Conor McManus says he doesn't know if he will return for an 18th season of inter-county football with Monaghan.
The 35-year-old is suffering from a hip problem and how that feels over the winter will decide whether he continues or retires.
"I've done 17 seasons and I've loved every bit of it, wouldn't change it for the world," McManus told Michael Lyster, Pat Spillane and Tomás Mulcahy's The Game On Sunday podcast.
"The only changes you'd make is a few results here and there.
"I have issues with my hip and if I thought that it would give me another season, there's absolutely no hesitation that I would go again.
"But it's just trying to figure out whether that will be the case or not. If it's a case that I'm not playing for Monaghan next year, that will be the sole reason for it.
"It won't be for not finding time or not wanting to commit or not enjoying it - none of that is an issue. It's simply if my hip will allow me to go again. That decision isn't going to be made today or tomorrow.
"We'll see how the club season goes and we'll see how I'm moving or how I'm getting on at the back end of winter and starting into 2024. Nothing will be decided until that I suppose."
15 July 2023; Conor McManus of Monaghan leaves the pitch after his side's defeat in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Dublin and Monaghan at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
McManus scored five points for Monaghan as they lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Dublin a fortnight ago.
'Some Monaghan team will break that ceiling'
"It's a Championship of disappointment, to be honest with you," said McManus.
"Listen, a lot of outsiders and people outside the camp even are saying it was a good season for Monaghan and did well to get to a semi-final and whatnot - we don't see it like that.
"We had a chance to get to an All-Ireland final, to be preparing for the All-Ireland final on Sunday against Kerry, as it turned out to be. So ultimately it's a season of disappointment."
McManus believes that Monaghan will one day win Sam Maguire.
"Some day it will happen," he said. "I fully believe it whether it happens in the next year or two, or in the next five, ten years, it will happen and some Monaghan team will break that ceiling.
"The more Monaghan teams that try to put ourselves in that position, and as often as you possibly can, then it becomes an environment that young kids in Monaghan are used to watching Monaghan in Croke Park and it becomes second nature.
"That's what's expected of you when you're playing for Monaghan, that you're in Division 1, and you're competing with Dublin, Kerry, Mayo, Galway. If you keep coming back, the door will fall eventually.
"That's what Monaghan is trying to do. Our minors were in the All-Ireland final this year. They didn't perform on the day the way they wanted to but there's building blocks there and it has to be the ultimate goal."
See Also: Flynn Excited That Dublin Trio Could Make GAA History Vs Kerry
