Bradford captain David Wetherall is to stop playing next season to join The Bantams' coaching staff.
First-team coach role for long-serving player
Bradford City captain David Wetherall is to stop playing next season to join the Bantams' coaching staff.
The veteran defender, who turns 37 next month, is to join the Stuart McCall and Wayne Jacobs management-team as first-team coach, but will retain his playing registration if needed.
The former Leeds player played alongside McCall and Jacobs in the Premier League and has spent nine seasons at Valley Parade, making more than 300 appearances.
But a reflective Wetherall believes next season is the right time to hang up his boots.
He told the
Telegraph & Argus: "When you get to my age you take it year by year. This year I didn't expect to be the same player I was in my mid-20s.
"But I was just beginning to feel frustrated with the things I can't do anymore that I used to be able to do. Certainly next season that would only increase.
Right time
"I just believe that next year is definitely the right time for a younger man to have the number five shirt.
"I probably could go on and expect to be a bit-part player but I don't really want to do that.
"I'm not one of those people who can kid themselves they can go on forever - you can't. I want to look back and be able to say 'yes, I did my best and did the best with what I had'.
"I like to think I can do that and now I'm looking forward to a new challenge. I would like to stay in football and this is a great opportunity."
While he is keen to continue playing for the rest of the season, he understands if McCall wants to try something new.
"I'm not hanging my boots on the peg now," he said.
"But I also appreciate the manager might want to look at playing certain players together or maybe looking at people who are on loan and haven't played.
"But this is not the end of the season and there is still plenty of work to do."
Wetherall has already tasted management at Bradford after he stepped-in temporarily last season following Colin Todd's sacking.
Helping
He added: "There's an opinion around that I desperately want to be a manager but nothing would please me more than working under Stuart and helping take this football club through the leagues for years and years.
"I'm certainly not looking at it to get a bit of experience and then be a manager in a couple of seasons. I'm working for Stuart and I want that to continue for a long time."
McCall has welcomed the coaching involvement of Wetherall, saying: "We need another coach and David fits the bill superbly. He knows the club inside out and is a terrific role model and superb professional on and off the park.
"It's not come as a massive surprise to me because he had mentioned it a few weeks ago. But there was no persuasion from me either way; it was entirely his decision.
"This club is fortunate to have the likes of Jakes and Wethers on the staff; two people who have got strong feelings for this place, want to see the club go the right way and have no ulterior motives."
