Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan is sanguine about his release from Aston Villa.
The 35-year-old helped the Birmingham club to promotion to Premier League via the Championship playoffs.
But it was the Dubiner's last act for Villa. Days later, they confirmed that they were releasing Whelan.
He reflected on that decision at today's Ireland senior team press conference where he appeared alongside Callum O'Dowda.
"It was a great day, great occasion. I signed two years at Aston Villa to get them back in the Premier League and I got them there. So for me, mission complete," he said.
Not Surprised
"Obviously, to be released wasn't a surprise, at the stage I'm at in my career and where Aston Villa want to go. So I'm very pleased with what I achieved in the last few seasons."
Whelan also revealed that he wasn't aware of Villa's plans, heading into the playoff final against Derby County.
"I didn't know. We had a few lads who were out of contract. But getting to the playoffs and then to the final, nobody really wanted to talk about it," he said.
"There's only one disappointment for me was I went away on the Tuesday with the family. I landed in back here on Tuesday and I had two missed calls. One from a journalist saying I'd been released and one for the manager to give him a call. From that point of view, it was disappointing. But it was something I expected to be honest."
But he also added that there are "no hard feelings" with Villa and also confirmed he hopes to keep playing.
Drily, he also quipped that Real Madrid had since been in touch.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
