Joe Cole: 'It was the right time to go'

"Time waits for no man," he said. "It was getting harder and harder to get out of bed. The mind wants to do it but the body was telling me that it was enough.

"I'm back over in England, I enjoyed my time in America and wouldn't change it for the world. But I'm back over here now ready for the next chapter.

"I've already been playing in the Power Leagues. I will always be involved in football in some capacity, I'm a football man, I've always been around football people and it's all I've known.

"It was just the right time (to retire). If I stayed out in America I could probably still play but it's time to draw a line in the sand and move on.

"You're always a little bit sad because it's something I've been doing since I was a little kid. But I've been lucky enough to do a job I absolutely love. Retirement is always there as a footballer, you know it's going to come.

"I'm prepared for it, I have plenty of things going, a great family to look after so I'm doing well."