Kirkland's Burning Ambition

By Danny Wright

Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has revealed his plans following footballer retirement – he wants to be a fire fighter.

In an interview with The Independent, the former Liverpool stopper revealed it has always been his ambition to join the fire service after his football career has finished.

"A lot of people don't actually realise what fire-fighters do," Kirkland said.

"This interest has always been with me. The passion to do it has always been there, and as footballers we are idolised for kicking a ball around but fire-fighters actually make a sacrifice."

Kirkland, 26, has by no means had any easy route to the pinnacle of English football, having been rejected as by his village side to play in the sticks. However, rigorous training seasons with father Eddie on a local recreation field helped Kirkland's prospects flourish.

The hard work eventually paid off when the Barwell born stopper was snapped up by Coventry City in 1999, before moving onto Liverpool in 2001 and current club Wigan in 2006. Injuries have blighted Kirkland's career so far, limiting him to one solitary England cap in 2006 as a second half substitute against Greece.

image - http://www.totalwigan.com/

Read the full interview with Kirkland here.