JACKIE McNamara is seeking a move into coaching next season after leaving Aberdeen yesterday by mutual consent with the Pittodrie club.
The former Celtic captain, who joined Aberdeen last summer on a Bosman free transfer from Wolves, had another year left on his contract but has terminated it with the agreement of manager Jimmy Calderwood.
McNamara felt the strain of almost daily
commuting to Aberdeen from his home near Edinburgh was undermining his enjoyment of the final years of his playing career and the 34-year-old is now hoping to join a club in the Central Belt.
He intends to continue playing for at least one more season, but is also keen to pave the way for a move into management by securing a player-coach role with his next club.
"I've left Aberdeen on good terms with Jimmy Calderwood and the club," McNamara told The Scotsman last night. "The travelling had become a problem, especially in terms of recovering from injuries, and I feel it is best I move on.
"I know people will say I should have lived in Aberdeen more, but that's not why I came back to Scotland last year. I wanted to spend more time with my family.
"Unfortunately it didn't work out as I'd hoped, but it's something you just have to put down to experience and move on. I'd like to keep playing for another year and I'm also interested in doing some coaching."
McNamara made 24 appearances for Aberdeen, making only 12 Clydesdale Bank Premier League starts, but very few of them were in his favoured holding midfield role which he had anticipated being deployed in when he decided to sign for the Pittodrie club.
His on-field Aberdeen career ended on a sour note ten days ago when he was substituted during the 4-3 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat against Queen of the South and uncharacteristically stormed straight down the Hampden tunnel in a public display of disapproval at the decision, accompanied by the boos of some Aberdeen fans.
Following that unhappy exit, McNamara met Calderwood last week to discuss his future. And, after being left out of the squad that lost 1-0 to Celtic on Saturday to consider his future, McNamara yesterday told Calderwood he wanted to leave.
Despite his considerable disappointment, however, McNamara is determined to maintain a positive relationship with his now former club.
"I'll be back at Pittodrie later this week to tie up a few details," he said. "I'll say my farewells to the players and staff and I wish Aberdeen all the best."
In accepting McNamara's decision, Aberdeen manager Calderwood paid tribute to the professionalism of the former Scotland international and expressed regret at his departure.
"It is very sad for us," said Calderwood. "Jackie is a great professional and it has been a pleasure to work with him. He had a year left on his contract, but he has decided not to take it up.
"I didn't want a knee-jerk reaction following the disappointments of the Queen of the South game and gave him time to discuss matters with his family. However, between travelling and injuries, it has been a frustrating spell for him and he has decided to leave. He'll certainly be a big loss."
McNamara, capped 33 times for Scotland, will now hope for a happier conclusion to a playing career which has seen him endure considerable frustration since his acrimonious departure from Celtic in the summer of 2005 when the Parkhead club delayed offering him a new contract in his testimonial season.
His two seasons with Wolves were largely beset by injury and the subsequent move to Aberdeen was less than fulfilling. "My main aim now is to be able to enjoy my football, whether it is playing, coaching or both," added McNamara. "Hopefully something will turn up and I still feel I have something to offer."
The full article contains 658 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
