The 36-year-old told team-mates of his decision at training on Saturday and will bring the curtain down on his six-year Phoenix career against Melbourne Victory at Westpac Stadium as Phoenix look to avoid the wooden spoon.

"I've had a blast but now is the time to call it a day," said Paston, who began his A-League career with the New Zealand Knights in 2006 and will play his 73rd game for Phoenix today.

"Someone told me years ago that in football you tend to have a few highs but a lot more lows and to make sure you enjoy the highs when they come round.

"At Phoenix I've had a couple of broken legs and had to sit on the bench for virtually a whole season. That is pretty hard but I got through those times and have given it my all."

He added: "As you get older you start thinking about the following season earlier and earlier.

"It is hard to explain, but you start to wonder if you have it in you to go into another season.

"I'm the sort of guy for who it is all or nothing, and if I don't think I can give it everything I don't see the point of carrying on in the professional sense.

"My body isn't getting any younger and I tend to get to about December and it starts to seize up a bit. That is another sign it is about time to give it up because I can't just turn up and go through the motions.

"It is all or nothing for me and as a goalkeeper at training there is no place to hide."

Paston, who saved a penalty against Bahrain to take New Zealand to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, has not ruled out continuing his All Whites career as they continue their push for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

"It would be nice to finish my international career at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil but that is some way off," Paston said.

"I will take a few months off and re-evaluate a few things. Then I would need to talk to my future employer about time off, and if I do put my hand up for those games later in the year I would need some game time so I would have to find a club.

"I'll worry about that later though. I just need time off at the moment."