Auckland City's Keryn Jordan plans retirement

Auckland City's South African striker, Keryn Jordan, has announced his playing retirement from soccer at all levels.

Jordan, 34, has struggled with a chronic knee injury for the past year and has only managed to make a handful of appearances for the club this season.

His last match was at the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi last December where Auckland City surprised many onlookers around the world with their fifth place finish.

A bitterly disappointed Jordan said it was one of the toughest decisions he has ever had to make.

"I have worked extremely hard on rehabilitating my knee over the past four months. Unfortunately it has not responded to treatment in the way we had hoped for," he said.

"I have now come to terms with the fact, that due to the severity of the injury, I am no longer able to perform at a level that I am happy with. With that being the case I feel the time is right for me to call it a day."

A former South African international, Jordan and his young family moved to New Zealand in 2004.

Initial plans were to play for the now-defunct New Zealand Knights in Australia's A-League after signing for Waitakere United in the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC).

When those plans fell over he signed for cross-town rivals Auckland City at the start of the 2005/6 season and has experienced success with the Sandringham-based club, establishing himself as one of the best imports to ever play in this country.

A cult hero at Kiwitea Street he scored 61 goals in 79 matches for the club across all competitions (NZFC, Oceania Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup). He won three NZFC and two O-League titles with the club.

- NZPA