Professional Footballers Australia’s 2023/2024 Player Development Program Report highlights continued growth in mental health and education support

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Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) have released their annual Player Development Program (PDP) Report for 2023/2024.

This is an overall summary of the achievements and breakdown of data form the PFA  Programs with recognition of their important figures and feedback.

Established by the PFA in 2013, the PDP is the PFA’s approach to player development. The PDP is supported by the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) between the PFA, on behalf of the players, the Australian Professional Leagues and Football Australia.

Jackson Irvine, current Socceroo and PFA President sets the tone of the PFA mission.

“I firmly believe in the importance of footballers balancing their careers on the pitch with pursuits and interests off it. Personally, I’ve always felt that my identity and passions extend beyond football, enabling me to maintain a healthy balance off the field and be well-prepared for the inevitable transition after I hang up my boots.”

The Program’s overall objectives cover the 3 program sections of supporting players in their Career, Wellbeing and Retirement.

These objectives are:

  1. To deliver high quality, evidence-based programs and services to ensure that players have access to the best education, information and practical skill building.
  2. Empowering players to ensure a successful transition and retirement into a meaningful and fulfilling life.
  3. To ensure the connection between players, the PFA and the game continues beyond their retirement as a player.
  4. Establishing and foster industry commitment and awareness of player development.

Career:

This program is to ensure players develop an understanding of the industry, including their rights and responsibilities while transitioning into new environments in professional football.

Some of the resulting data includes:

  • 203 Education grants provided to players.
  • 211 players undertook PDP induction.
  • 435 A-Leagues players attended PFA skill development workshops.
  • 47 National Team players attended a financial education, tax and superannuation workshop.

Wellbeing

Player’s wellbeing has been the most evident growing part of the PDP.

The PFA PDP provides players access to a variety of programs and services to support their physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Through the PFA’s Mental Health Referral Network players and family members have been able to get confidential access to a selection psychologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists.

Through then PFA’s new partnership with Sporting Chance Clinic UK the PFA can now deliver UK base Clinical support for players in the European leagues.

This network has been used to fight the many wellbeing areas in need of support

Some of these involve:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Relationship breakdown
  • Addiction
  • Grief
  • Body issues
  • Performance anxiety

The PFA has recorded that 1,082 Confidential counselling sessions were provided to players in the 23/24 season.

A massive increase if you compared to just 773 sessions in the 22/23 season and 141 in 20/21 season.

Rita Mankowska, the PFA Head of Player Development, comments: “The new partnership with UK-based Sporting Chance Clinic will enhance the PFA’s mental health services available to players based overseas.

“The new partnership will positively impact over 150 of the PFA’s overseas based members and their partners, granting them access to receive emotional or mental health support by accredited expert practitioners in European-friendly time zones.”

Also, within the Wellbeing Program there has been:

  • 10 GameReady recovery machines provided to players to support their recovery from injury.
  • 30 Heart Health, Concussion and Skin Cancer Checks for Past Players.
  • 45 Skin Cancer Checks for National Team Players.
  • 115 players that undertook concussion, betting and match fixing education.

Retirement

A source of immense pressure for players in their relatively short careers is their eventual retirement opportunities.

The PFA focuses on fully preparing players for their eventual retirement by exploring post football careers and incentivising off field development and education.

In this season:

  • 150 players joined the PFA Past Player Program.
  • 18 past player events held across most major cities including 6 Women’s World Cup special events.
  • 76 players attended PFA centralised coaching courses.
  • 16 players entered the PFA x Deloitte Salesforce Career Training Program.

Before the conclusion of each A-League season, the PFA invited all members to give feedback on the PFA PDP and staff.

The result of this review is a massive success:

  • 97% of players were either slightly or extremely satisfied with the PDP.
  • 97% satisfaction of PFA skill development workshops.
  • 97% satisfaction of PFA education grants.
  • 95% satisfaction of the PFA’s Mental Health Referral Network.

These results solidify the healthy support the PFA receives in their effective programs and integral place in the Australian Footballing framework.

The PFA’s expansion into the UK with their Mental Health Referral Network also indicates their drive for expansion and still delivering top quality support for Australians who want to follow a career overseas.

This Player Development Program shows great promise and a rewarding metric for the PFA to try and exceed in the coming 2024/25 season.

You can read the PDP Report 2024 in full by visiting the link here.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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