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| | Wednesday, 2 October, 2002, 16:42 GMT 17:42 UK Coleman hangs up his boots  Chris Coleman (right) has remained popular with fans Chris Coleman has announced his retirement from playing football after losing his long battle to regain full fitness. In a career when he has suffered more bad luck than most, Coleman has had to admit he has failed to recover fully from a serious car crash. The Fulham and Wales defender was lucky to survive the accident in January 2001.
But he battled back and was overjoyed when he was able to take the field again last March for Fulham's reserves. He even earned a summons from Wales manager Mark Hughes to join a squad for the friendly against Germany. An appreciative Millennium Stadium crowd - on the verge of celebrating a famous win - gave him a rapturous welcome when he replaced goalscorer Robert Earnshaw in 89th minute. It proved to be a fitting farewell to a distinguished Wales career. But doctors have now told the 32-year-old that he risks irreparable damage to his leg if he continues playing. "I've reached a stage where I'm not getting any better," Coleman told BBC Sport Online. "I didn't want to reach the stage where I had a limp by the time I was 40. "After the accident I was lucky to be alive, let alone think of playing football again, but it was still a difficult decision to retire." The Swansea-born player underwent emergency surgery after his Jaguar left the road and hit a tree in the accident, shattering his right leg in the process. It was the second time he had faced a career-threatening injury, having missed 12 months of football after rupturing his Achilles' tendon in 1996 playing for Blackburn Rovers. However, he never gave up hope of playing again and struggled once more through the pain of rehabilitation.
Even when complications set in and he suffered the setback of needing a second operation on his leg in April 2001, Coleman gritted his teeth and carried on. Fulham have supported him every step of the way, paying for the best doctors and consultants who were available. "Fulham have been great to me and I can't thank them enough," Coleman added. "I've seen the best specialists in the world but unfortunately it wasn't to be." Fulham, who paid Blackburn a then club record fee of �2.1m for Coleman in November 1997, have proved once more how much they value him by offering a coaching role. Fulham manager Jean Tigana said: "It was too difficult for Chris to play again and I've explained that my door is open if he wants to work with me. "He can start with the Under-15s and Under-17s and with me. He's a good man and has the possibility to manage at a high level, so it's a good opportunity for him and for Fulham. "I knew he wouldn't be able to play again, but I prefer that he made the decision. "Chris has the possibility to manage at a high level because he is a leader. Now he has to work on it." It seems that Coleman will be able to carve a second career in coaching as Hughes holds him in similar high esteem, and has also offered Coleman a coaching position with the Wales under-21s. | |
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