COLMAN’S PODCAST

The following article is brought to you by Quentin Joyce, one of the hosts of ‘Colman’s Podcast’.

RETIRE, IF YOU DARE

When we look back on a top player’s career, we see their dazzling goals, we see their tricks and flicks, their last-minute winner in a derby and all that comes with it, all completely edited into three minutes of a YouTube video. Players endure heavy defeats and mammoth victories; they experience a roller-coaster of emotions right through their playing career. They have flashy cars, TV appearances, and you can’t forget the party lifestyle.

Retirement is what braings this glamourous life to an abrupt stop. Most players don’t plan or think about their retirement. They’re unaware of how to survive with the fortune they’ve built up playing the game they love professionally for 20 years. Do we presume because of their fortune they have it easy after retiring? Yes, we do but for some, they fall through the cracks of the ‘afterlife’ of soccer surrounded by darkness and fear. Have we thought of what actually happens to the ‘once’ soccer legends we glorified in their prime?

Before Christmas, we were lucky enough to talk to Irish soccer legend, Niall Quinn on the Colman’s Podcast. Something that really stood out was when he said “I was never told to plan for retirement”; he added that “clubs don’t want you thinking of retirement”. Clubs want their players to be fully focused on the game, why would they need to think about their players’ retiring? Why is it their problem?

This greedy attitude towards their players is unacceptable. It can cause the gradual decline of many players’ personal lives after retirement. They go in blind and can’t cope with their new reality. Some try to replace the highs they felt from football with other vices such as drugs and alcohol, as seen with some of the greats such as Best and Maradona. Anything to get that feeling back. Niall went on to say that, “3 in 5 footballers experience divorce in the first three years after retiring and a further 2 in 5 footballers suffer bankruptcy at least once in the aftermath”.

In every circumstance, there are exceptions. Cristiano Ronaldo has become a self-made brand and he’s still playing. His brand, CR7, is renowned around the world and brings in substantial revenue every year. What can other players do to assure self-sufficiency after retirement? They need to find something that makes them get out of bed, just like soccer did - something that gives them a purpose instead of feeling like they’re in the past, or even worse, the feeling of being left behind entirely.

How are players expected to plan for this when they are contractually committed to training, matches, nutrition, and everything that comes with being a professional soccer player? They need to be taught vital financial investment strategies to secure their future.

The Players Football Association (PFA) is one of the biggest and most influential unions in the world. They represent the players throughout their careers. The only way to strive for change is for the PFA and clubs to work together and potentially save many soccer players from this loss of identity and the risk of financial hardship. Most players are plucked out of the education system as early as fourteen, unlike rugby where the majority of pro players get to third level. How are they expected to have the right skillset and knowledge to progress as adults and find jobs without a basic education?

The intertwining of retirement preparation in a player’s contract could have numerous positive effects for both club and player. Neither would have to worry if they are forced to retire if they get injured, they can focus 100% percent on games and not stress over what happens after. This may even lead to a longer career as they feel secure. Clubs may not like players thinking of retirement, but their careers will inevitably end and the club they’ve been giving everything to for years, their blood, sweat, tears all for that jersey, will count for nothing if not dealt with successfully.

Quentin Joyce is a 4th year student at St Colman’s College, Fermoy with an interest in journalism. The Colman’s podcast and blog can be accessed on www.colmanspodcast.com