Veron to play on after bowing to peer pressure
Reuters - Saturday 10 December 2011, 02:22
Juan Sebastian Veron
has delayed plans to end his glittering career until the close
of the Argentine season after being persuaded to change his mind
by Estudiantes team-mates and fans.
Veron, who shone in Europe for a decade with Sampdoria,
Parma, Lazio, Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan, was
set to play his last match for Estudiantes against Union on the
final weekend of the Apertura championship on Sunday.
Instead, the 36-year-old who has been plagued for months by
ankle problems, told reporters in La Plata on Friday he would
play for another six months and finish when the Clausura
championship ends in June.
"I've taken the decision to carry on. I'm happy to stretch
it to six more months at the club," said Veron, who last Sunday
had told about 500 fans chanting "Veron's not going" at the
club's training complex that he would think about staying on.
He said it was not a sudden decision but rather the result
of talks with team-mates and club staff since he said in
September he would retire at the end of the Apertura.
"During this time we talked a lot and I gave them my reasons [for quitting] because I suffer a lot from my ankle and its
something that limits me whatever others may say about it not
showing," Veron said.
Veron returned home to Argentina in 2006 and has led
Estudiantes to two league titles and their fourth South American
Libertadores Cup crown adding to the three his father Juan Ramon
was involved in between 1968 and 1970.