What a few weeks it has been for Newcastle United, and particularly their cup hero Dan Burn. Beating Liverpool at Wembley in the League Cup ended a 70-year wait for silverware for the North-East club (discounting their 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup win in 2006 馃槣), and adding to the romance of the occasion, the winning goal was scored by centre-back Burn, who grew up supporting the club. But there is more to the story: Newcastle released Burn from their academy when he was 11, believing he wasn't good enough to make the grade. How poetic, then, that Burn, born in Blyth, should be the player to score at Wembley and secure the League Cup. 馃弳
Never, ever beat Dan Burn; he's from Blyth ... and Darlington, Fulham, Yeovil, Birmingham, Wigan, Brighton, and Wigan (again)!
We need to develop a 'turn-back time' before reaching a scholarship or a professional contract. Set out, before the ascent begins, what the young player and family are happy to carry on with and what they are not.
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A gift for you and your friends 馃巵
I have launched a four-part online course, which builds on the live sessions I have been doing in clubs. It is for young players and their families to engage with and gives a clear set of frameworks to assess whether university is right for you.
Is university right for you?
The unintended consequence of this concoction is that someone who is perhaps not ready for university feels compelled to go to university at an institution that is not fit to support them in their development.
Do you look both ways when crossing the road?
I help young players and their families to "look both ways as they cross the road". I want young players to go through their football journey knowing the full story, taking a more evidence-based approach to their career planning.