Former Manchester United and England star Phil Jones has announced his retirement from playing, and is moving into coaching.
Jones was part of the Manchester United squad that won the Premier League in the 2012-13 season and also helped them win the FA Cup (2016) and the Europa League (2017) during his time at the club. Born in 1992, he is only 31 years old, but he has been absent from the field for a long time, plagued by injuries, especially a knee surgery in 2020, which kept him out for 18 months.
In an interview with the BBC, Jones said: “My career has ended sooner than I would have liked, which is obviously disappointing. But there’s two sides to every coin, I’ve been working with the U18s at United last season and I’ve got my A License (coaching qualification), which has been brilliant, I’ve really enjoyed it.”
When asked if this was an official retirement announcement, Jones said: “Yeah, I think it’s pretty clear, I’ve struggled in the latter stages of my career. I’ve given everything I’ve got, left no stone unturned, but unfortunately, it’s just come to an end.”
Jones’ last competitive appearance came at the end of the 2021-22 season, and he has not played as a footballer since. The defender represented England in three major tournaments: Euro 2012, the 2014 World Cup, and the 2018 World Cup. Although not always a regular starter, he fought for England for seven years, making 27 appearances.
Last season, Jones was involved in work with Manchester United’s U14 and U18 teams, while pursuing his coaching courses. He is now an A-licensed coach and said: “A new journey begins. I want to get back out there, I want to be challenged, I can picture myself getting into management, taking a team, and I know the steps that I need to take to achieve that, I’m ready to embrace them.”
According to the BBC, sources at Manchester United have indicated that the club has no immediate plans for Phil Jones to permanently join their coaching staff. However, Jones will stay in touch with United regularly and help build the club’s academy while also gaining valuable experience for his future coaching career.
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