Makes this story more intriguing 
wonder who will take the hot seat now!
wonder who will take the hot seat now!
Retirement of a Legend
Long-serving Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has confirmed his retirement from professional football.
The 34-year-old has been little more than a backup player in recent years and has decided to quit playing following a disappointing season where Liverpool finished 8th.
However, he does finish his final season with a cup win - the Carling Cup, which Liverpool lifted following a win against Cardiff City in penalties.
"I think now is the right time to retire and pursue other career options," Carragher told fans in a published statement. "I have not been playing much for the club lately so I think it is the right time to look at other things like punditry and coaching, two things I have been very interested about.
"We finished 8th last season but I am confident we can at least do better this time. We have a good bunch of players like Dan, Lucas, Luis and Stevie.
"I also want to say a big thank you to the fans of this fantastic club, who has been supporting me through the years, ever since I made my debut in 1996. Thank you to every single one of you.
"You will never walk alone."
Carragher, a rare one-club man, has been loyal to Liverpool since joining the Reds' academy in 1990. He came on as a substitute against West Ham in 1996 to make his senior team debut and went on to make 508 league appearances for Liverpool.
He was also an England international, winning 38 caps for the Three Lions after two international retirements in 2007 and then 2010.
It is expected that Carragher will move into either coaching or punditry as he has revealed in his statement, and may take the route of former international teammate Gary Neville, who works as both a pundit for Sky Sports and a coach of the England national team.
However, with the manager hot seat at Liverpool currently vacant, there are hushed whispers that Carragher could take charge.
