Shane Parker

[Nodgey]

I saw Shane Parker on the bus the other day on my/his way to work. I am lead to believe that Parks works at Bankwest in the city.

Now all this is unremarkable, but it got me thinking about the remuneration that footballers get and whether it's enough to "set them up for life".

Parks was obviously never your flashy, high flying, magical player (in fact, he was quite the opposite) but he still played over 200 games over 10 years or so.

Now I reckon Parks is a smart bloke - not the type to p!ss all his money away on a pub or a coffee shop... But still, I would like to think that a 10 year career in the biggest sport on the land could set you up to something a little more interesting than bank johnny.

Personally, I'd bugger off away from that daily 9 to 5 grind as fast as I could.

What do you people think?


ps - I've seen him before at the train station on his way to work - and this was years ago when he was STILL playing. So perhaps he enjoys his job there and footy was just recreation for him?

 

[ImperialPurple]

Does he actually work for Bankwest or just in the Bankwest building? Parksy has an engineering degree - he was in the same year as my cousin at UWA, so maybe he's actually working as an engineer.

 

[Chops_a_must]

For some the simple life is all that they're after,
One such person is Shane Parker.
A former Dockers star,
Who I never saw drive a car,
And for their choices they should be no martyr.

 

[Kram]

Yeah I'm pretty sure he has a degree in mechanical engineering.

 

[bigkev bleeds purple]

It was not so long ago that I caught myself wondering what the great man would be doing with himself these days... I figured he would be living a simple life and plugging along with an absolute minimum of fuss in much the same way as he went about his footy.

I wonder how many of the hundreds of people he passes on the street each week actually recognise him as the wonderful footballer he was for so many years?

 

[Docker Clint]

Some people are happy with their job, even if it isn't 'glamorous'. Weird eh?

Perhaps he's invested his footy earnings and wants to keep the bills paid. He wouldn't have been a highly paid player, definitely wouldn't have earned enough to retire young. Even if he did get rich from footy, some people like to keep working even if they don't 'have' to.

 

[theGav56]

But still, I would like to think that a 10 year career in the biggest sport on the land could set you up to something a little more interesting than bank johnny.

Personally, I'd bugger off away from that daily 9 to 5 grind as fast as I could.

What do you people think?

Yes a ten year career at mid-range AFL, with some reasonable investment strategies would set you up for life. You'd hope the Dockers make investment advice and opportunities readily available to all the players. It would help them with their tax, and set up their lives post footy. However I would not be surprised if a bit of the money has been stocked away in super and not available until 55/60.

Yes I think buggering of from the daily grind is an excellent idea. In fact I recommend it. But I suspect it probably suits Mr Parker.