'I've still got the hunger' - Canaries legend Hoolahan on his future

The evergreen Hoolahan - who turns 39 in May – has had 20 years in the game and is currently looking for his fourth promotion, with League Two leaders Cambridge United.

"I still love playing," he said in an interview with Sky Sports. "I've still got the hunger. I think it helps that I came through the leagues at a young age and had to work really hard. The feeling I had when I first kicked a ball professionally with Shelbourne at 18 is still in me playing for Cambridge now.

"I'm not the kind of person who thinks too far forward. I'm always concentrating on playing. There are plenty of routes I'd like to go down, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.

"I don't know [if I'll play past the end of the season] yet. I decide the plan at the end of every year. But I've played a lot of games, and hopefully we can get another 20 games and see how the body is at the end of the season."

A decade as a Norwich City player ended with an emotional farewell in 2018, and after a short spell with West Brom, the former Republic of Ireland international headed to Australia to play for Newcastle Jets in 2019.

"The plan was to go to Australia and see what happened," he said. "Unfortunately I had a bad injury and it didn't go to plan. I wish I had more time out there to show what I could do and stuff like that, but it didn't materialise.

"But it was a great experience. It was always something I wanted to do in the latter part of my career, to experience football abroad and a different culture, different training and a different atmosphere.

"I managed to do that and it was a pleasure playing for the Jets, even if I didn't get to play as many games as I wanted to."

Hoolahan joined Cambridge at the start of the current season and has helped transform their fortunes, with four goals and six assists in 21 appearances.

"I was training with Cambridge a couple of years ago because I knew (former manager) Colin Calderwood," explained Hoolahan, who was named January’s League Two Player of the month.

Cambridge United's Wes Hoolahan in action against Southend United (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

"I was on the verge of signing, but then ended up going to Australia. I wanted to come back and give it a go and see how it goes. I ended up meeting with manager, Mark) Bonner a few weeks before pre-season started. We had a good chat and the rest is history.

"I'm really enjoying it. We've got a great group of lads full of enthusiasm and it's been a great experience. Obviously at the moment it's difficult with the pitches and stuff like that, but I'm getting through it!”