"When I signed for Celtic I did say to them that it would be best for the club and myself to maybe look at things in the summer but they were quite keen for me to sign for the extra year, which I did eventually.
"But I will look at things in the summer and see how my hip is bearing up. I'm due to go back to the hip specialist in the summer. It's important to be fair to myself and the club if it is affecting me. I'll weigh it up then but there are no guarantees about next season, I have to say.
"Since having the surgery in 2002 I've regarded every season as a bonus but I've got to look at the long-term side of it and see what's best for me and my family. Over the last few months I've always put football first but come the summer I need to look at what's best for my family.
"I felt my body had had just about enough.
"But if I'd retired I think that would always have been in the back of my mind: 'Should I have given Celtic a go?' And I'm enjoying it, it's a great club - the fans, the manager, the staff, the team - but I said from day one I would look at things in the summer. There's no hidden agenda there.
"You're up against real young hungry players who can sprint a lot faster. There comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. But the challenge was to go to Celtic and try and help them with the league; I don't regret that decision, far from it, but I'll be taking stock in the summer . . . You want to play on forever but the body doesn't allow it, I'm afraid.
"This summer I´d need to go on my A badge and finish it off the next summer. "That´s an option for this summer. I´ll wait till the last game of the season and then sit down with my family and look at where I wanna go.
"People automatically think that I´ll become a manager and I´m not 100% sure.
"Especially after being in football for fifteen sixteen years it might be nice to get off the rollercoaster.
"It´s to keep my options open with the qualifications.
"I don´t want a job in the media, I want a proper job!"
"If I go down the football route it won´t be half hearted I´ll become a manager. But I would like a bit of time away from football to do something a little different with my family. It might be a few years yet.
"It´s dangerous to do to make too many plans, I know that.
"Travelling, Skiiing, Scuba diving… something like that."