In the age of the millionaire footballer it is important to remember that the staple career choice of most ex pro’s was to buy a pub. Andy Edgeworth takes a look at some of the stranger career choices of the ex-pro.
Kevin Francis
A behemoth of a man at six feet seven, Francis was named Stockport County’s Player of the Century for his goal scoring exploits for The Hatters and enjoyed cult status at a host of clubs including Birmingham City and Oxford United.
After retiring from football in 2005, the Saint Kitts & Nevis international moved to Calgary in Alberta, Canada and became a Mountie.
As a player Francis was an imposing figure and given he now rides a horse for a living he no doubt strikes the fear of God into any would be criminals.
His daughter Stacey is a current international netballer for England.
Ken Monkou
Kenneth John Monkou made his name with Dutch giants Feyenoord before a big move to Chelsea saw him join Norwegian Elrand Johnson as the club’s only two foreign players.
After establishing himself as a solid centre back Monkou joined Southampton where he made nearly 200 appearances over seven years chipping in with 10 goals as well.
After hanging up his boots following two years at Huddersfield Town, Monkou returned to Holland where he bought a traditional pancake house in the town of Delft, near Rotterdam.
After becoming the ‘chief flipper’ Monkou started working as a pundit and is regularly seen on Chelsea TV.
Monkou said: “We've had a couple of Chelsea fans over because someone took a picture of me there and they got hold of it, so I'm sure my old team-mates will start coming over to get free pancakes too. It's all good fun and I love working here because I'm a real people person.”
Lee Bowyer
When he’s not fighting with his team mates or being accused of battering people outside nightclubs the former Leeds United & Newcastle midfielder can be found with a rod in his hand.
In fact he liked fishing so much that he bought a carp fishing lake in North East France which he renamed ‘Étang de Bows’ – Bows Lake.
However, the former Champions League player is now back in football with his first club Charlton Athletic where he was appointed assistant manager under Karl Robinson this summer.
Arjen De Zeeuw
The man awarded Wigan Atheltic’s player of the century award (in fairness they only entered the football league in 1978) was a respected centre back who after a solid career in football with clubs including Barnsley and Portsmouth turned to forensic crime fighting.
Back in his native Holland De Zeeuw is now a detective specialising in forensics and also captains the Dutch Police’s national football team.
The only man with the will power not to react to being spat at by El Hadj Diouf and instead scored the winning goal in the game, De Zeeuw is cleary cut out for such work. Football’s loss is crime fighting’s gain.
Thomas Brolin
Where do you start?
Well, when he isn’t selling underage drinkers alcohol at his Italian restaurant in Stockholm the footballer turned businessman is now a professional poker player.
After making his name in Italy with Parma, Brolin moved to Leeds United where he spectacularly failed to live up to his star billing. After two underwhelming seasons in Yorkshire he was loaned out to FC Zurich in Switzerland then back to Parma before George Graham and the board cut their losses and sent him on to Crystal Palace.
Despite scoring 27 goals in 47 games for his country and winning the Cup Winners Cup with Parma he is seen in the UK as a flop.
After calling it a day in 1998, Brolin has kept his fame in Sweden where he has opened a host of businesses including the aforementioned restaurant (that was fined several times by the local authority for selling alcohol to underage drinkers) as well as a catering company, a property selling business, a shoe making company, four race horses and a vacuum cleaner company.
After turning to poker who knows what will be next for the man ranked as one of the worst 50 footballers to play in the Premier League?
Gaizka Mendietta
The man from the Basque country enjoyed a stellar playing career with Valencia, Lazio, Barcelona and of course Middlesbrough.
However his time on Teesdside was clearly not wasted as those trips to Tall Trees nightclub in Yarm paid off as the man who ran the midfield now runs the decks as a star DJ even playing sets at famous festivals like Benicassim.
It has always been my passion,’ says the 40-year-old. ‘My friend in Valencia, who owned a record shop, used to DJ. If I played on Saturday I would then sneak into the club, but it was always off the record, I would wear a hat and go in disguise. I would then DJ and no-one would know it was me. I loved it. It was an escape.’
Roman Pavlyuchenko
Although not too fondly remembered by Spurs fans he was perhaps harshly judged from his time in the Premier League (especially given he was followed by Roberto Soldado and Vincent Janssen).
After becoming a goal scoring sensation at Spartak Moscow the rangy forward was snapped up Juande Ramos for £13.7m. But he struggled to adapt to his new surroundings and fell out of favour after Ramos was replaced by Harry Redknapp in October.
He returned to Russia after four seasons with Spurs where he scored a credible 21 goals in 78 games.
Now 35, Pav is playing in the third tier of Russian football with FC Aarat but has already started to forge a career for himself after he hangs up his boots – as a politician.
Last year he was appointed the local Duma (city council) deputy in Stavropol, representing the ruling Vladimir Putin-led United Russia party.
Gavin Peacock
The former Newcastle, Chelsea and QPR striker seemed to be forging a decent career for himself as a pundit, regularly popping up on our TV screens and radios as part of the BBC team.
But Peacock found a higher calling and after studying theology he moved to Canada where he is currently an Elder and Pastor at Calvary Grace Church in Calgary (presumably he runs into Kevin Francis now and again?).
Commenting on his new role, Peacock said: “I remember being on Match of the Day 2 on a Sunday night and then driving up to Cambridge the following day for Old Testament studies and all the lads in the class with me – all training to be pastors and vicars – just wanted to talk about the football. The teacher is discussing the Book of Genesis and the prophets and there are guys next to me saying, 'I can't believe you hammered Arsenal on TV last night' and asking me what Alan Shearer was like.”
