Kyle Walker facing race against time to fulfil Sheffield United dream after latest career admission
Kyle Walker facing race against time to fulfil Sheffield United dream after latest career admission
He has repeatedly made clear his desire to return to Sheffield United before he hangs up his boots; but time is beginning to run out for Kyle Walker to make his last footballing dream come true. The England international announced his retirement from international football recently, ahead of his 36th birthday in May.
He has no plans just yet to do the same at club level and wants to continue for “a few more years”, with his dream of playing in the red and white once more before then well-known. It’s something he has made clear on a number of occasions but has not yet come close to.
The best chance seemed to be when he was allowed to leave Manchester City after a trophy-laden spell but instead he signed for Burnley after their promotion to the Premier League. If the Blades had been successful in joining them through the play-offs, who knows if he could have been tempted home.
It is clear that if he does return to South Yorkshire he will have to make something of a sacrifice in terms of salary, meaning he could face something of a head-v-heart scenario before he brings his glittering playing career - which, of course, began at Bramall Lane - to a close.
“I don’t know if I’ll continue playing for a few more years,” the Burnley right-back said on The Overlap podcast. “I feel once that time in my head comes where I’m done, I’d have to be true to myself. Leave the game before the game leaves you.
Kyle Walker facing race against time to fulfil Sheffield United dream after latest career admission
“I’m 36 in May, but I’m feeling good. It takes longer to recover, I can tell you that. One million per cent. And probably now I’m probably doing a lot more defending than I’ve ever done in my career, but I feel good. It’s more for me upstairs and you fight your little battles in your head if you can keep doing it.
“I don’t want to tarnish what I’ve done but I also have a level of respect for myself that I’ll do it on my terms. I’m not letting outside noise reflect what I want to do as a footballer because it’s a short career and people don’t understand that.
“It’s been ingrained in us from the age of six when I started. I never played grassroots. I played Sheffield United and that was it. Suddenly, if you take that away from me, what am I going to do? What do I go into?
“I’ve not done anything else in my whole entire life except football, so it’s a big part of me and to let it go, it’s hard. But sometimes you have to let it go when you’re not good enough anymore.
“I’d like to keep playing for another few years. It’s always been a dream to play for Sheffield United again. To start there at six years old and then leaving at 19 – I spent so many incredible years there. I hope to play for them again. I don’t know when that will be. I don’t know if they will want me.”
Chris Wilder, the current Blades boss, is both a friend and huge admirer of Walker and would no doubt welcome his vast experience at Bramall Lane, as well as his undoubted abilities. But the stars will have to align, and before Father Time has the final say.