My Football Career is a comprehensive player support services program, which is designed to empower players to be proactive life/career managers who are encouraged to be career informed and to pursue continual professional development.
… the term "life/career" has become widely used and what clearly needs to be acknowledged is the active role the individual needs to take his own ongoing career development … individuals need to be much more than passive recipients of a life/career process … they need to be proactive life/career managers.
McMahon M, Patton W & Tatham P Australian Blueprint for Career Development p 4
My Football Career has been designed so that players identify themselves as 'sole traders' and can structure their support networks accordingly. All Football Federation Australia professional and elite amateur players are encouraged to access the support services and networks available to them through My Football Career.
Access to the comprehensive support services are available via the My Football Career site. Click on the blurb and sub menu to access the services.
Professionalism & Performance Management
To enable players (& coaches) to achieve their maximum potential through the provision of an environment to support full time professionalism & performance.
Career Management / Networking
To provide an individualised career management and networking program to empower players to manage their lifelong careers.
Learning & Development
To provide players with nationally tiered and accredited competency based personal and professional development programs, in addition to tertiary institute networks, that support and encourage lifelong professional development.
Lifestyle Management
To provide specialist independent and confidential advice and support to players and partners in all life management areas.
Financial Management & Planning
To provide a learning & development program to enable players to understand their own financial goals and to assist players to implement a personal financial management strategy.
Football Federation Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of former Qantas Socceroo, and current Central Coast Mariner, Tony Vidmar and Qantas Matilda, Dianne Alagich as National Ambassadors of My Football Career.
For Tony Vidmar the joy of the game remains, despite the trials and tribulations of his many years on the road:
"It started as a hobby and I continue to try and treat it that way. Every day, I love going to training and competing even at my age and I love to test myself against the younger players."
Saying I treat it as a hobby is because that's what makes me still enjoy playing football. If I start to think of the money, and the limelight etc. that would make me lose track of what I am doing, and that is play football.
Having said that, it is important for all players to be smart in how they plan their lives around the game. The life of a professional footballer presents many challenges and My Football Career will provide outstanding support services and networks for all players who want to make considered decisions regarding any aspect of their career.
I look forward to representing all players within the program, and along with other veterans of the great game, mentoring the young players throughout their careers”.
Tony Vidmar
Ambassador – My Football Career
“My Football Career is the first comprehensive support services program for female athletes in Australia and I am proud to represent all elite amateur and professional players within this program. I have been very fortunate to find a great employer at the Australian Customs Service who support my international football career.
I encourage all players to take advantage of the networking and professional development opportunities that the game and the program presents to assist them in advancing all areas of their life.
I along with other players look forward to assisting younger players as they enter the game to fully develop their potential and achieve their goals on and off the pitch.”
Dianne Alagich
Ambassador – My Football Career