Adelaide United midfielder Andy Slory has decided to retire from professional football, effective immediately.
Adelaide United midfielder Andy Slory has decided to retire from professional football, effective immediately.
Slory has been eager to return to the Netherlands to pursue a business venture and has decided to call quits on his playing career.
He said he had been agonising over the decision for almost four months and simply no longer had the commitment to continue playing at a professional level.
The 29-year-old joined the Reds in January after a testing time playing in Bulgaria and made 11 appearances for the club.
“I want to thank Rini (Coolen), the club and particularly the football department because I have developed a really good relationship with them,” Slory said on Tuesday.
“I owe a lot to Rini for getting me to Australia because he wanted me to come here and help me to get my love of the game back.”
“Now I just want to go a different way and I want to thank everyone at the club for giving me such a wonderful time and I look forward to coming back here one day to watch the team play.”
“But nobody can change my mind and I’ve thought about it and it’s been playing on my mind for a very long time, and I’ve made a decision to go back to my family and friends in Holland.”
Coolen said the club respected Slory’s decision and he would be greatly missed for the rest of the Hyundai A-League campaign.
“Andy is a very good footballer. I still believe he can be one of the best players in the league and he is one of those players that has individual qualities who can change and decide a game,” Coolen said.
“I fully respect his decision, I know it is one he has not taken lightly and he goes with mine and the club’s best wishes.”
