Meet Raith Rovers star doing uni degree in bid to set up work after football
It’s often said that a professional footballer’s life can represent a very short career, so – even at the relatively tender age of 30 – Raith Rovers midfielder Ross Matthews is one of many examples of stars who have been preparing early for what their working environment will look like after hanging up their boots.
In an exclusive interview with the Fife Free Press, long serving Matthews – who made his Raith first team debut in a 3-0 loss at Livingston way back on December 28, 2013 – has revealed his well thought out plans for the future.
“Going into football coaching or management after I retire from playing is something that's crossed my mind,” Matthews told the Fife Free Press.
"But as in what I'm going to do after football, I'm constantly thinking about it. And just now I'd probably say ‘no’.
"Coaching and management is probably not something that I've ever thought deeply about.
"But I'm probably naive to say no, because I've played with plenty of players that have said that throughout their career and then they've gone on into coaching and management.
"So just now I'm not too sure what I want to go into.
"I wish I was good enough to become a professional golfer. That'd be the dream!
"Myself and a few of the guys were at a recent PFA Careers Day, so we were there kind of looking at different careers, what we'd want to do after football.
"And the PFA are really good with stuff like that, but nothing stuck out in my mind just yet.
"And hopefully still got a few years left of football before having to go into a different line of work.
"But it's definitely something that I need to think of. I'm doing an online uni course at the moment.
"I've been doing that for quite a few years now in business management and marketing.
“My current year will finish similar to the end of the football season. And then I've got one more year left until I have my degree.
"I've probably passed more exams and goals than I've scored, which probably speaks for itself.
"So hopefully I can use that degree to help me go into something after football.”
When asked if being a professional footballer while doing the online course can be very demanding, Matthews added: “It's all right. It's all online.
"In the evenings and afternoons, occasionally when we get away, there's a bit to keep your mind off football, which is probably healthy at times because you know what it's like.
"Either you win a game and you're buzzing thinking about it or you lose a game and you can't stop thinking about it. All weekend, it's probably something good to keep my mind off it.”
Matthews’ current Raith contract expires this summer and he revealed that no talks have opened up yet with the Kirkcaldy club about staying on.
He said: “My focus just now is fully on trying to put a few good performances together and ending the season well. I've loved my time at Raith. I've been in this position plenty of times. We’ll see what happens around the end of the season.”