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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to think being a Premiership Footballler is one of the best jobs in the world?

89 replies

Piknik · 18/06/2026 20:25

Men's Premier League specifically.

Ridiculous pay
Comraderie and strong bonds and friendships formed with team mates
Superb fitness levels
Access to best medical/mental health teams
Travel in style/stay in amazing hotels
See the world
Opportunity to be a role model for younger generations
Early retirement and the funds to do have a complete second career doing something meaningful and fulfilling

I know it's the job that kids aspire to, but I'm a middle aged woman and I really fancy it... Can't think of a better job to be honest!

OP posts:
Anarchy99 · 19/06/2026 18:37

Redheadedstepchild · 19/06/2026 15:46

The best job in the sporting field that I know about is, "Sports Statistician." I used to know someone about ten years ago who was one.
His specialised in track and field athletics.

I'm sure that there's a lot of maths and graphs and boring stuff involved but all I ever heard about was him travelling the globe to go to the World Championships or the Olympics to wherever they were doing their running, jumping and throwing things malarkey.

The stories you hear about the Olympic Village running out of condoms and suchlike do appear to have at least an element of truth to them, if my friend was to be believed.

I took some of his anecdotes with a pinch of salt though because although he was an attractive man - for a civilian - as it were, I wondered how he seemed to get so lucky so often, considering that he was in Bedroom Gymnastics competion with the fittest, most body conscious people in the world.

I did ask him whether there was a kind of ranking system or hierarchy wherein coaches went with coaches or journalists went with journalists or if a highjumper wouldn't contemplate a shotputter but he was adamant that it was a complete free for all.

So, if you're into: athletics, foreign travel, rampant casual sex and compiling sports data, I have the career for you!

Actually, I've just read that last sentence back to myself and actually it sounds like a living hell. I've also remembered why we drifted out of contact. Sprinting, sightseeing, sex, statistics and sex again. It exhausted me just listening to it.

Edited

What does ‘attractive for a civilian’ mean?

ForPinkDuck · 19/06/2026 18:56

Superstar dj for me. Pete Tongs still going!.

Allseeingallknowing · 19/06/2026 19:04

aquestionforya · 19/06/2026 13:21

It annoys me hearing people moan about how much footballers make. The industry generates that money, each club employs and pays (well) a load of staff - a small amount of them the players. If the players wages dropped where would the rest of the money generated go? To the owners? But no one complains about that, as they don’t tend to be working class/immigrant lads that have struck it lucky with their playing talent, cashing in on a very short lived career. And often having to support whole families back home - because people don’t view footballers wages as EARNED. It’s more like a lottery win and therefore not deserved.

Well, you’ll be annoyed with me, then. The salaries are ridiculous and obscene, some earning more in a week than the average worker makes in years. Yes, sometimes the football career is short lived, but they have all sorts of sponsorship deals, turn to coaching, commentating , adverts etc, modelling, become TV personalities and make a fortune that way. Being a PL player opens all sorts of lucrative doors for them. If they spend their money on expensive cars and luxury goods instead of saving for their future away from football, that’s their fault. They also often become property owners and build up a portfolio which is security for future years.

Redheadedstepchild · 19/06/2026 19:34

@Anarchy99 it's slang for not being part of the so called, "in group." Obviously it applied to the military first of all but sometime in the 2000's Hollywood A listers started applying it to us normal people.

In the context of my friend - I work in tourism and hospitality and he was a guest who sort of stuck to me and kept in contact when he went back to England - when he was talking about the athletics championships being quite saucy, as it were, I was skeptical of him, although quite physically fit for a normal person having torrid affairs with Olympic standard athletes. The, "in group" in this scenario.

I had always thought of it being quite a closed off and insular community that kept themselves to themselves and didn't mix with people that weren't 24/7 training, eating a very strict diet, going to physio etc. A, "civilian" just wouldn't be on their wavelength, somehow.

Plus, I wrongly thought that their idea of a big night out was having a marinade on their skinless chicken breast, a small bottle of alcohol free beer and going to bed at ten o'clock instead of half past nine.

More bluntly, I just didn't see a nice looking bloke who liked a good pizza and going clubbing having one night stands with the likes of Nico Young or whoever. But allegedly, there's more party time and more Catholic tastes in potential partners in track and field athletics than I knew about.

Which is a good thing, I think.

Redheadedstepchild · 19/06/2026 20:51

childoftkty · 19/06/2026 18:30

DS has a few friends who are sports statisticians. They’re all very smart boys. Started off in lower league clubs earning next to nothing and have ended up at top premier league clubs. Great careers

Good for them. My friend was really clever as well. Nice man really. Bit sex mad but that's the follies of youth for you. Should have kept in touch with hindsight.

Just spelling statistician is a bit too difficult for me. It's one of those words that I write or type then have to look up. I always want to put an extra t in. Statistian? Statistitian?

Hard to say as well.

BitOutOfPractice · 19/06/2026 20:55

OP you’re not wrong. It’s an amazing career though it’s very brutal. But like acting - the rejection is constant.

I often look at young, fit people and wonder If they really appreciate their fit strong bodies that don’t ache and creak. I don’t think I did.

CaveMum · 19/06/2026 21:01

My cousin used to have the best job in the world - he travelled the world staying in posh hotels/on cruise ships to assess them for the upmarket travel company he worked for. He would be booked in as a regular guest so they didn’t know who he was and would do all the expensive experiences to road test them.

Why he gave up that job I’ll never know, but he later worked on the 2012 Olympics Torch Relay which was also very cool!

Anarchy99 · 20/06/2026 05:22

CaveMum · 19/06/2026 21:01

My cousin used to have the best job in the world - he travelled the world staying in posh hotels/on cruise ships to assess them for the upmarket travel company he worked for. He would be booked in as a regular guest so they didn’t know who he was and would do all the expensive experiences to road test them.

Why he gave up that job I’ll never know, but he later worked on the 2012 Olympics Torch Relay which was also very cool!

That would be one of those jobs I wouldn’t do for all the money in the world

Anarchy99 · 20/06/2026 05:24

Redheadedstepchild · 19/06/2026 19:34

@Anarchy99 it's slang for not being part of the so called, "in group." Obviously it applied to the military first of all but sometime in the 2000's Hollywood A listers started applying it to us normal people.

In the context of my friend - I work in tourism and hospitality and he was a guest who sort of stuck to me and kept in contact when he went back to England - when he was talking about the athletics championships being quite saucy, as it were, I was skeptical of him, although quite physically fit for a normal person having torrid affairs with Olympic standard athletes. The, "in group" in this scenario.

I had always thought of it being quite a closed off and insular community that kept themselves to themselves and didn't mix with people that weren't 24/7 training, eating a very strict diet, going to physio etc. A, "civilian" just wouldn't be on their wavelength, somehow.

Plus, I wrongly thought that their idea of a big night out was having a marinade on their skinless chicken breast, a small bottle of alcohol free beer and going to bed at ten o'clock instead of half past nine.

More bluntly, I just didn't see a nice looking bloke who liked a good pizza and going clubbing having one night stands with the likes of Nico Young or whoever. But allegedly, there's more party time and more Catholic tastes in potential partners in track and field athletics than I knew about.

Which is a good thing, I think.

Sorry I should say I know what it means but wondered what the context was. So you mean he wasn’t an athlete.

Piknik · 20/06/2026 18:28

ForPinkDuck · 19/06/2026 18:56

Superstar dj for me. Pete Tongs still going!.

I used to do a bit of DJing back in the day. No Pete Tong obviously, but same genre and same era. Had a few little residencies and still muck about on my decks.

I can honestly think of nothing worse than having to start a set at 2am nowadays....

OP posts:
Cazziebo · 20/06/2026 22:55

XH was a Premier League footballer, also played for the national team. Career abruptly ended with a fracture during a game. He managed to play again with some part timers but the pay was poor and he had to find another career.Being a professional footballer doesn’t really qualify you for anything although I believe it helps you get interviews because it is a bit different.

It’s generally a very precarious and short term career. (Unless you’re Craig Gordon….Smile ) And very restrictive re playing any other sports (potential injury) and any behaviour that might bring disrepute for the club.

I have a friend who is a golf caddy for a well known golfer. Now he has a great life! Still working late 50s, best hotels and first class flights, lots of free time and seems to absolutely love the lifestyle. No long term relationship or children - maybe that’s the cost?

MasterBeth · 20/06/2026 23:55

Passaggressfedup · 18/06/2026 20:51

About 10 years ago, I was making conversation with a mum I'd just met, during a work do. Typical conversation, how old are your kids, what are they studying, what would they like to do...

She told me her son was big into football...I couldn't help smiling internally thinking...don't they all, don't they all...

He is now on the English National Team, big big name 🤣🤣🤣

Don't ask who, I won't divulge!

Why?

You haven't said anything revealing/interesting about your conversation, or yourself.

What possible difference would it make if you said Declan Rice or Jude Bellingham or Bukayo Saka?

Anarchy99 · 21/06/2026 01:39

Cazziebo · 20/06/2026 22:55

XH was a Premier League footballer, also played for the national team. Career abruptly ended with a fracture during a game. He managed to play again with some part timers but the pay was poor and he had to find another career.Being a professional footballer doesn’t really qualify you for anything although I believe it helps you get interviews because it is a bit different.

It’s generally a very precarious and short term career. (Unless you’re Craig Gordon….Smile ) And very restrictive re playing any other sports (potential injury) and any behaviour that might bring disrepute for the club.

I have a friend who is a golf caddy for a well known golfer. Now he has a great life! Still working late 50s, best hotels and first class flights, lots of free time and seems to absolutely love the lifestyle. No long term relationship or children - maybe that’s the cost?

Who’s Craig Gordon?

randomchap · 21/06/2026 09:37

Anarchy99 · 21/06/2026 01:39

Who’s Craig Gordon?

Scotland goalkeeper. Still playing for his country at 43

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