THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Midfielder Martin Nash is retiring after 15 professional seasons as a player to take a coaching role with the MLS-bound Vancouver Whitecaps.
He made the announcement Wednesday after learning he would likely have a limited role when the Whitecaps advance to the top level of North American soccer next season.
"It (playing) was still there for me but it was something I wasn’t prepared to do," Nash said of a reduced role on the field. "It was the right move for me to get the job I wanted and the time seems to be right."
The 34-year-old team captain will primarily be responsible for coaching the club’s youth side. He will also assist head coach Teitur Thordarson as a position coach and the club as a scout while the Whitecaps prepare for the MLS draft.
Nash discussed the move with Thordarson, club president Bob Lenarduzzi and his family, including older brother Steve Nash, a two-time NBA MVP and part-owner of the Whitecaps.
"We realized it was time to pack it in and they were willing to make an offer for a job that was something I always wanted," Nash said. "You never want to give up something you love. I’ve been playing soccer since I was five and professionally for 15 years so it’s always going to be tough."
Nash began his pro career with the Vancouver franchise at age 19 after unsuccessful trials with English clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Southend United.
Known for his strong passing abilities, he led the offensively challenged Whitecaps in scoring last season with five goals and eight assists in 36 games.
Both Lenarduzzi and Thordarson praised his on-field leadership in a season where the Caps had a revolving-door roster as they auditioned players for next season. Vancouver still reached the USSF Division-2 semifinals and Nash was named a league all-star.
"The opportunity was still there for me but I felt I didn’t want to wither away," Nash said. "I wanted to go out on a high and I think I played quite well this year."
The five-foot-11 160-pounder played 10 seasons for the Whitecaps, winning championships in 2008 and 2009 after arriving here in 2004 from the Montreal Impact.
He also won two crowns with the United Soccer Leagues First Division Rochester Rhinos in 2000 and 2001. Nash said those titles and helping Canada win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2000 were the best memories of his playing career.
"The carrot of the MLS is an enticing one and might result in you wanting to carry on but in all honesty not many players get the opportunity to transition from a player to a coach within the same organization," said Lenarduzzi.
"Once he settles in to the position he’ll be grateful to still be involved in the sport he loves. If Martin were in his early thirties or late twenties we’d be moving forward (to MLS) with him at this stage."
Lenarduzzi first noticed the Regina-born Nash as a 19-year-old and brought him into his under-23 side which nearly qualified for the 1996 Olympics.
Nash, who was raised in Victoria, had 38 caps for Canada before ending his international career in 2008.
He had 31 goals and 48 assists in 285 games with the Whitecaps. He scored 45 goals and recorded 74 assists in 421 pro games.