Adam Jones admits bottling up over Wales career propspects

Adam Jones admits bottling up his feelings instead of talking to Wales' management as his career dipped.

Jones, 33, announced his Test rugby retirement after being omitted from Wales' 2015 Six Nations squad.

"I'm a bottler. I keep things to myself," said Jones, who "would love" two or three more years at Cardiff Blues before quitting playing to coach.

Jones also thanked Wales boss Warren Gatland for turning him into a two-tour British and Irish Lion.

As he reflected on the events leading to calling time on his Test career, Jones told Scrum V: "I would probably have liked a bit more dialogue and that's probably from my end as well. I'm a bottler. I keep things to myself.

"Sometimes you don't tend to want to hear certain things and perhaps that was me. Look, it's the coach - I've said I want to be a coach - and you've got to make these decisions.

"If my face didn't fit anymore and they want to go down the younger route, so be it. This is why they get paid the big bucks to make these calls so it's something I've got to respect.

"I don't agree with it, I don't like it, but I've got to respect that decision. History tells you they've got a pretty good track record so they know a lot more about it than me."

Warren Gatland became Adam Jones' Wales coach after their early exit from the 2007 World Cup

Jones made the 2009 Lions tour after New Zealander Gatland's second Six Nations in charge.

Gatland was assistant coach in South Africa as the 2009 Lions lost their series 2-1.

Four years later Gatland took charge of the 2-1 win over Australia in which Jones played in all three Tests.

"I'm pretty confident that if he hadn't come in to coach Wales I wouldn't have gone on either of those tours," said Jones, who made five Lions Test appearances and 95 for Wales.

"He came, kicked me up the backside so to speak and played a massive part in my development and I can only thank him for that, really."

After leaving Ospreys last summer, Jones joined Kiwi Mark Hammett's new regime at Cardiff Arms Park.

The player hoped to return to international favour after a "difficult year" for himself and close family.

But he played no part in Wales' November Tests having also been dropped from Wales' final 2014 Six Nations game against Scotland.

His final Wales appearance came in their 38-16 defeat by South Africa in the first Test in June that year.

Jones' Test future was cast in doubt after he was replaced by Samson Lee after just 30 minutes of that game.

Gatland named Scarlets' nine-times capped Samson Lee, 22, as his top tight-head pick in his Six Nations squad, with Ospreys' Aaron Jarvis, 28, and Jones's 25-year-old team-mate Scott Andrews - who has not started a Pro 12 game for the Blues this season and whose last Wales cap came in November 2013 - the other options.

Gatland had placed Jones on standby for the Six Nations in case of injury, saying the door was open for him to force his way back into the squad for the World Cup.

Jones now intends to acquire coaching qualifications and experience during the remainder of his playing career.

"I'm not blessed with the intelligence to go into banking or anything like that so I'll keep a tracksuit on," said Jones.

His Blues contract expires at the end of the 2014-15 season and Jones said: "Hopefully something will get sorted in the next month with whoever, really... I'd love to stay at the Blues.

"I still think I've got a good two or three years left in me."