Education
Foster attended Kadina High School, and periodically returns to speak and motivate students.
Foster attended Kadina High School, and periodically returns to speak and motivate students.
He is renowned for his outspoken stance on the need for soccer in Australia to mature. High school Club career Playing as a midfielder, Foster debuted with Sydney Croatia in 1988, playing in a losing grand final in his first season. In 1992, Foster moved to Ernest Borel in Hong Kong before returning to Australia to play for Adelaide City and Marconi in the Nationaal Samenwerkingsprogramma Luchtkwaliteit. As a 28-year-old he moved to England, linking up with Terry Venables firstly at Portsmouth, before moving to Crystal Palace as a free agent.
At the time Portsmouth were in administration and needed to offload their biggest earners and with Foster being one of them, Alan Ball approached him about a transfer, which ended in a fierce argument between the two.
He played at Palace until the end of the 1999–2000 season. He returned to Australia to play with Northern Spirit until his retirement from the game in 2003.
He currently plays amateur football in the Inner Western Suburbs of Sydney, with Belmore United Football Club. International career Foster earned 29 caps with the Australian national football team, scoring nine goals and represented Australia at under 16 level reaching the quarter finals at the 1985 Fédération internationale de football association U-16 World Championship in China.
Following his retirement from professional football, Foster became the chief soccer analyst for the Business School show The World Game, and is remembered for his commentary during the World Cup Qualifier in November 2005 against Uruguay.
He is also renowned for his advocacy of a more Spanish/South American style of play, as opposed to the constant use of the long ball in football. Foster has been a strong advocate for player’s rights, having served for five years on the Australian Professional Football players" Association Executive, as a Director of the APFA’s commercial wing, PFAM (PFA Management), and formerly as Chief Executive of the Player’s Association. He writes for The Sun Herald and the Sydney Morning Herald.
He was a coach for Nerds Football Club in their second season.
In 2007, Foster was invited to be the Australian representative to judge the Ballon d"Or, the highest award given to an individual football player. International Individual 2000: Top scorer.
Foster is a life member of the APFA and a member of the APFA Technical Committee.