Seamus Coleman says he will know when it’s time to draw the curtain on his international career.
The Everton ace plans to bow out on his terms - even if that means his time with Ireland comes to an end before he would wish.
Coleman is eager to be around for the Euro 2024 campaign, but admits he is at the stage of his career where he can only take things one game at a time.
“You don’t know when your last cap could be, regardless of what age or where you are in your career,” said the Toffees defender, who will start in Malta on Sunday night.
“I wouldn’t say (I’ll) keep going until I can’t no more, because I think you have got to be realistic with your body.
“If I go back to Everton in January and I am in training and I notice lads are running past me two or three times in a training session, I think you have got to look at all things.
“But at this moment in time I feel good when I play.
“Listen, I’m not 23 or 24, I’m not up and down the way I used to, but I feel good. I’ve played against some good wingers this season and I’ve felt comfortable.
“It’s not about looking that far ahead, it’s just about the next game and trying to be as good as I can be in the next game.”
Coleman certainly spoke on Saturday like a man with an eye on next year’s tough European Championships campaign.
The opportunity to take on France and the Netherlands is one he is relishing.
“It’s a tough group, there is no getting away from it,” said the 34-year-old, who bounced back from groin surgery during the summer.
“But at the same time when you are growing up in Ireland and you are kicking a ball with your local club and someone is telling you that you’ve an opportunity to play against France or Holland in a qualifier, you have got to see the positive side to it and see what we can do.
“I think we showed against Belgium and Portugal, very strong nations, that we’ll be a match for them.
“It’s about making everyone believe, I suppose, and really enjoying it, enjoying being part of it, and hopefully causing an upset along the way.”
It has been a mixed year for Coleman on the international front.
He watched the Norway defeat last Thursday from the bench, as he did the 3-2 win over Armenia in September.
His only appearances so far this year have been as a substitute in Scotland, and starts in Armenia and at home to Belgium.
He’s back in the side on Sunday night and he said: “As players we are all competitive. You’ve got that fire in your belly, you always want to play.
“But you’ve got to understand from every angle as well. There have been times when I’ve come in not in the best of form and times when I have come in in form.
“It’s just about when you get the opportunity to give as good as you can, because ultimately you never know when it’s your last opportunity.
“So you have just got to give it everything you’ve got all the time.
“Ultimately for me it’s always important how the team gets on. But it’s important too to have that fire in your belly to be a part of international teams.
“That’s down to me when I get the opportunity, and to make sure I’m doing the business at club level as well.”
Ireland boss Stephen Kenny, meanwhile, paid tribute to Coleman not just for his work on the pitch, but for his leadership within the squad.
“Seamus has had such a good career and is such an incredible competitor with such a desire to win and to play,” said Kenny.
“He has always been a first choice player. To be honest with you, he has been terrific any time he has played with us.
“In the last camp, the games against Ukraine and Scotland, the back-three played very well.
“Even though we lost the Scotland game, the back three was very good and the players deserved to start the other night.
“Seamus obviously plays tomorrow. He has had a terrific run of form with Everton over the last six games that he has started.
“Seamus has been an amazing captain for Ireland. He is revered throughout the country for his playing career.
“Of course he wants to play, that’s only natural. You should never lose that.
“We are all very proud of Seamus, he knows that.
“I think the captaincy side of it, he is brilliant in the camp. But obviously he doesn’t want that, he wants to be first and foremost a player.
“Like all great captains, that’s what they want. But he is a tremendous captain behind the scenes.”
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