Ex-Sunderland striker Kyle Lafferty opens up on 'massive regrets' about career
The ex-Sunderland forward has been reflecting on his career
Former Sunderland striker Kyle Lafferty has admitted that he has “massive regrets” over his playing career.
The Northern Irishman, now 37, is still lacing up his boots for Scottish sixth-tier outfit Johnstone Burgh, but has openly admitted that he wishes he had been more committed to his international career during his prime. The forward scored 20 goals for his country across 89 caps, but is still of the belief that he could have achieved more.
Speaking to BBC Sport NI, he said: “There’s so much. Three titles for Rangers, four cup medals, 89 caps, 20 [international] goals, second-highest goalscorer. I played with and against some of the world’s best players. It is what it is, but, I do have massive regrets. But it was all down to me.
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“I think if I had listened to the senior pros at the time, when I was a kid, I probably would have had a much better - not ‘exciting’ career, because I don’t think you’d get many people’s careers as exciting as mine, ups and downs. There’s so many highs, but there’s so many regrets.”
He added: "[I] didn't turn up at times when I should have. Not reaching 100 caps, I blame myself for it, I should be well into 100. I wouldn't change my career for a second but there are disappointments.
Asked to expand on his regrets, Lafferty said: "Deciding to go on holiday instead of playing for your country at times. This was like when I was 21, 22, 23, just knowing that I'd done well previously that I'd get another call-up, taking liberties, like I said. Maybe throwing in an injury where the rest of the team I was at might have been getting a few days off and taking the days off rather than going to play for your country."
When asked to confirm he had feigned injury at times, he said: "I wasn't injured, yeah, just stuff like that. Just daft stuff that you look back and think, 'It was just so stupid of me'."
Lafferty has enjoyed a nomadic professional career spanning two decades. Alongside a brief spell with Sunderland in early 2020, he has also spent time in Scotland, Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Norway, and Switzerland. While on Wearside, the experienced attacker scored two goals in 11 outings.