“It felt like coming full circle,” smiles David McCracken, reflecting on a recent visit to Tannadice.
The former Dundee United defender was back on familiar ground to address the next generation of Tangerine youngsters. After 203 appearances for the Terrors, he still knows the old place like the back of his hand.
But rather than talking training and tactics, he was discussing pounds and pence — bidding to help current United kids better understand their pay packets, financial commitments and ensuring they are planning for the future.
After pursuing a new challenge late in 2022, McCracken is now settled into his role as Wellbeing Development Officer with PFA Scotland, the players union. These visits, encompassing myriad issues, have become commonplace.
From mental health to online abuse; from addiction to problems with teammates or coaches — the message is clear: talk to us.
“I’ve been playing and coaching for 24 years and I have seen a lot of the challenges and hurdles people can face,” McCracken tells Courier Sport. “For footballers, sometimes you don’t see them coming until it’s too late.
“I’m appreciative of the chance to give something back; to help players and pass on a wee bit of my experience.”
Transition month
Forward-planning and safeguarding are key tenets of McCracken’s work.
May is PFA Scotland’s Transition Month, with a swathe of athletes set to find out whether they will earn new contracts. Many will not, and the subsequent period could be one of the most testing of their lives.
Whether aged 18 or 38, the prospect of being without a club — or out of the game altogether — is a daunting one.
“You are institutionalised,” McCracken tells Courier Sport. “For most, football is all they’ve ever done.
“So it’s about thinking about what skills they have and how they transfer into another job. Or even just figure out what their interests are. A lot of players dedicate themselves totally to football and, 90% of the time, that’s their life.
“That change — whether it’s a new role in the game or stepping away from football altogether — is about finding yourself. I went through a fair bit of that.
“Things change quickly and no-one says, ‘take a couple of years to figure out what’s next’. A lot will need to find another income straight away and that’s when the stresses can build. How to pay the bills? How to look after a family?
“We talk about these things with youth players. We have a couple of events each year with first and second year apprentices and it’s hard, because they are thinking, “I’ve worked hard, earned my contract and I’m a footballer now. That’s my job.”
“Then we come in and say: what if?”
It good to talk
And, even for those who do make the grade, challenges can be manifold.
Great for @DavidPFAS and @BlairPFAS to get up to @RossCounty to present the 'Don't Play With Your Mental Health' workshop – we're committed to helping players both in settings like this and in confidence 🗣️to access resources or reach out in confidence – https://t.co/6AerTLfrzw pic.twitter.com/rB0jMfBePF
— PFA Scotland (@PFAScotland) April 21, 2023
McCracken works alongside fellow ex-professionals Chris Higgins, Craig Beattie and Blair Munn in the PFA Scotland team to navigate the pitfalls of the game in 2023.
“Racism, online abuse, addiction — everything encapsulated in that — and mental health issues,” roll off the tongue with bracing ease when McCracken is asked for some of the biggest issues.
“But we could also be talking about performance issues at their club; struggling to deal with being in-and-out of the team. They could be having problems with the manager or teammates.
#WellbeingWednesday features a clip from our very own @DavidPFAS and @BlairPFAS discussing Stress Awareness Month – here's Blair on pressure and stress as a young player coming through 👊 pic.twitter.com/U7jDYsYy7L
— PFA Scotland (@PFAScotland) April 19, 2023
“We want to make sure players understand there’s a proper support network there.
“It’s about raising awareness and making sure conversations are happening. We want to create a safe space where players can speak — confidentially — and get the advise they need.”
Regarding the willingness of players to open up, McCracken adds: “I think back, and you wouldn’t say if you were struggling with anything. It would be a sign of weakness, would mean you weren’t capable of being in the team.
“It might put your place in the squad at risk.
“That is getting better. And it comes from managers and coaches who now have a better understanding. They have empathy if someone is going through bereavement, family issues, addition — whatever it might be.”
Social media landscape
When discussing player wellbeing, social media looms large.
Players are advised to think twice before posting in anger or frustration, while considering that any backlash is likely to impact upon their club and teammates.
But, the flip-side of that — being targeted for abuse — remains unacceptable and, as it becomes sadly common, McCracken and PFA Scotland are keen to make sure members realise that.
“If you receiving any sort of abuse online, players need to know their options,” he continued. “Do you ignore it? Report it? Take it to authorities?
“It’s important that players understand that it’s not okay to be receiving abuse.
“It shouldn’t be normalised.
“There are things they can do about it; people they can speak to. Then decide on the next step.”
The future?
As well as a fine career at Tannadice, McCracken turned out for the likes of St Johnstone (his former clubs meet at McDiarmid Park next Saturday) Wycombe, MK Dons and Falkirk.
He also coached at Peterhead before becoming co-manager of the Bairns alongside his former Tangerines teammate Lee Miller.
So, would he consider a return to the coal-face of football in the fullness of time?
“You would never say never,” he smiled. “Visiting clubs, you do get that feeling of being involved and what it would be like to be back on the pitch.
“So, you can never rule something like that out and there have been opportunities for me in the past few months, but they haven’t been right for me — and I really want to commit myself to this role.”
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