A Foucauldian Disciplinary Analysis of Early Career Professional Footballers’ Loan Experiences

While retirement transitions in sports are well-researched from a psychological perspective (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004; Park, et al., 2013), little focus is given to temporary transitions. My research focuses on the socio-political aspects of the loan system in professional British football utilising Foucault’s (1995) concept of discipline. Six professional football players between 18 and 21 years were interviewed with a focus on their loan experiences. Through a Foucauldian reading of the interview data, I highlight two key themes in the participants’ loan experiences: docile footballing bodies on loan and the loan as a test. This study contributes to our understanding of how young professional players have to tiptoe through a new power-laden environment to handle the pressures that come with the expectations of performing in a new social and disciplinary space.