West Brom's Chris Brunt eyes a career in coaching
Albion favourite Chris Brunt believes he will pursue a career in coaching when he eventually decides to call time on his playing days.
The Baggies legend is immensely popular with supporters for the outstanding service he has given the club over the past 12 years.
But it looked as though his time at The Hawthorns was coming to an end last month when Championship rivals Stoke moved to sign him on transfer deadline day – only for the move to collapse at the last minute.
Brunt, who will be a free agent in the summer, is determined to play on for as long as possible.
When the 35-year-old does decide to retire from playing, though, a coaching career is something that is likely to tempt him. “I probably will,” Brunt said, when asked if he would like to go into coaching when he hangs up his boots.
“I think walking away from football altogether when you have been involved your whole life would be really tough.
“I’d probably like a bit of time off with my family to do bits and pieces that I haven’t been able to do over the last few years.
“But that will probably be something I will look into at some stage but hopefully not for a couple of years yet.”
Brunt has recently seen former team mates Boaz Myhill and James Morrison take up coaching roles at The Hawthorns.
He has also seen fellow club favourites Gareth McAuley and Jonas Olsson retire in recent years.
The Northern Irishman, though, believes he still has plenty of football in him.
“I have seen a few close friends retire recently,” he continued.
“James Morrison who is only 33, that shocked me a little bit because I am a year and half older than him but he’s had to retire.
“Obviously Gareth McAuley is a bit older but Jonas Olsson and people like that. It’s a bit of a reality check.
“I think you play as long as you can. I feel physically fit. We get all the physical data in after training and the game games.
“And after the West Ham game I think if people saw the physical stuff from the West Ham game people would be surprised.
“The likes of me and Gareth Barry are right up there. But then the flip side is it takes you a few more days to recover.
“I want to experience that again. This season I have played one game and then I have had three weeks to recover. If I can’t recover in three weeks I’ve got a bit of an issue.
“That is something I won’t know until I do that. I want to play next season and keep going as long as I can because the thought of having to do something else is a pretty scary one to be honest.
All I’ve wanted to do since I was six-years-old kicking a ball against my mum’s fence was play football and once that is taken away from you it is a massive reality check.”
It is expected Brunt will leave The Hawthorns in the summer.
And despite his achievements, he knows it won’t be easy for him to find a club.
“Now teams are becoming a lot younger,” he added.
“Clubs want younger players with re-sale values.
“As much as I’d like to disagree with it, older players are definitely up against it when it comes to getting deals.
“But on the flip side of that you can’t just have a team of under-21 players, 23-players you need that bit of experience so let’s hope people are still looking for that over the next couple of seasons.”
