Glenn Whelan says there was a possibility that he could have departed Stoke City, before signing a new deal last month.
The Ireland midfielder, who captained the team yesterday, discussed his situation with Off The Ball's Nathan Murphy after he and his Potters team-mates came from behind to earn a draw at Newcastle.
"There was always the possibility I was going to leave if I wasn't offered a contract. So I'm delighted to get all that sorted now, not just for myself, but for my family and friends. It gives me a little bit of security over the next two years," he said, adding that his performances for Stoke are key in terms of his Ireland future.
The 31-year-old also gave an insight into his mindset when he gets an early booking.
"I think there were one or two chances in the second half where I could have went in a little bit earlier. But I did have that in the back of my head ... 'if I don't get in here first, I could be off' ... so it's disappointing. Last year I got sent off on the same ground and then we got hammered afterwards. I didn't want that to happen again."
Listen in to the full interview below via the podcast (17 minutes in) or on iTunes:
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.
