But the veteran striker is now on the verge of returning from a torn hamstring picked up in the 2-0 defeat by Morecambe on December 5.
He told the Stoke Sentinel: "I've got to consider retirement because I haven't played enough games.
"I didn't want to come in just as assistant manager, I wanted to play football too, so it's been disappointing I haven't been able to stay injury free.
"In a worst-case scenario, if my hamstring or groin goes again or I keep picking up niggly injuries, I'll review things in the summer."
Source: Team Talk
Source: Team Talk