermid, and a lot more besides. To watch that interview please click here. Russell then spoke to the media in the Pittodrie press room. To watch the press conference in full please click here.
“Why is now the right time?
“I think if you look back across this season, although it has been a very successful one in terms of the team on the pitch for me it has been very frustrating. What started out as a six week rehab from a simple knee operation ended up taking seven and a half months.
“To be honest there were a few complications and I every time I did break down it made me more aware of the situation I was in. I am 36 now and I have not played a lot of games and it was becoming more and more difficult getting back to the level I wanted to play at so for all those reasons I decided it was the right time.
“It is not something I have just decided overnight. It is something I have been thinking about since the turn of the year. I spoke to the manager back then and he told me to think about it for a while longer. I did and fortunately I have managed to get back to training and playing now but I had already made my mind up and I was comfortable with the decision because of the season I have had with the injuries.
“Clearly I have had my problems with injuries over the years. When I first came back to the club I was not all sure if I would ever play again. I was very fortunate enough that Aberdeen have one the best medical teams and that I was in safe hands. I owe physio John Sharp a lot. He has saved my career a couple of times. I felt coming back to Aberdeen was the best place to be to get fit again. When I then got a contract it was great but I always said that if I was not contributing on the pitch then I would not hang about and just pick up my wages.
“I am clear in my own mind that I am at the age where my career had to come to an end at some point. I could not go through another frustrating season like this one where I am in the changing room but not really part of it. You are not taking part in training, you are not travelling to games, you are just sitting watching home games in the stand or games on TV and getting very frustrated.
“I have made the decision and I am comfortable with it.
“When I returned in January 2012 winning any kind of silverware was the furthest thing from my mind. I initially was just focussed on trying to get fit and to prolonging my career however long that would be. To be given the opportunity to lead the team out in a final and to hold aloft a cup was something that I thought had passed me by. I did not think I would get the opportunity to do it. To win the League Cup last March was incredible. It was very special. It was a very special occasion for everyone associated with the club.”
Go to RedTV now to watch the full media conference.
