#40 - FIFPRO - Michael Leahy - Beyond the Pitch: Advocating for Players in the Changing Global Football Landscape

The LeCorner Podcast is back for another episode, this time featuring Michael Leahy, Global Policy & Strategic Projects Advisor at FIFPRO. Listeners gain unique insights into his transformative journey from a professional footballer to a critical figure in the football industry advocating for Players’ Rights.

Michael draws from his extensive experience at FIFPRO, emphasising the importance of future-proofing personal plans for players beyond the elite 1%. The discussion delves into the organisation's mission, with 65 member unions globally working towards wage stability and improved opportunities for players to enhance their contracts and careers.

Micheal provides a look into the future, discussing top priorities for the organisation. This includes player education, the responsible use of player data, safety issues in the football workplace, and workload management, with Workload management being a key area of conversation recently for FIFPRO.

Michael highlights the growing influence of players in shaping the commercial success of the sport and emphasizes the shift from a club-centric to a player-centric focus. Players have more power than previously, especially when they join together and provide a collective voice. The conversation delves into the critical role of collective action at the core of FIFPRO, stressing the importance of players having a unified voice to advocate for their conditions and quality of life, especially in challenging and stressful situations.

Topics also covered on the podcast include: 

• His previous playing career and the difference of being changing from on-the-pitch to in-the-office 
• The impact of technology and innovation on the football workplace
• The impact of technology and innovation for players on the pitch 
• Case Studies of player advocacy in difficult situations
• Fifpro’s Player IQ Knowledge Center.
• Navigating the sports union structures in Europe vs North America
• The complexities of navigating different organisers, stakeholders, legal environments, cultures, and workload issues
  

Michael Leahy provides a comprehensive and insightful perspective on the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the global football landscape, offering valuable lessons for both players and industry professionals alike.

Enjoy this new episode !

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LeCorner is a podcast dedicated to sports and digital. Every two weeks, we have the pleasure to receive a distinguished guest from the sports industry to talk to us about digital, innovation and strategic development. 

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