Theo Walcott announces immediate retirement from football

Theo Wolcott has announced his retirement today at the age of 34. He left Southampton at the end of the season after their relegation. He's a two-time FA Cup winner, 270 appearances for Arsenal, 400-odd career appearances. His career defined in many ways by a transfer and what happened to him in 2006, leaving Southampton the first time that was and moving to Arsenal. The shock England's World Cup call-up then followed. A terrific career and really that early period for Theo Wolcott almost defines the narrative around his whole career. It does. I've given my age away a little bit here. But I remember thinking, my gosh, there's only a year's difference. He's going to Arsenal when I was in Scotland. What were you doing? Delivering newspapers. Nothing wrong with delivering newspapers, by the way. It was one of my first jobs, actually. But I will say this, I feel like he was one of the original wonder kids. You see players thrust into the limelight, really early age, a lot of high expectancy. Actually, we were talking off-air, weren't we? Over 400 career appearances. I kind of wanted him to be in the Premier League 100 Club. I think he got about 80-odd goals. I think for a player of his talent and longevity in the end, it would have been nice to see him in the Premier League 100 Club, just to have that as well to add to his career. But when he got called up to the England squad, and then being an Arsene Wenger sign-in, it was just fantastic to see him do that at the time. One of the questions I'll ask you guys, do you think he fulfilled his potential? I think you can say he did and didn't to a certain extent, because I think at Arsenal, going there at the age of 16 is a huge move. And like you said, one of the first moves that we ever saw, getting the number 14 shirt, I think that added a lot of pressure, because people are like, OK, Thierry Henry, 14, walk up 14, you've got to give goals. But he never really lived up to that expectation in terms of scoring week in, week out. But he added to an Arsenal side that, at the time, I would say they were going for a rebuild, and he was a figurehead in that as well. And then the clubs he moved on to, Everton and Southampton, scored some big goals for Everton when they were trying to stay in the Premier League as well. But one thing I'd like to say is that people are shocked at the fact he's retired at the age of 34. He burst onto the scene at 16! You did say as well, to be fair, that you thought maybe he'd go somewhere else for a year or two, or stay in another country perhaps. Are you surprised maybe that he's not done that? Yeah, I am surprised. But then when I saw those stats about him coming at 16 and in and around the Southampton squad so young as well, I think he was their youngest ever player and the youngest ever player for England as well. That's a lot of time playing at the top of the game. Exactly. So I'm sure he's just, you know... He might just want to rest. He might just want to kick back for a year. 34's not very old, is it? But when you've been going since 16 years old, yeah. Yeah, he has said that he had offers to continue playing, including from Saudi, but it just wasn't right for him and it felt the right time to hang up his boots. So congratulations to the award winner on your career. And maybe we'll see you in the building. Imagine! He'd be a good pundit. Very good.