Olof Mellberg out.

[SteiniJ]

http://www.svt.se/sport/fotboll/mellberg-slutar-med-fotbollen

[Dave]

I reckon this will be easier to understand than the original article:

Former Aston Villa defender and Sweden international Olof Mellberg has retired after an 18-year career.

The 36-year-old won league titles at AIK Stockholm and Olympiakos and also represented Racing Santander, Juventus, Villarreal and FC Copenhagen.

Mellberg said: "Today I ended my contract with FC Copenhagen, which will be the last in my football career."

The centre-back was capped 117 times for his country before retiring from international football after Euro 2012.

He spent seven years with Villa, making 263 appearances, before leaving for Juventus in 2008.

Good work Olof. A cracking career and a well-deserved retirement.

[Damo70]

With his experience, knowledge, winning mentality and feelings for the club I would love to have him back in a coaching capacity. I know we have a defensive coach but I wouldn't mind Olof's input too. If he could sort our defence out into the best defensive unit in the PL I would give him the job as manager of Villa, manager of Sweden, Prime Minister of Sweden and put him in charge of the task force for world peace.

[cdbearsfan]

Best wishes for the future, Olof.

[The Left Side]

All the best Olof the Viking

[nigel]

Class act, too.
Who can forget his gesture West Ham away.

[MONCABA]

I'll never forget his arms aloft as he left the pitch against small heath

[FrankyH]

Yes a great moment a Villa Park.I remember thinking what's O'Neil doing taking him off.then realised it was Mellberg's chance to put all that shite to bed with the blose, especially Bruce who had said Mellberg wouldn't get in the blose team- fat pr!ck

[TheMalandro]

should forget about his matches against Birmingham. Remember his 100% commitment - a legend for that.
We badly need somebody with his values and inspiration.

Every Scandinavian I have met seem to have this calmness and discipline. Not that I've met Bendtner of course.

[SteveN]

My favourite Olof moment was his goal from a corner against Spurs.  He simply pushed Dawson away headed in from about six yards and celebrated by standing still with his arms in the air, smiling.

Not a great player but a player with a great heart, love him to bits.  Class act.

[CJ]

Class act, too.
Who can forget his gesture West Ham away.

Indeed. I gave the shirt I got to my nephew. I was also at The Emirates to see Olof score the first ever goal there. Happy memories - would love to get him and Laursen on the coaching team

[supertom]

Quality player, great man. Always gave his all for us and was consistently good. To be fair to him he was solid for us at right back too when pubehead put him out there. There haven't been that many players we've signed in the last two decades that you could look at and feel they developed a genuine love of the club, but Olof was one of them. It was more than just a paid gig for him. Class act.

[Gregorys Boy]

Quality player, great man. Always gave his all for us and was consistently good. To be fair to him he was solid for us at right back too when pubehead put him out there. There haven't been that many players we've signed in the last two decades that you could look at and feel they developed a genuine love of the club, but Olof was one of them. It was more than just a paid gig for him. Class act.

Was going to say this, just shows his committment again that he really adapted to playing out of position like that.

Great player for us, and he had a great career both at club and international level.   Good luck to him in whatever he does in the future.

[LeeS]

I was also at The Emirates to see Olof score the first ever goal there.

I was in a car park near the beach at Harlech. It was the only place in North Wales I could get Radio 5. You could hear my cheer in Ireland.

[dave shelley]

Also, for decking Freddie ljungberg.