The fact is that Collins Chabalala never had any idea that his football career would come to an end before he had even turned 30 back in 2009.
However, it did, and it was a nasty end after injury forced him out in a campaign in which he had already scored four goals from eight starts while on the best contract of his topflight league career which took him from Bloemfontein Celtic to Orlando Pirates, Black Leopards, Free State Stars, and AmaZulu within five years.
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In the end his contract was terminated in September 2009 due to the injury and through taking Usuthu to the PSL DRC he also found no joy from the league's compensation scheme for injured players.
Fortunately, he had a Bachelor of Earth Sciences in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Venda which he got in 2004 prior to breaking into the PSL.
"I have now been working as a safety officer since January here at ESKOM in Lephalale, Limpopo after having previously been an environmental officer," Chabalala tells KickOff.com.
"It has been 13 years since I started working and I must admit that in the beginning, it was difficult though in my case I was helped by the support from family and friends.
"In my case, I got injured and couldn't play anymore so adjusting didn't take long because I didn't have a football career anymore.
"The support from family is important because you then must move to a much lower salary which is always less than a quarter of what you were earning.
"For example, you must still live after moving from R50 000 to R10 000 which means you need to live your life at a fifth of what you were used to and so it becomes a challenge to budget on that.
"Individual lifestyle also counts because as players you think of yourself as a celebrity who cannot be seen driving a Toyota Tazz after having driven the latest BMW.
"If you don't mind downgrading then it is not an issue.
"But if you are going to stress about people bringing your morale down then you will suffer because those people will always talk.
"Never stress about what people say because the majority of those that talk have nothing and just love to judge.
"I feel if you went to school then you are prepared better about that things will not be at the same level.
"I have never had to beg or ask for a job from a former club because I went to tertiary and the first thing I did after football was to look for a job instead of bothering the family.
"Back-up doesn't have to be only diplomas and degrees, but short courses directed towards making you an entrepreneur.
"I adjusted well because I never made a lot of money, I didn't stay long in the PSL where I only lasted five years tops.
"I had to sell my car and rent out my house but once I recovered, I went back to normal life even though it wasn't the same anymore.
"Football is tricky in that your career can be done at 32 but you will have to live for the rest of your life without an income.
"You can earn R200 000 today and if your expenses are over R100 000 then it will be difficult to survive long after the contract without any other source of income.
"In real life, the way to go is to downgrade after football and forget about the fame.
"If you keep your family and the same friends through your time in the limelight then you are less likely to suffer when things go south.
"In the first month after I stopped playing football, I only made one phone call to a friend (Moudy Mudzielwana) and he offered me a job since he had a company.
"I went there to learn while earning little and things were bad, but I stayed there for two years until I got an idea about what is happening in this job market.
"I was able to accept reality and was never in denial about downgrading.
"Some guys who played football would have turned down the opportunity that I got because they think they will earn better elsewhere.
"One of my former colleagues in the game has been working at a garage for over 10 years now and he has no issues," says Chabalala.
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