Chris Hughton has opened the door to a potential change of role for Michael Dawson at Nottingham Forest.
The 37-year-old is coming to the end of his contract at the City Ground and with no new offer on the table it seems that his future in the game is far from certain.
In recent months Dawson has been doing plenty of media work while also being linked with a potential coaching role as he plans for life after retiring from professional football.
No announcement has been made regarding Dawson's plans to retire, and according to the Forest boss, the door is very much open for Dawson to consider which direction he'd like to go in beyond the summer.
Speaking to Nottinghamshire Live, Hughton said: “We are very open.
“I don’t think Michael has officially retired yet, and I wouldn’t be surprised if an opportunity came and he chose to take it.
“What we do know also is he is doing a lot of media work at the moment, and is very good at what he does.
“It will be his decision on what direction he wants to go.
“But the doors are always open here. We’ve got a very good relationship with him.
“It certainly won’t be the last the club will see of him.”
The verdict
The future of Michael Dawson is likely to be an interesting one to watch this summer.
He may feel like he still has something to offer as a player, but if he does hang up his boots then there's no doubt that he has plenty to offer in a number of other roles.
The time could be right for him to move into coaching and if that opportunity came at the City Ground then I'm sure those around the club would be delighted.