Adam Henley.....

[champs95]

Random I know .... he just popped in my head while watching us on Sat. God knows why? So it got me thinking?? What happened to him, he just seemed to disappear? So I checked it out (being s boring git)
He went out to MLS and played for Real Salt lake the past few seasons. But went on loan to what I can only assume to be a 2nd Div American league? A side called Real Monarchs.

More next week.....

[champs95]

Oh and.....
He was actually born in Tennessee. His mother was Welsh, his father American. Maybe explaining why he returned to the States? That and he was pretty crap.

[AucklandRover]

The thing is, though, I can remember him having a couple of very good games against top PL opposition. That always stuck in my mind. I reckon there are lots of variables that go to determine whether you are successful in football or not - and ability is only one of them.
I coached a schoolboy with bags of talent and excellent physical attributes. He went to a League club as an apprentice. After a while, I went for a chat with the coach. He said straight away, "The lad won't make it."
When I asked why, the coach simply replied, "You can't tell him anything."
That was just what I'd found too, but I thought he might be different in that setting. Interestingly enough, another lad went along at the same time. He had much less ability, but a completely different attitude. He went on to have a good career at Conference level.
Henley was very promising, but then it all seemed to fall apart. Who knows why? I'm not necessarily suggesting it was an attitude-problem, of course. Some youngsters peak early, and then just plateau out.

[champs95]

The thing is, though, I can remember him having a couple of very good games against top PL opposition. That always stuck in my mind. I reckon there are lots of variables that go to determine whether you are successful in football or not - and ability is only one of them.
I coached a schoolboy with bags of talent and excellent physical attributes. He went to a League club as an apprentice. After a while, I went for a chat with the coach. He said straight away, "The lad won't make it."
When I asked why, the coach simply replied, "You can't tell him anything."
That was just what I'd found too, but I thought he might be different in that setting. Interestingly enough, another lad went along at the same time. He had much less ability, but a completely different attitude. He went on to have a good career at Conference level.
Henley was very promising, but then it all seemed to fall apart. Who knows why? I'm not necessarily suggesting it was an attitude-problem, of course. Some youngsters peak early, and then just plateau out.

I went to school in Bury with Phil Neville, he was in my class and year. I watched him develop and go through the ranks up to being signed by Man Utd.
At school level, while he was miles better than the average lad, he was nowhere near the nest on Bury Town Team. Then when he played for the district, he was not in the best 4/5 players. Some lads where simply physically bigger. Some faster, some more skilful. Why one by one these lads dropped out, was down to not growing. Not having the right attitude. And not progressing.
Having lived close by to him, he was out every single night running, keeping fit. At 15/16 when most kids are on the park with their mates drinking and smoking ....he was not being a normal kid. He was chasing his dream.
The Nevilles Mother, Jill, was the driving force. She was an athlete (she funnily enough went to school with my Mum) and was active in advising them both on what to do to get the most out of their bodies. Their Father due to his association (he was commercial Manager at Bury Fc during a time my uncle was chairman of them) with Bury knew how to advise them on what is expected from a professional footballer.
Phil was actually a far better cricketer, and had actually opted for that as a career, before sustaining a bad arm in jury that made him miss the Lancs trails. Then Manu Utd offered him a YTS and the rest is history.
He forged a great career by hard work, but was nowhere near the best lad around in his age group. He had the attitude. He had the desire, and strength not to be a regular ****ager, and put his life on hold for football. While it sounds a dream, young lads give up everything. And the vast majority fail to make it. I played with 4 lads at Bolton Lads Club. All much better. All signed for various sides, Man City, Crewe, Tranmere and Man Utd. None of them made it. All down to .....not growing, not learning, and not having the correct attitude.

[champs95]

I guess the other side of this and an example of this is a player like Lakaku.
By all accounts he was 3/4 ft bigger than any other kid coming through the ranks. And much faster.
He was quite similar in physique at 15 than he is now.
Having see players when I was that age, and how far forward they where to say Phil Neville, was huge.
But none of them made it. Because once they make it to playing men, they have no touch. Because they never needed to be any good vrs other 15 year olds.
Lakaku just bullied others coming up through the ranks. He didn't need to work on his touch, he didn't need to be any good. He was simply 4 ft bigger than everyone, and could run faster.
If you watch him now, for a top player at a big club, he is woeful. Look at the way someone like Dack touches the ball, he is far more gifted. Just using one example of a player I see on a regular basis.

[AucklandRover]

Interesting stuff, Champs.
Yes, this lad I was talking about had those kinds of physical attributes. The other problem I had when I first coached him was that the other players were in awe of him. They passed to him at every opportunity, and it took a long time to wean them away from that.
Bottom-line, it all went to his head, and his dad was as arrogant as him. The lad cost us a county cup final in the end by showboating.
I bet, to this day, he doesn't know what went wrong with his potential "glittering" career!

[champs95]

Exactly Aucks. He won't even realise what he's missed out on. If you have great natural ability at something, you still need to work incredibly hard to get to a certain level. And maintain it. By the sounds of it, his arrogance which stems from his Father, meant it prevented him from progressing. Phil Neville was not the greatest of footballers. Yet he played a long distinguished career based on eeking out every last drop of what natural ability he did have. And working extremely hard to not be shown up by what he didn't.

[Saxo1man41]

Was sure Henley was going to be a star.. Same with jay mceveley..

That's why I'm not in the game, and no real expert on football..!

[AucklandRover]

Was sure Henley was going to be a star.. Same with jay mceveley..

That's why I'm not in the game, and no real expert on football..!

Saxo - I really do think that luck has to play a part.
McEveley was another of those "nearly-men". He didn't have much luck with injuries, and there was always someone in his way, to prevent a consistent starting-place. And I think that probably was true at his other clubs too.
I have just looked him up, and he is apparently playing for Warrington Town. He is only 33. Funny - it seems longer ago than that.

[champs95]

Saxo - I really do think that luck has to play a part.
McEveley was another of those "nearly-men". He didn't have much luck with injuries, and there was always someone in his way, to prevent a consistent starting-place. And I think that probably was true at his other clubs too.
I have just looked him up, and he is apparently playing for Warrington Town. He is only 33. Funny - it seems longer ago than that.

I agree with the luck. But I feel it still always comes back to one thing. Attitude.
Here's another nearly man. David Bentley. When his attitude was good, with us, he got himself on the fringes of the England side.
Then his career nose-dived horrifically due to his poor attitude after leaving Rovers.