Vital to stay ahead of the game and plan for the future

Adjectives are commonplace in football, and often once a player has been described in a particular way, it remains with him throughout his career. If the adjective in question is reasonably complimentary, then players will happily accept the description and be satisfied with being a commanding centre-half or a clinical striker.

In the modern-day SPL, there is a new adjective in increasing use season upon season, and one which no-one wants. The term 'unemployed footballer' is becoming difficult to evade for an increasing number of players, and so the questions then become: How do you avoid finding yourself in this position? How do you remedy the situation? And perhaps more sensibly, how do you prepare for this worst case scenario?

For the first time in many years I spent a month without a club throughout the summer, and after recent turn of events find now myself in a similar position. It is perhaps a misconception of those outside the game that players seek and expect sympathy at this time, and while some will, most will accept their predicament and begin action to overcome it.

I am aware that there will also be a school of thought that if a player is producing consistently good performances then they will always find employment. I agree, to an extent, but I also have enough experience to know that factors such as financial issues, injury problems and a change of management can sometimes impact unfairly upon players. Again the quality of displays in a career should influence how easily a player can find a new club but the current economic climate within the Scottish game dictates that even players with excellent playing CVs such as Stephen Glass find themselves without a club as the first month of the season reaches its end.

Up to this point, I may have painted a dismal canvas of our game but it still offers players a great opportunity to play the game they love, and provide a fantastic lifestyle for those fortunate and good enough to earn a full-time living from football. However, it is actually when players are in the enjoyable position of having a secure contract and producing positive performances that they should cast one eye to their future.

The rise in players out of work has ensured that many more are being clever enough to do so.It is a natural, not lazy, progression for footballers to want to stay within the game and consequently the desire to become coaches, pundits and agents will remain strong but the advice now available to players is of such a high standard that some are acutely aware of the many different career paths they could possibly follow.

The source of this beneficial advice is PFA Scotland and in particular Craig Flannigan, the education co-ordinator who has improved this particular arm of the body beyond recognition and subsequently is having his busiest ever period with players exploring and beginning new courses.. The increase in his workload is again a sign of the times, as there have been years past when greater funding was available to players but interest was low as contracts were longer and more lucrative, and squad sizes significantly bigger.

Consequently, Craig's time is now spent as diversely as getting an SPL player enrolled in a mathematics degree to simply offering basic career advice to some in the top league.

At a worrying time for players they can take comfort from having better resources available to them in terms of planning for the end of their career, although, sadly, a further dilemma faces a players looking to plan ahead. The concern is whether forward thinking will impact upon their current career, with people perhaps questioning their commitment to their club and much-loved profession if they start casting their eyes elsewhere or try to combine playing with studies. In my view it should not be a problem but in a sport when at times we are too quick to look for excuses it can be convenient to blame an outside educational or career interest as a reason for a defeat or disappointing performance.

Therefore, in a sport where overcoming challenges is part of the game, it may be that the modern-day Scottish footballer has to learn to be single-minded enough to be focused and driven in training and on a match day, but find a way to remain broad- minded enough to prepare for the future.

• Jack Ross is a former Hamilton, St Mirren and Falkirk defender and chairman of PFA Scotland