Yahoo News Ex-Liverpool, Cardiff City and Swansea City star appeals for new club on LinkedIn
Former Cardiff City and Swansea City defender Steven Caulker has taken to LinkedIn in search of a new club or coaching role after his stint as a player-manager in Spain's lower leagues came to an end.
Caulker, who took on the dual role at Malaga City in December, had to step down this month due to visa complications. Now back in the UK, the 32-year-old is keen on continuing his career in football, expressing a preference for coaching but remaining open to playing opportunities.
On LinkedIn, Caulker reached out to the community: "LinkedIn family, please work your magic... I am looking for a new team ahead of the 2024/2025 season. Preferably as a coach, but I am still open to playing. Whilst I am looking for a suitable option, I am keeping myself busy with 1-2-1 coaching, mentoring, and public speaking."
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His post included a photo with former England manager Roy Hodgson, a nod to his brief international career which saw him score in his sole appearance for England against Sweden in November 2012. Caulker also played for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics and later represented Sierra Leone internationally.
Caulker began his professional journey at Tottenham Hotspur, with loan spells at Yeovil, Bristol City, and Swansea, before breaking into the Spurs' first team in the 2012/13 season. He transferred to Cardiff for a record fee of £8million the next summer, reports the Mirror.
Caulker, despite playing every minute of Cardiff's 2013/14 Premier League season, couldn't stop their drop to the Championship, leading to his transfer to QPR for another stint in the top division. However, he faced relegation again and subsequently joined Southampton on loan in July 2015, before a mid-season switch to Liverpool.
At Liverpool, he played four times, notably aiding Adam Lallana's memorable last-gasp goal in the thrilling 5-4 victory over Norwich.
Caulker reflected on his Liverpool spell during an interview with the Undr The Cosh podcast last year, admitting: "Things did change for two months. I've gone there, it's the chance of a lifetime, I was white-knuckling it."
He continued, discussing his struggles with addiction: "I didn't know how to deal with my addiction (drink/gambling), I was somehow dealing with it because I wanted the opportunity. But the opportunity never came. I had a couple of run outs up front, played one game as centre-halve, did all right, against West Ham."
The defender then recounted a pivotal moment: "We then had the cup replay against West Ham and I'd done my back in, horrible spasms, I couldn't get rid of it. The morning of the game I've had to tell him (Jurgen Klopp) I can't play. I was due to start but I said I actually can't play."
Caulker expressed his disappointment, saying: "I was devastated, and from that moment on he wrote me off. I think he wrote me off as one of those guys who didn't want to play or who was scared to play. It couldn't have been further from the truth."
Caulker returned to QPR at the end of the 2015/16 season and made 18 appearances for the west London club before moving up to Scotland with Dundee. That was followed by a switch to Turkey at Alanyaspor, before he stayed there and had time at Fenerbahce, Gaziantep and Fatih Karagumruk.
He returned to England and spent the second half of last season at Wigan.
