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INJURIES FORCE FISH TO QUIT
Former South African international defender Mark Fish announced his retirement at the age of 31, citing long-standing knee injury problems for his decision.
Fish, handed a free transfer by Charlton Athletic at the end of last season, has battled with knee problems over the last seasons and said on Tuesday: “I can no longer play to the standards I have set for myself and therefore I feel it is time to move on.”
Fish’s returned to Charlton last week, where he still has a season on his contract, after playing just 45 minutes for Ipswich Town, where he had signed a one-month loan deal.
Fish played in 204 English league matches at Bolton Wanderers, Charlton and Ipswich. He had been signed from Italian club Lazio by Bolton for 1,2-million pounds in 1997.
Fish moved to Lazio for one season in 1996 after helping South African club Orlando Pirates win the African Champions Cup in 1995.
Fish won 62 caps for his country in an 11-year international career and was a member of the South African side that won the 1996 African Nations Cup finals. He also played at the 1998 World Cup finals in France but was ruled out of the World Cup four years later because of injury.
Fish said he now intended completing a coaching badge in England before returning to South Africa.