Alan Hutton has revealed why he turned down a move to one of Nottingham Forest ’s Championship rivals.
The Scottish defender, released by Aston Villa following their promotion to the Premier League in May, says he opted against joining Middlesbrough owing to the location, and the pressure it would put on traveling from his family home in the Midlands.
Hutton was strongly linked with a move back to Forest under Aitor Karanka and then again this summer when Martin O’Neill was boss, remains without a club since leaving the second city in June and is yet to rule out retirement at the ripe old age of 34.
“I don’t really like saying because I don’t want to be like putting people in bad positions but the problem was it was far away,” he told Football Insider.
“For instance I had really good phone calls with Middlesbrough, obviously I know Robbie Keane and Jonathan Woodgate very well.
“It was a difficult one for me because I’d love to give them everything because I know them so well and I know how good they’ll be but just family-wise it would be difficult from where it is.
“It was a shame but sometimes you have to make a decision which is tough and that was a tough one for me, I think overall that was best for me.”
