Brendan Clarke says the need for a fresh start was the main factor behind his move from St Patrick's Athletic to Shelbourne.
The goalkeeper spent over a decade at Pat's across three spells in Inchicore and the 35-year-old told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast that he felt a change was needed and that it's not a case of "winding down" his career by going down to the First Division.
"Pat's, I've been associated with for such a long time in my career but at the end of the season, I sat down and thought about what's important to me now," he said.
"What's important to me now is to be happy going into training, it's not having to drag myself out of bed and get motivated to go in and train every morning, which was the case last year.
"Once [Shels boss Ian] Morris made contact with me from Shels, he showed a real desire to have me at the club. I'd know the goalkeeping coach there really well, Paul Skinner, and I know the detail he goes into.
"That's what I want. I want to go to Shels and win the league next year, win the First Division title and then go up into the Premier Division the following year. That's what's important to me."
While no start date for the 2021 season is in place, Clarke called for official confirmation soon to give players and clubs more clarity: "At the moment, the date that's been floated about a lot is 26 February to restart. I think we just need someone to officially come out and confirm that."
Clarke also outlined what his new role as PFAI chairman entails after taking over from the recently retired former Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers in September.
"I'd kind of be the first connection between the PFAI staff and the union and players," he explained.
"We have a management committee that will do most of the decision-making, not just the full-time staff in the office.
"The majority of it goes through the management committee and I would have been elected from that management committee.
"I would be a member of the finance committee as well which would make decisions on big expenditure within the union.
"It doesn't affect my football. It's totally voluntary, there's no wage or anything from it."
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