IF you were to conduct a survey among Premiership footballers I bet most would admit they've given little thought to what they will do when the time comes to hang up their boots.

Some might have earned enough from the game that they can put their feet up altogether, while a career in the media, or football management, beckons others.

But Blackburn Rovers' uncompromising defender, Lucas Neill, plans to buck the trend by tapping into his passion for horse racing and setting up his own stables.

The 28-year-old, who is odds-on to be part of Australia's squad for the World Cup this summer, is financially stable after five years in the Premiership and he's anxious to avoid boredom when he finally quits playing.

The former Millwall man admits he's already given plenty of thought to what he would like to do when he retires, and while it does involve coaching and mentoring youngsters in his home suburb of Manly in Sydney, he's keen to get more heavily involved in property development and horse racing - two of his other main passions in life.

"I have got my financial future sorted out, which is great, because then all you have to do is concentrate on making and breaking the pressure which you put on yourself," said Neill.

"Now my life is sorted out, I don't have to worry about paying the bills.

"I love that sort of thing (property) and I am involved in Australia and England. I need something to do with my time when I am finished. I need something to occupy my mind; I get bored and restless.

"I am a realist and I know that I might only have four good years left in football, although hopefully it will be five or six.

"After that I am going to have to let go, and I want to be focusing on a family and something that I enjoy.

"It will either be horse racing, property development or putting something back into the community for the young people in my old area."

The concept of footballers owning race horses is nothing new, of course, but Neill has taken it a step further because he already owns five "three in Ireland with Dessie Hughes, hurdlers and chasers, and two flat horses in England with J.J. Quinn" and he's looking to purchase a sixth in Australia, which he plans to bring back to the the UK to smash the locals'.

"I am friends with Kerrin McEvoy, I have been in Dubai lately and I know a few of the jockeys in England.

"In Australia, I do a bit with (racing radio station) 2KY and have got to know the horse training Freedmans family.

"My dream would be to own training stables one day. Not necessarily to be a trainer because I don't know about getting pedigree horses fit.

"I would (also) like to put something back into Manly Warringah, which I am starting to do alreadyl."

In the meantime, Neill has more pressing matters to worry about - like agreeing a new contract extension with Blackburn, and preparing for his first World Cup finals, where Australia will face the mighty Brazil in the first phase.

"Everyone says it is a tough draw, but there were never going to be any easy games in a World Cup and to play Brazil is phenomenal - to gauge yourself against five of the biggest-name strikers in the world is a fantastic opportunity. It's a good shirt to put on the wall.

"If we can stop those players on the day there is every chance we will come away with some points that's what you play football for, to line up against Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Baptista, Adriano they are all up there."