Larne veteran Albert Watson opens up on retirement dilemma

The 37-year-old is set to become Larne's Under 16 head coach at the end of this season

Albert Watson admits he hasn't decided on whether to retire at the end of this season - but insists when he does he will "nail my boots to the wall".

The 37-year-old defender sole focus right now is on trying to help Larne win a historic first-ever Premiership title.

Watson has made 12 Premiership appearances this season, and has been a regular in Tiernan Lynch's squad since the beginning of the year.

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He also scored and was named man of the match in a recent 3-0 win over his former club Ballymena United.

It is that consistent form for the Premiership leaders that has thrown a few doubts in Watson's head when it comes to retirement talk.

The veteran is also set to take up a new role as Larne Under 16 head coach at the end of this season, but he remains unsure if that commitment will spell the end of his own playing career.

He told Belfast Live's That's What I Call Football podcast: "I haven't said yes definitely retiring. I don't want to commit.

"It is a nightmare. Every time I play I feel I have played well.

"The last game against Ballymena United I got the man of the match. I am thinking 'should I hang the boots up?'.

"But listen, I am 37 so I am thinking that way. Maybe if I can go out on a high then that would be unbelievable.

"I would nail the boots to the wall, believe me. Once I am gone, I am gone."

Watson will take up his new role within Larne's academy this July, and says he wants to turn the club's Under 16 team into "the best in the country".

He added: "We have changed our whole academy, and from Under 13 to U16 will be full-time. We want to put more care into the way we develop young players," Watson said.

"It is what teams like Linfield and Cliftonville have been doing so well in recent years., Developing young players to go across the water.

"And we want to do that. We have had to change things from top to bottom, rather than the other way around.

"So I will be taking up that role in July and I can't wait to do it. And I hope to have the best Under 16 team in the country."

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