FORMER Saint Theo Walcott confessed remaining at the club "wasn't an option" this summer before deciding to retire from football.

The 34 year old announced his plans to leave Southampton at the end of his contract ahead of their final game of last season against Liverpool.

Walcott had initially planned to find a new club upon leaving Saints and briefly trained with Reading, before deciding that hanging up his boots was the best option.

Speaking to the Daily Echo ahead of the premiere of CBBC series ‘The Football Academy’, Walcott revealed he never felt it was likely he would remain at Staplewood beyond last season.

He said: "There wasn’t an option, I sort of knew that. When last season was coming to a close, as a player you understand.

“I’ve been around for so long, I knew nothing was there, but I was still playing like it was my last game - which it essentially was.

“I planned for this anyway. As I’ve said before, it didn’t sit pretty with me to sign for a club if I had no intentions to play anymore. It wouldn’t have done me or the club any favours.

“I have only just stopped playing, but I wanted a different kind of job. I do miss playing of course, but I’m excited about the new paths I am taking.

“I’m helping in other ways now. I’m enjoying a different side of football with my punditry work, which is good fun.

“I’m also being present with my family and doing stuff that I couldn’t do before. It’s nice to take a step back and take a breath because football can be constant.”

One thing Walcott can’t remove himself from is his love of football. While he hasn’t been able to catch as many Southampton games as he would have liked this season, he has continued to keep up to date through highlights.

From watching Saints under Russell Martin, the Southampton Academy graduate is confident that his former club can still push for promotion despite a “patchy” start to the season.

“I’d like to come down to a few (games) if I can. Looking at the weekend - Rotherham are right down there, but that doesn’t matter in the Championship.

“You always expect the teams that go down to come back up, but it’s not straightforward. Anyone can beat anyone. Saints have a young team and a young manager who has good ideas.

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“From what I know the players are really keen on him and are really happy. That’s what you want as a team and as players.

“As soon as you turn it can be sour, but I’m not getting any signs of that. They will be fine. I just think it’s been a lot harder than they expected.

“When you come to the stadium, you think this is a Premier League club. That’s what I see here. I think they will get back in time, but it’s not going to happen overnight.

“I believe they will be in the playoffs. But it’s just the luck of the draw and we will have to see.”

Walcott pointed towards Southampton’s ability to keep hold of key players such as Che Adams as a reason to be positive - as is the renewed form of Adam Armstrong.

The 26 year old has scored seven goals in 11 Championship games - a figure which has already beaten his total across two seasons in the Premier League.

“Arma has been really good," Walcott added. "The way he trained last year with his finishing was incredible, and he has taken that into the league this year.

“The club did well to keep hold of Che and a few other players. It shows that the messages the manager has are good, and the club itself is pushing in the right direction to keep these players.

“Prowsey had to move on, of course, everyone understood that reason. But as soon as one goes it can be like a wheel and everyone leaves, but it’s nice to know that we can come straight back up.”

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Walcott got his break in a Saints shirt as a 16 year old after the club had been relegated to the Championship, an opportunity he admits may not have been possible had they remained in the Premier League.

Having experienced what it’s like to play in the division, before moving on to Arsenal, he is hopeful that the current Southampton squad can learn valuable lessons, which will help the club in the future.

“They are going to gain so much experience and knowledge from playing in the Championship because it’s such a tough league to get out of," he continued.

“If you can manage that straight away, I feel like you will have so much energy and positivity going into the next season - which you need.

“Last year we had a lot of negativity. There were a lot of things going on behind the scenes. There were changes and it was difficult for players to adapt to new ideas. It seemed like it was always going to happen.

“This year there is a lot more stability. There’s more of an identity and a knowing of what the ultimate goal is - to get straight back up. I don’t see why they can’t do it, but it’s not going to be easy.

“It takes some time when a new manager comes in. It’s not until around Christmas that you start to feel where you are going to be.

“Games come thick and fast during that period so you have to adapt. I feel they have adapted pretty well so far considering everything.”