Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier has stressed the importance of players staying focused if they want a successful career.
The 63-year-old French coach returned to the Premier League in September and has had previous managerial stints at Liverpool and Lyon, as well as a short spell as France boss.
Houllier believes it is crucial to be completely focused on football to succeed at the top level, and admits the lives of some modern players do not help.
He said: "If you've got 100 per cent focus, you've got a chance. If you go off track, go out, booze, go to nightclubs etc it does not help.
"You've got to live for the job. The career of a player between 20 and 30 is different from most people.
"Other people can have a job, and work and the job allows them to take some holiday, maybe buy a house, maybe buy a car.
"Football is different. You can have everything right away. Other people enjoy their job and live outside of the job. The players have got to live for their job.
"This is why sometimes there are marriage breaks, because they marry young girls, girls that want to go out and go to a restaurant.
"But the life of the player who plays every three days has got to be about being at home, putting his feet up and maybe watching the TV.
"If you love football you've got to live for football for 10 years at least. That will lengthen your career.
"They can enjoy life afterwards, become maybe TV pundits because management is too difficult a job."
Aston Villa take on Burnley in the Carling Cup on Wednesday evening before a local derby with Birmingham at the weekend.
