‘Things getting back’: compromising player welfare
Parents, guardians and others in the support network must take a vested interest in the holistic development of the person and not just them as a player. I would go as far as saying those groups need to be more focused on the development of the whole person than anything else.
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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.
Why do players want to be professionals?
When becoming a professional player hangs in the balance or someone has decided to release a player and becoming a professional seems further away than it did before, I have found it useful to explore with a player why they want to be a professional.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast
Some clubs strive to develop the person before the footballer; some do not. The problem is that you don't know which club you are at until it is too late. Are you at a club that has a person-centred culture, or are you at a club that delivers what it has to, and that is your lot?