Post by QPR Report on Nov 5, 2009 19:39:57 GMT
Goal.com - Top 10 Post-Football Careers
Footballers - they're all loaded and sit around counting their millions when they hang up their boots. Right? Wrong. Goal.com gives you the run down on ten players who got 'proper' jobs when their glory days ended... Nov 5, 2009
10) Berry van Aerle (Holland) Postman
Replacing the adrenaline drug of the game is never easy. Back in the old days, before the TV fuelled billions, your retired pro would use their testimonial money to run a pub or bed and breakfast.
Not so for Berry van Aerle. A multiple championship winner in his native Holland with PSV, his career high came at Euro '88, when he was part of Rinus Michels' Dutch masters.
He wound his career down at Helmond Sport. He liked the place so much he stayed there, becoming a postman.
The man who once famously quipped that all he learnt from Bobby Robson at PSV was English also worked as a scout at his former club.
Van Aerle isn't the only player to swap the onion bag for the mail bag. Former England international Neil Webb was revealed to be working for the Royal Mail a few years ago for £220 a week. He has since found a new post as a pundit.
9) Eamon Dunphy (Ireland) Journalist
As he would say, he was a good player, not a great player. When he was still plying his trade at Millwall, Dunphy wrote a seminal book about the real life of a Division Two player called 'Only a Game.'
The book launched his journalism career and he hasn't looked back since. Dunphy's words command huge attention in Ireland, whether he is mouthing off about Giovanni Trapattoni's tactics or slating the Irish health service.
One of Ireland's most controversial journalists, Dunphy hosted a popular current affairs 'Drivetime' show on Irish radio, wrote a book about U2, had his own Friday night chat show and an ill-fated stint hosting the Irish version of 'The Weakest Link'.
Always colourful, Dunphy was banned from attending Jack Charlton's press conferences at Italia '90 after saying he was "ashamed to be Irish" after Ireland's draw with Egypt in the group stages.
He remained in the headlines for championing the cause of small shareholders who lost a fortune in Irish telecommunications giant Eircom at the start of the decade.
Widely lampooned, Dunphy once claimed "you can't get good coke in this town", and he wasn't referring to Cola in Dublin either. Like him or love him, you certainly can't ignore Eamon Dunphy.
8) Thomas Hassler (Germany) Record Company Mogul
The diminutive Hassler has always punched above his 5ft 5.5in frame. A World Cup and European Championship winner, the Berliner didn't just have a talent for delivering dead balls for the likes of Roma and Karlsruhe.
A reasonable musician himself Hassler founded the MTM record label back in 1996 when he was at the height of his playing career. Specialising in melodic rock - or cheesy nonsense, depending on your taste - the label has got several records into the charts, including German rockers Shylock, who penned a song for him entitled 'Farewell (To The Champion)' when the former midfield maestro retired in 2004.
Hassler showed his humanitarian side when he donated all the profits from an MTM compilation to the victims of September 11 and penned the sleeve notes for the CD.
7) George Weah (Liberia) Politician
On the field few could match Weah's extraordinary blend of physical strength, speed and goalscoring ability. Who can forget that goal against Verona, when he ran the length of the pitch to send the San Siro into raptures?
Weah came from a poor background and was raised in a slum. After being abandoned by his father aged three he was raised by his grandmother.
Such experiences set him apart from his contemporaries in the dressing rooms of Monaco and Milan, so it wasn't a surprise that he entered politics when his retired in 2003.
He stood for election as the candidate for the Congress for Democratic Change in the Liberian Presidential election in 2005. He'd been the subject of a petition urging him to run and was widely considered to be the favourite due to his popularity.
Weah won the most votes of any candidate in the first ballot but failed to secure an overall majority and subsequently lost out in the run off to his rival, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. He initially disputed the result but dropped his legal challenge, allowing his opponent to become Liberia's first female President.
With Johnson-Sirleaf halfway through her Presidency, Weah has indicated he may run again and change the term of office from six to four years if elected.
6) Gerhard Hanappi (Austria) Architect
Plenty of players have stadiums named after them, but not many can say they actually designed the venue which bears their title. The late Gerhard Hanappi is one of them.
A native of Vienna, Hanappi played for Rapid Wien for 15 years, racking up over 300 appearances. He caused uproar when he switched from Wacker Wien to their bigger city rivals in 1950. His decision paid off as he went on to claim seven league titles and was a key member of Austria's Wunderteam, who finished third in the 1954 World Cup.
After captaining his side at the next World Cup, Hannapi wound his career down at Rapid before training to become an architect in 1965.
He remained devoted to his former club in retirement and suggested they build an English style stadium, with the fans closer to the pitch, when the time came for Rapid to leave the old Pfarrwiese arena.
Drawing on his architecture skills, Hannapi devised Rapid's new home, which opened in 1977. After his death in 1980, the stadium was renamed the Gerhard Hannapi Stadion for the man who was quite literally the architect of Austrian football.
5) Rudolf Kargus (Germany) Artist
'Rudi' was unlucky to be around when the great Sepp Maier was Germany's No.1 between the sticks. He only made three appearances for his country but had a fine career at Hamburg, with whom he won the Bundesliga and UEFA Cup during the 70s.
Perhaps it was Kevin Keegan's perm that inspired him to pick up a paintbrush when the two were team-mates, but whatever it was, Kargus has gone on to be a prolific producer of art since hanging up his gloves.
Usually depicting scenes of football, Kargus has had his work exhibited in several galleries. During the World Cup in 2006, he had 30 of his oil paintings on display aboard the famous Rickmer Rickmers sailing ship, which is moored in his beloved Hamburg.
4) Klas Ingesson (Sweden) Lumberjack
Ingesson abruptly retired from the game in 2001 and went from felling opponents to taking down trees instead.
As one of the stars from Sweden's charge to third place at USA '94, the lanky midfielder had a varied career, playing in six different countries for the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Bari.
After an unhappy spell at his final club Lecce, Ingesson jacked it all in and returned to his native Sweden, where he turned over a new leaf as an expert tree feller, which, according to friends, was his "childhood dream".
It was recently revealed that Ingesson is battling Cancer, having been diagnosed with multiple myeloma back in May. Treatment is understood to be going well and we wish him well.
3) Gavin Peacock (England) Preacher
Giving up a seat on the BBC Match of the Day sofa can't be easy, but then again, seeing the Geordie messiah Alan Shearer's colourful shirts on a weekly basis may inspire you to a higher calling.
Peacock slotted in nicely at the Beeb after a decent career turning out for Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers. He hit the crossbar in the FA Cup final for the Blues in 1994 and built a loyal female fan base on television due to his designer stubble and slick wardrobe.
However, he walked away from it all last summer to emigrate to Canada with his wife, two kids and two dogs to begin a three year masters course in Divinity.
After completing his studies, Peacock will have the choice of becoming a pastor, vicar or minister.
Now aged 41, Peacock became a Christian at the age of 19. Whilst at QPR, he ran a bible study group for footballers. At the BBC he combined his punditry job with hosting religious show 'Songs of Praise'.
Having studied the Bible at Cambridge, Peacock is currently living in a chalet in the Rockies studying Greek and Hebrew, and deconstructing ancient Bible passages.
However, he still finds time to turn out for his local side Canmore United.
2) Vinnie Jones (England) Actor
Yes, he did (briefly) captain Wales, but with his Cockney accent and Watford upbringing, Jones is as Welsh as the Tower of London.
As a player Vinnie was anything but subtle and made the most of his limited ability. Famously, he, along with the Wimbledon 'Crazy Gang', psyched out league champions Liverpool by making 'Yidaho' war cries in the Wembley tunnel. He then clattered into Anfield hardman Steve McMahon in the first minute of the game to set the tone for a famous upset.
Jones transferred his tough guy image to the big screen and has carved out a lucrative career starring in hit movies such as 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', 'X-Men: The Last Stand' and, erm, 'Garfield'.
He earned recognition for his role in 'Mean Machine' - in which he played a former captain of England (!) who was sent to prison and coached the inmates against the guards.
Jones has starred alongside Brad Pitt and Nicolas Cage, and has over 40 acting roles to his credit since his performance as Big Chris in 'Lock, Stock', for which he won an award for best debut by Empire Magazine.
Often derided by critics, it would be unfair to say Jones is a graduate of the David Hasselhoff school of performing arts. He currently lives in Los Angeles and hangs out with movie stars. Steve McMahon is a pundit on Asian television. Go figure...
1) Tomas Brolin (Sweden) Pop Star/Vacuum Cleaner Salesman/Restaurateur etc.
In his prime Brolin was one of the most sought after attacking midfielders in Europe, gracing an outstanding Parma side of the 90s with Gianfranco Zola, Faustino Asprilla et al. He broke English hearts at Euro '92 and was an integral part of the Swedish side who lit up USA '94.
Brolin transferred to Leeds United in 1995 and his career never recovered. He barely played in two years at the club, and it was suggested that he had developed a taste for Parma ham during his stint in Italy. Questions were asked of his weight and he wound down his career at Crystal Palace a bloated figure.
He has since returned to Sweden and has become a tabloid favourite. He set up a chain of restaurants, including one in Stockholm called Undici after the shirt number he wore for Parma.
Brolin continued his business interests by selling a new type of mouthpiece device for vacuum cleaners. He's also flogged shoes, sportswear and skin care products.
Alongside his entrepreneurial enterprises, Brolin made a record with Dr. Alban, he of 90s 'Sing Hallelujah' and 'It's My Life' fame, alongside other Swedish sports stars, including Bjorn Borg. When he wasn't polluting the pop charts with such nonsense, he starred in a jacuzzi advert and made the headlines again when his car collided with an elk.
In the Dr Alban video, Friends in Need, Brolin is seen living the high life in a limousine and helicopter while some blonde beauties frolic around in the hot tub.
Not bad for a lad called 'Tubby' by his Leeds team-mates!
What's the strangest job you think a footballer has ever had after quitting the game? Have we missed someone? Goal.com wants to know YOU think...
Patrick Reilly, Goal.com
goal.com/en/news/8/main/2009/11/05/1606524/top-10-post-football-careers
Footballers - they're all loaded and sit around counting their millions when they hang up their boots. Right? Wrong. Goal.com gives you the run down on ten players who got 'proper' jobs when their glory days ended... Nov 5, 2009
10) Berry van Aerle (Holland) Postman
Replacing the adrenaline drug of the game is never easy. Back in the old days, before the TV fuelled billions, your retired pro would use their testimonial money to run a pub or bed and breakfast.
Not so for Berry van Aerle. A multiple championship winner in his native Holland with PSV, his career high came at Euro '88, when he was part of Rinus Michels' Dutch masters.
He wound his career down at Helmond Sport. He liked the place so much he stayed there, becoming a postman.
The man who once famously quipped that all he learnt from Bobby Robson at PSV was English also worked as a scout at his former club.
Van Aerle isn't the only player to swap the onion bag for the mail bag. Former England international Neil Webb was revealed to be working for the Royal Mail a few years ago for £220 a week. He has since found a new post as a pundit.
9) Eamon Dunphy (Ireland) Journalist
As he would say, he was a good player, not a great player. When he was still plying his trade at Millwall, Dunphy wrote a seminal book about the real life of a Division Two player called 'Only a Game.'
The book launched his journalism career and he hasn't looked back since. Dunphy's words command huge attention in Ireland, whether he is mouthing off about Giovanni Trapattoni's tactics or slating the Irish health service.
One of Ireland's most controversial journalists, Dunphy hosted a popular current affairs 'Drivetime' show on Irish radio, wrote a book about U2, had his own Friday night chat show and an ill-fated stint hosting the Irish version of 'The Weakest Link'.
Always colourful, Dunphy was banned from attending Jack Charlton's press conferences at Italia '90 after saying he was "ashamed to be Irish" after Ireland's draw with Egypt in the group stages.
He remained in the headlines for championing the cause of small shareholders who lost a fortune in Irish telecommunications giant Eircom at the start of the decade.
Widely lampooned, Dunphy once claimed "you can't get good coke in this town", and he wasn't referring to Cola in Dublin either. Like him or love him, you certainly can't ignore Eamon Dunphy.
8) Thomas Hassler (Germany) Record Company Mogul
The diminutive Hassler has always punched above his 5ft 5.5in frame. A World Cup and European Championship winner, the Berliner didn't just have a talent for delivering dead balls for the likes of Roma and Karlsruhe.
A reasonable musician himself Hassler founded the MTM record label back in 1996 when he was at the height of his playing career. Specialising in melodic rock - or cheesy nonsense, depending on your taste - the label has got several records into the charts, including German rockers Shylock, who penned a song for him entitled 'Farewell (To The Champion)' when the former midfield maestro retired in 2004.
Hassler showed his humanitarian side when he donated all the profits from an MTM compilation to the victims of September 11 and penned the sleeve notes for the CD.
7) George Weah (Liberia) Politician
On the field few could match Weah's extraordinary blend of physical strength, speed and goalscoring ability. Who can forget that goal against Verona, when he ran the length of the pitch to send the San Siro into raptures?
Weah came from a poor background and was raised in a slum. After being abandoned by his father aged three he was raised by his grandmother.
Such experiences set him apart from his contemporaries in the dressing rooms of Monaco and Milan, so it wasn't a surprise that he entered politics when his retired in 2003.
He stood for election as the candidate for the Congress for Democratic Change in the Liberian Presidential election in 2005. He'd been the subject of a petition urging him to run and was widely considered to be the favourite due to his popularity.
Weah won the most votes of any candidate in the first ballot but failed to secure an overall majority and subsequently lost out in the run off to his rival, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. He initially disputed the result but dropped his legal challenge, allowing his opponent to become Liberia's first female President.
With Johnson-Sirleaf halfway through her Presidency, Weah has indicated he may run again and change the term of office from six to four years if elected.
6) Gerhard Hanappi (Austria) Architect
Plenty of players have stadiums named after them, but not many can say they actually designed the venue which bears their title. The late Gerhard Hanappi is one of them.
A native of Vienna, Hanappi played for Rapid Wien for 15 years, racking up over 300 appearances. He caused uproar when he switched from Wacker Wien to their bigger city rivals in 1950. His decision paid off as he went on to claim seven league titles and was a key member of Austria's Wunderteam, who finished third in the 1954 World Cup.
After captaining his side at the next World Cup, Hannapi wound his career down at Rapid before training to become an architect in 1965.
He remained devoted to his former club in retirement and suggested they build an English style stadium, with the fans closer to the pitch, when the time came for Rapid to leave the old Pfarrwiese arena.
Drawing on his architecture skills, Hannapi devised Rapid's new home, which opened in 1977. After his death in 1980, the stadium was renamed the Gerhard Hannapi Stadion for the man who was quite literally the architect of Austrian football.
5) Rudolf Kargus (Germany) Artist
'Rudi' was unlucky to be around when the great Sepp Maier was Germany's No.1 between the sticks. He only made three appearances for his country but had a fine career at Hamburg, with whom he won the Bundesliga and UEFA Cup during the 70s.
Perhaps it was Kevin Keegan's perm that inspired him to pick up a paintbrush when the two were team-mates, but whatever it was, Kargus has gone on to be a prolific producer of art since hanging up his gloves.
Usually depicting scenes of football, Kargus has had his work exhibited in several galleries. During the World Cup in 2006, he had 30 of his oil paintings on display aboard the famous Rickmer Rickmers sailing ship, which is moored in his beloved Hamburg.
4) Klas Ingesson (Sweden) Lumberjack
Ingesson abruptly retired from the game in 2001 and went from felling opponents to taking down trees instead.
As one of the stars from Sweden's charge to third place at USA '94, the lanky midfielder had a varied career, playing in six different countries for the likes of Sheffield Wednesday and Bari.
After an unhappy spell at his final club Lecce, Ingesson jacked it all in and returned to his native Sweden, where he turned over a new leaf as an expert tree feller, which, according to friends, was his "childhood dream".
It was recently revealed that Ingesson is battling Cancer, having been diagnosed with multiple myeloma back in May. Treatment is understood to be going well and we wish him well.
3) Gavin Peacock (England) Preacher
Giving up a seat on the BBC Match of the Day sofa can't be easy, but then again, seeing the Geordie messiah Alan Shearer's colourful shirts on a weekly basis may inspire you to a higher calling.
Peacock slotted in nicely at the Beeb after a decent career turning out for Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers. He hit the crossbar in the FA Cup final for the Blues in 1994 and built a loyal female fan base on television due to his designer stubble and slick wardrobe.
However, he walked away from it all last summer to emigrate to Canada with his wife, two kids and two dogs to begin a three year masters course in Divinity.
After completing his studies, Peacock will have the choice of becoming a pastor, vicar or minister.
Now aged 41, Peacock became a Christian at the age of 19. Whilst at QPR, he ran a bible study group for footballers. At the BBC he combined his punditry job with hosting religious show 'Songs of Praise'.
Having studied the Bible at Cambridge, Peacock is currently living in a chalet in the Rockies studying Greek and Hebrew, and deconstructing ancient Bible passages.
However, he still finds time to turn out for his local side Canmore United.
2) Vinnie Jones (England) Actor
Yes, he did (briefly) captain Wales, but with his Cockney accent and Watford upbringing, Jones is as Welsh as the Tower of London.
As a player Vinnie was anything but subtle and made the most of his limited ability. Famously, he, along with the Wimbledon 'Crazy Gang', psyched out league champions Liverpool by making 'Yidaho' war cries in the Wembley tunnel. He then clattered into Anfield hardman Steve McMahon in the first minute of the game to set the tone for a famous upset.
Jones transferred his tough guy image to the big screen and has carved out a lucrative career starring in hit movies such as 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', 'X-Men: The Last Stand' and, erm, 'Garfield'.
He earned recognition for his role in 'Mean Machine' - in which he played a former captain of England (!) who was sent to prison and coached the inmates against the guards.
Jones has starred alongside Brad Pitt and Nicolas Cage, and has over 40 acting roles to his credit since his performance as Big Chris in 'Lock, Stock', for which he won an award for best debut by Empire Magazine.
Often derided by critics, it would be unfair to say Jones is a graduate of the David Hasselhoff school of performing arts. He currently lives in Los Angeles and hangs out with movie stars. Steve McMahon is a pundit on Asian television. Go figure...
1) Tomas Brolin (Sweden) Pop Star/Vacuum Cleaner Salesman/Restaurateur etc.
In his prime Brolin was one of the most sought after attacking midfielders in Europe, gracing an outstanding Parma side of the 90s with Gianfranco Zola, Faustino Asprilla et al. He broke English hearts at Euro '92 and was an integral part of the Swedish side who lit up USA '94.
Brolin transferred to Leeds United in 1995 and his career never recovered. He barely played in two years at the club, and it was suggested that he had developed a taste for Parma ham during his stint in Italy. Questions were asked of his weight and he wound down his career at Crystal Palace a bloated figure.
He has since returned to Sweden and has become a tabloid favourite. He set up a chain of restaurants, including one in Stockholm called Undici after the shirt number he wore for Parma.
Brolin continued his business interests by selling a new type of mouthpiece device for vacuum cleaners. He's also flogged shoes, sportswear and skin care products.
Alongside his entrepreneurial enterprises, Brolin made a record with Dr. Alban, he of 90s 'Sing Hallelujah' and 'It's My Life' fame, alongside other Swedish sports stars, including Bjorn Borg. When he wasn't polluting the pop charts with such nonsense, he starred in a jacuzzi advert and made the headlines again when his car collided with an elk.
In the Dr Alban video, Friends in Need, Brolin is seen living the high life in a limousine and helicopter while some blonde beauties frolic around in the hot tub.
Not bad for a lad called 'Tubby' by his Leeds team-mates!
What's the strangest job you think a footballer has ever had after quitting the game? Have we missed someone? Goal.com wants to know YOU think...
Patrick Reilly, Goal.com
goal.com/en/news/8/main/2009/11/05/1606524/top-10-post-football-careers
