Gunnarsson Admits He Considered Cardiff Exit In 2016

Aron Gunnarsson says it is hard to say goodbye to Cardiff City after eight years, although he admits he thought about moving in 2016. The Iceland international was 22 years old when he signed his first deal with Cardiff in July 2011 and will now head off to join his ex-national team boss Heimir Hallgrimsson at Al Arabi in Qatar.

Reflecting on his spell in Wales, Gunnarsson said: “This time has been up and down. Much has changed and many players have come and gone. I have learned a lot. “It’s always hard to say goodbye, especially when you’ve been in one place for so long. These days it’s not that often that players, especially foreigners, stay so long in the same place.

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“Of course it’s hard to say goodbye, but I’m also excited about new challenges and new environments.” In an interview with fotbolti.net, Gunnarsson added: “First, when I came, I felt good. I was in a club where I had to work my way up to the Premiership. We succeeded in the second year. Then it came a year and two years ago, around Euro 2016, it was a downturn I felt, with me and the club.

Then I started thinking about moving, but fortunately we were here and got involved in this adventure that has taken place the last two years. ” Gunnarsson said playing at Wembley in the EFL Cup Final and getting to the Premier League twice were his career highlights. “It was important for the club and for me to get promoted,” he added. “I had always wanted to play in the Premiership and was going to do it step-by-step – it was a success. Doing so with Cardiff was sweet.”