What can an ex-professional footballer do after retiring from the game..?

Thanks all..

Andrew...the teaching avanue is a great idea..

Stephen...you are right, my friend went straight from school to football, so education was not high on his list. Surely this is a business idea waiting to happen..?

Nicki..Sports travel is a novel idea...I know someone who runs a travel firm...

Andy

Andy, I have just had a former Rugby pro get started with us as a Herbalife distributor - like your friend, his network of contacts is going to give him a good start into the market for sport nutrition and he'll probably know a lot of trainers/physios who might like to join his network so he can start to grow a royalty income.

With Herbalife now working with FC Barcelona, Messi and the LA Galaxy including Mr Beckham, your friend would have a lot of credible branding to help him go forward with Herbalife.

I'd imagine a cost of £200 to get started would not be out of his league.

Is he 'recognisably' famous? .. I mean would people know who he was even if they werent a die hard fan of his particular club?

Hi Andy,

Has he thought about going back to retrain in Sport Science? I have taught on a FA distance course at MMU that a few ex-pros have been on. I think it runs as a diploma, so it would be a matter of discussing entry terms with the course. If you want to PM me I can find you some more info.

Ann

Honest answer - If this ex-pro footballer is used to £100,00 per week then, he should of saved so he does not need to work ever again...lol

Second answer - how about becoming a pro referee, good for fitness and a chance to payback into the system that he has taken from for the last 10 years

It's going to come down to what he honestly feels he's like to do & his skill set. I lectured on undergraduate & postgraduate Sports Science courses at uni & an ex-colleague used to be a semi-pro footballer, & studied Exercise Physiology to go into lecturing & research. Having since left academia, I can honestly say that there are so many sports science type courses out there now, with very few jobs for graduates. Most end up in the fitness industry, sports therapy, etc where the pay is worse now that it was 20 years ago.

Is there a business idea in filing the gap for kids that go straight from school to football, universities were starting to work with local football clubs on that during my time lecturing, which is about 10+ years ago, but there is potential, I'm sure.

With regards to coaching, not every player makes a good coach either; & the same applies to public speaking. I do feel that a lot can be done for sports at a grass roots level, especially with the Olympics round the corner. There could well be pockets of funding available for community based projects. Having been sponsored by several of the main sporting brands, such as Adidas, it could be worth approaching them to work in partnership with them.

Apologies if I've waffled .. been a long day for me.

Bye!

Thanks all..at this rate, he is going to have plenty of job opprtunities..well done all..

Katie: Sports nutrition is a good idea..

Helen: Rocognised in the locations where he has played, not UK wide...

Ann: Nice idea, but I fear a diploma may be a step too far..

Dave: Like most pros, he did not earn £100,000 a week, so does need a job...a referee is a good idea..

Ann-See: You are right about the school/club gap and that education should be included somewhere..thanks for waffling..

Andy

Has he thought of being a sports presenter on the BBC either national or local (or any of the commercial radio stations)? He could commentate on football games and give an insight into the matches for those that are listening and watching who don't necessarily follow the sport.

I met an ex pro recently who had re-trained as an IFA and he had transitioned very well!

Linda

Hi Andy

I've done a lot of work with footballers/ex footballers, drop me a PM - I could have some ideas x

My brother-in-law is an ex professional footballer who now runs his own accounting practice as an accounting technician. He never seems to be short of clients, but then again he's quite an outgoing kind of chap. If you take a flight with him he'll be on first name terms with half the passengers by the time you land.

I suppose that means he can do what he wants by incorporating his strengths.

David

Richard Sneekes, an ex-player of ours (West Bromwich Albion), was well known among the fans for setting up financial services after his career finished, although he has now gone back into coaching.

Whilst trying to find out more, I stumbled across this

Very interesting to see the variation in what ex-players have gone on to do.

Put him in touch with me, Andy, and I can help produce a top notch CV for him as well as explore what his key skills are, and how they can best be used in the world of business.

Captain of his club and played for his country, so one has to assume a low level club and football country then if he wasnt on decent money , so after dinners etc wont be that lucrative unless hes a cracking speaker. Is he looking to stay here in UK?

Really depends what skills and interests he has as to what hed want to do and only he knows that, I doubt he'd wanna go into something he doesnt like.