Craig Foster is an Australian former international footballer on 29 occasions and Captain of Crystal Palace FC in England. He is now a leading football commentator and match analyst for SBS Television, Australia, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and all FIFA events. He is a member of several Australian Government Committees, Australian Youth Ambassador, former Chief Executive and Life Member of the Australian Professional Footballers Association and Australia’s FIFA Ballon D’Or Judge.
Why do you think studying the Online Football Management Degree is important?
The Football Management Degree is especially valuable both to ensure the most up to date capabilities from a management and leadership perspective, but also - being from Australia - to develop a greater awareness of management processes and issues facing the European game, which may be applicable in our own professional league or game more broadly.
What do you think about the program: Virtual Campus, study cases, materials, etc.?
The program has proven highly suitable for my diverse schedule of work and travel, proving to be delivered in a flexible and adaptable manner which can be tailored within reason to suit the student.
Each student has a personal tutor. Being an online program, how do you value the relationship and attention with the tutor?
The availability of a tutor is important, especially in the early months of the program when a student requires direction and guidance to maximize effectiveness and reduce the time investment out of a busy work schedule. This is a valuable element of the program as the tutor is accessible and quick to respond.
Which advantages do you think our online methodology has?
For former players now in other roles who are time-poor, there is no better format to be able to negotiate the necessary time tradeoffs to achieve both ends. The method is excellent, with contextual or theoretical videos accompanied by more explanatory ones and the corresponding documentation and case studies.
What is the program giving to you?
A greater understanding not just of management processes, but of the workings of an elite football club or federation at the highest levels of the game globally, something that is of immense value to regions like ours in South Asia or Oceania which are disconnected from the central football network.
Do you think sport people should manage the football world?
Of course. As the course teaches, management alone is not enough to sustain excellence and balance the demands of economic and sporting goals; this requires value centered leadership which necessitates an understanding of the essence of football. This takes a practitioner with the game at heart.
