Returning home: the return of Irish-born football migrants to Ireland’s football leagues and their cultural re-adaption, 1945–2010

Career transitions from the English Premier League: Cooling out the mark with possible selves

“…While previous recommendations made by Brown and Potrac (2009), direct professional football clubs to develop each player as a whole person, it appears that this is often not the case. Instead, when considering the formalised structures of support as experienced by the majority of participants in this study, our findings further the observations made by Curran and Kelly (2018), who point to the lack of formalised support and structure offered to players. However, to say that no support is available to players would do a disservice to the efforts of many EWOs who give their time to both current and former players.…”

“…Moreover, this shift in occupation requires a change of identity, and thought processes and a reduction of day-to-day expectations in many cases. Curran and Kelly (2018) outline how football's governing bodies have also struggled to provide the proper structures to look after those who have failed to break into the first teams of professional clubs. While an inadequate education system within many English clubs may inhibit university entry following deselection, a general lack of interest in schoolwork is evident among many younger players, with the distraction of the dream of a EPL career greatly impacting on many players' engagement with education (Curran and Kelly, 2018).…”

“…Meanwhile, Richardson et al (2012) highlighted an incremental shift in engagement, by players and coaches, towards the role and importance of educational and vocational qualifications in general and in terms of providing assistance following deselection in particular. More recently, Curran and Kelly (2018) point out the lack of support and advice at some clubs following deselection and describe, unsurprisingly, that for many footballers adapting to more mundane employment opportunities is a difficult task. Moreover, this shift in occupation requires a change of identity, and thought processes and a reduction of day-to-day expectations in many cases.…”

“…Curran and Kelly (2018) outline how football's governing bodies have also struggled to provide the proper structures to look after those who have failed to break into the first teams of professional clubs. While an inadequate education system within many English clubs may inhibit university entry following deselection, a general lack of interest in schoolwork is evident among many younger players, with the distraction of the dream of a EPL career greatly impacting on many players’ engagement with education (Curran and Kelly, 2018). Lavallee (2019) explains that preretirement structures provide career and educational support to professional athletes during their playing careers to help them plan their inevitable transition from the sport.…”

Stepping stones? An exploration of internal football player migration in the Republic of Ireland

“…British football clubs have a long history of recruiting young Irish football players (Curran & Kelly, 2018), going back as far as the 1890s (Scally, 1998). Bourke (2002) found that 45% of Irish migrating footballers joined an English club at the ages of 15 or 16 years.…”