Top 10 Jobs Players Had Before Becoming Footballers
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Top 10 Jobs Players Had Before Becoming Footballers
A rundown of ten stars who slaved away like the rest of us in 'proper' jobs before destiny called.
Steve Savidan - Binman
The journeyman forward took an unconventional route to the top via stints in several pubs as a barman and topping up his income as a binman while playing in the lower reaches of French football.Proved that determination can overcome adversity by rescuing his career inspiring Valenciennes to successive promotions and even earning a cap for France. Was all set to complete the dream with a fairytale move to glitzy Monaco last summer before his medical revealed a heart defect and Savidan was forced to retire aged just 31.
Savidan: Bin there, done that
Mat Mitchel King - Body Double
Strutted the catwalk as a model for Armani and was employed as Rio Ferdinand's official body double for a Nike campaign before signing pro forms with Crewe Alexandra in the summer. Quipped that he costs far less than Rio, and he may well be drafted in to cover him again at United given the club's recent injury crisis.
Roar Strand - Chimney Sweep
The Ryan Giggs of Norway, Strand has clocked up an astonishing 15 league titles with Rosenborg in his trophy-laden career.Similar to the Welshman, Strand performed at his best under a strict disciplinarian - Nils Arne Eggen - who demanded his players to either study or have a second job away from the game. While many favored the classroom, the midfielder went down, quite literally, a different route and worked as a chimney sweep.
Julio Cruz - Gardener
El Jardinero earned his green fingered nickname for working as a groundskeeper at his local football club in Argentina.According to legend, he was asked by the Banfield coach to deputize for an injured player and made such an impression that he was promptly offered a contract. The whereabouts of his lawnmower remain unknown but it has been linked to a recent fight with David Beckham.
Cruz: A Grass act
Chris Waddle - Sausage Maker
The Geordie dribbler was a sizzler before turning pro, working in a sausage factory to make ends... ahem, 'meat'. Was a headline dream in the 80's for writers who predictably branded any good performances as 'Sizzling' and a shocker as... wait for it... a 'Banger.'Waddle rather spoiled things when he revealed years later that he was responsible for the seasoning and not the little piggies in the factory. Ah come on Chris, never let the truth get in the way of a good story!
His England team-mate Stuart Pearce, meanwhile, trained as an electrician and used the Nottingham Forest program to advertise his services.
Waddle: Singer, sausage seasoner, dribbler, genius
Jose Mourinho - Teacher/Translator
After failing to make it as a player, Mourinho enrolled in business school but dropped out after one day to study sports science instead. He became a physical education teacher and coached youth teams at several schools in Lisbon before he landed the job as Bobby Robson's translator at Sporting Lisbon in 1992.The 'Special One' didn't just have a talent for interpreting and impressed the veteran coach with his knowledge and tactical insight. When Robson moved to Barcelona in 1996, Mourinho picked up Catalan and heard his mentor was for the chop after being encouraged by Bobby to tell him everything that was being said on the record and off by the Barca hierarchy.
Jose: I understand everything
Sir Alex Ferguson - Apprentice Tool-Maker/Chef
Fergie's famous no nonsense approach to superstars stems from his own working class background in the harsh shipyards of Scotland.Long before alice bands were even invented, the amateur player was an apprentice tool-maker in his native Govan where he slogged away for five years before eventually turning pro aged 23. As an apprentice, Ferguson showed some of the leadership skills when he became a trade union shop-steward and organized an unofficial walk-out for his colleagues over a pay dispute.
Decades later, the canny Scot would get his friend George Graham to fax over his lucrative Arsenal contract so Ferguson could embarrass the Old Trafford paymasters over his paltry salary which was then miles shy of his top players.
Fiery chef Gordon Ramsay may have had some competition in the culinary/shouting department if Ferguson had pursued his cooking career when he was 30. He donned an apron and worked the stove for 18-months in a restaurant close to Hampden Park before deciding to concentrate solely on his football career.
Fergie: Anyone for pasta?
Moreno Torricelli - Factory Carpenter
Opportunity knocked for the factory carpenter when he stood out for amateur side Caratese in a pre-season friendly against Juventus in the summer of 1992.The Bianconeri's then-coach Giovanni Trapattoni loved his endeavour and shelled out 20 million lira to bring him to Turin. A year later he was playing alongside Roberto Baggio when the Old Lady thumped Borussia Dortmund to win the UEFA Cup. Not a frequent goalscorer with Juve as he was more fond of the woodwork.
Peter Schmeichel - Cleaner/Carpet Fitter etc
Turned his hand to a variety of tasks including working for 12-months as a cleaner in a retirement home before he hit the big time.The goalkeeper was also an apprentice carpet fitter, sold advertising for a newspaper and ran a charity shop for the World Wildlife Fund before joining Manchester United in 1991. Now fronts 'Dirty Jobs' on the Discovery Channel.
Schmeichel relaxes after work
Grafite - Bin Liner Salesman
Wolfsburg's powerhouse went door to door in his native Sao Paulo selling bin-liners to support his family.
In a recent interview he said it wasn't an unusual job for the time and that the experience had taught him a lot of positive things. Certainly did as he reduced Bayern Munich's defense to rubbish last season with a superb individual goal.
Grafite: Anything but trash