Socceroos captain and PFA Executive Mile Jedinak has paid tribute to the return of many PFA Life Members to the players’ association as it looks to continue its mission of supporting the players and building the game.

With PFA Life Member and Champion Craig Foster having recently taken on the role of Chairman and fellow Life Members Kimon Taliadoros, Francis Awaritefe, David Zdrilic, Greg Brown and  Alex Tobin all playing active roles in the extensive review of the PFA, Jedinak said their return was a huge boost.

“They are willing to offer their services at any time and for us as an organisation that is massively beneficial,” said Jedinak. “These are guys that stopped playing football a while ago and are still willing to be actively involved and that just means an awful lot to us current players.

“At our recent Socceroos match in Sydney, Zdrila (David Zdrilic) came along to ensure that all our appearances were done in accordance with the CBA . He is a very busy guy and it was the weekend, he wasn’t paid but he wanted to make sure the players were looked after. It says a lot about the guy that he came out at short notice and didn’t hesitate. That means a lot to the players and it was great to have him come in.

“Zdrila and the other LIfe Members will be pivotal going forward for the PFA. They have had experience with many of the issues we are often faced with, and can bring a different perspective. It is all very positive and it is very encouraging that guys who are Life Members will still be actively involved in the PFA.”

Foster said he was committed to ensuring that all former members continued to play an active role in shaping the PFA and the game and that utilising their experiences would be invaluable.

“There is a remarkable fellowship between all players, past and present,” said Foster. “The list of Life Members is a who’s who of Australian football and these outstanding players led the way in reforming the game and building an association that reflected the values of its members.

“They have invaluable insights and knowledge which will be of huge benefit to the current generation of players as they continue to strive to ensure the wellbeing of the game and those who play it.”

 

PFA Life Members:

Kimon Taliadoros, 1999

Francis Awaritefe, 2000

Andrew Harper, 2001

Robert Hooker, 2001

Alex Tobin OAM, 2002

Craig Foster, 2003

Brendan Schwab, 2003

Stan Lazaridis, 2003

Zeljko Kalac, 2006

Greg Brown, 2008

Frank Farina OAM, 2008

Jeremy Harris, 2008

Brad Maloney, 2008

John Didulica, 2008

Kevin Muscat, 2008

Ross Aloisi, 2009

Simon Colosimo, 2009

Ante Milicic, 2009

David Zdrilic, 2009

John Aloisi, 2011

Clint Bolton, 2011

Robbie Gaspar, 2014