Hard Work

I’ve been ‘around’ football all my life in one way or another. It is a massive part of my everyday living.

My dad, my brother and even my best friends have all played professionally and I am currently one of the youngest chief scouts in Britain. Most would say I have the perfect job. I mean, I get paid to watch football after all.

There is no doubt I am a very lucky person to be in the position I’m in, but as I was preparing for a recentunder-21 game against Birmingham City at their training ground I noticed a mantra on the wall leading to our changing room.

It read ‘hard work will beat talent if talent doesn’t work hard’.

This stuck with me for many reasons but the one that rises to the surface is ‘hard work’. Getting into football regardless of who your parents or friends are is difficult.

But one thing that is certain to help increase the possibility of making that leap is having a relentless work ethic.

Most businesses want people who will do the most for the least and football clubs are no different.

But just how far are you willing to go? In order to get to my current position I worked almost a year with no pay at my first club and regularly clock up 85+ hour weeks.

It’s all very difficult when trying to balance my time, so my young family doesn’t miss out on me and vice versa.

Something has to give. It could be your time at home, itcould be your work or it could even be a hobby or something you enjoy. The fact is that if you don’t value yourself enough to set limits, no-one else will.

I haven’t publicly spoken about this before but with me what ‘gave’ was ME.

I am the unhealthiest I have ever been and have more aches and pains than my 84-year-old gran.

I suffer from migraines (never had them before) and I get reoccurring bouts of insomnia. One time I was taken tohospital and linked up to an ECG machine investigating a suspected heart attack – I was only 30.

All because I want to impress and stay in the industry I love.

I remember speaking to my dad before he passed away and he told me to stay away from football and concentrate on computers (something I am also very good at).

This was from a man who, when in intensive care after suffering a brain aneurysm, decided to unplug his heart monitor and plug in the TV so he could check the scores on teletext.

You see football is not more important than a healthy and long life.

But when you’re immersed in it for long enough it morphs into something more captivating than you could ever imagine.

One good day totally overshadows the two months of hard, focused, stress inducing bad days! Crazy I know, but…… that’s football.