Van Hooijdonk sets retirement date

Feyenoord striker Pierre van Hooijdonk will hang up his boots at the end of the season saying: "Football is still a hobby for me."

'Train with a smile'
The 36-year-old has decided to give up after an exciting career with club and country, claiming that the new generation of players do not share his outlook on the game. "Football is still a hobby for me," he said. "I train with a smile on my face every day and Feyenoord really means a lot to me, so I do not want to wait for the moment to come when that pleasure has gone. I set some demands of myself in terms of what it means to play for a top club, but the group of players who think the same way as me is unfortunately not too big."

Crowning glory
Van Hooijdonk is in his second spell with Feyenoord, with whom he experienced the highlight of his career by winning the 2001/02 UEFA Cup, beating BV Borussia Dortmund in the final at his club's own De Kuip stadium. Van Hooijdonk scored twice, with a penalty and a free-kick, in the 3-2 win. The 46-times capped Dutch international scored 14 goals for his country and played for RBC Roosendaal, NAC Breda, Celtic FC, Nottingham Forest FC, SBV Vitesse, SL Benfica and Fenerbahçe SK. Feyenoord take on FC Basel 1893 in their UEFA Cup group stage opener on Thursday.