Over the last 17 years, the PFA has played a major role in transforming both the career path of Australia’s professional footballers and the industry of Australian football – www.pfa.net.au today profiles the history, achievements and servants of the PFA in that time.
Many of the PFA’s successes still resonate in the terms and conditions that players enjoy today, including:
• FREEDOM: to contract and move between clubs when out of contract;
• COLLECTIVE BARGAINING: including a minimum wage, fair, competitive and attractive pay and conditions, protection in the event of injury and the national dispute resolution chamber; and
• EDUCATION: both within and outside the game.
Many challenges remain for the PFA, of course. Among these are:
• LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL. Players need to be holistically prepared for when their playing days are over, including the establishment of a retirement fund that players can access after their playing days are over to complement their superannuation entitlements; and
• A SECURE CAREER PATH. Whilst player contracts cannot be unilaterally terminated, players continue to experience enormous difficulties in having contracts honoured.
Currently, players remain disadvantaged because clubs in Europe have reneged on playing contracts. The experience at North Queensland Fury also shows the need for player contracts to be financially guaranteed in Australia.
Further, in an industry undergoing constant change, there will always be pressure applied to limit or even remove many of the conditions that players presently enjoy.
Many of the greats of the game have contributed to the employment conditions that players enjoy today. One of these – Kimon Taliadoros – led 1995’s battle for the establishment of free agency and the abolition of the domestic transfer and compensation fee system. He paid a major price in terms of his career. Today, his contribution is recognised through the annual PFA Kimon Taliadoros Scholarships. In all, 45 players have sat on the PFA Executive since its establishment in 1993. They are (in alphabetical order with international honours):
John Aloisi (AUS), Ross Aloisi (AUS), Francis Awaritefe (AUS), Greg Brown (AUS)(President, 1993-1995), Che Bunce (NZL), Tim Cahill (AUS), David Clarkson, Simon Colosimo (AUS)(President since 2005), Vaughan Coveny (NZL), Ante Covic (AUS), Chris Coyne (AUS), Oscar Crino (AUS), Sean Douglas (NZL), Alistair Edwards (AUS), Robert Enes (AUS), Frank Farina OAM (AUS), Craig Foster (AUS), Paul Foster, Vincenzo Grella (AUS), Peter Gunning, Andrew Harper, Jeromy Harris, Danny Hay (NZL), Alan Hunter (AUS), Harry Kewell (AUS), John Kosmina (AUS), Stan Lazaridis (AUS), Brad Maloney (AUS), Andy McDermott, Jon McKain (AUS), Ante Milicic (AUS), Kevin Muscat (AUS), Joe Palatsides (AUS), Liam Reddy, Chris Slater, Noel Spencer, Warren Spink (AUS), Kimon Taliadoros (AUS)(President 1995 – 1998), David Tarka (AUS), Alex Tobin (AUS)(President 1998 – 2005), Michael Valkanis (AUS), Alex Wilkinson, Lindsay Wilson (AUS), Stuart Young, David Zdrilic (AUS)
To read the full history of the PFA, Click here
