hˌævɪŋ sˈʌfɚd ɐ bˈæk ˈɪndʒɚɹi bᵻfˌoːɹ ðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd twˈɛlv θˈɜːtiːn sˈiːzən, hiː ɛkspˈɛktᵻd tə plˈeɪ ʌntˈɪl ðɪ ˈɛnd ʌvðə sˈiːzən, bˌʌt ʃˈɔːɹtli ˈæftɚɹ ɐdmˈɪɾᵻd ðˌɐɾɪt wʌz ɪmpˈɑːsᵻbəl tə ɹᵻmˈeɪn æz ɐ plˈeɪɚ.
Having suffered a back injury before the 2012–13 season, he expected to play until the end of the season, but shortly after admitted that it was impossible to remain as a player.