Has anyone watched this?
I watched tonight for the first time, young ish footballers trying to earn a second chance at a pro contract.
A bit like The Apprentice for aspiring footballers I guess.
I’ll cut to the chase, the two that got thrown out.
A lad called Latham, nice kid but from the first moment I could see he wasn’t fit, thick around the waist and top of his thighs and not in a muscular way.
His kit bag appeared to have a packet of biscuits or chocolate in it, he was blowing like a 60 year old after a few minutes and missed a sitter.
Why bother thinking you can make it as a pro if you can’t even look after your own fitness.
The other lad was full of attitude and as thick as two planks.
The head coach was doing a drill with him where he wanted him to play the ball against a wall with one foot and then accept it back on the other foot and pass against the opposite wall.
Despite numerous attempts and explanations from the coach he was incapable of understanding and kept just using his favourite foot.
I’d have released him at that point but I suppose that due to it being slightly contrived for TV, he got given 45 minutes in the next match and he was hopeless.
When called in to be gently released by the coaches you could just see “attitude” all over him.
He said it wasn’t his fault that he “couldn’t settle in the environment” yet the coaches were great and they were being treated as well as pro’s at a top club.
When asked politely by the head coach what exactly it was they had done wrong do they could be better in the future he replied “dunno innit bro” or very similar.
So much in football us about the right attitude and work ethic these days, I’m amazed at seeing this type of show and seeing how people with a reasonable level of talent just don’t get it.
My lad ( 31 now ) and I were discussing our individual footballing abilities yesterday.
He is 6 feet 4 and a bit inches tall and was that size at 14 when he weighed around 12 stone.
A lovely first touch and an eye for goal and a length of stride that meant he could eat up the ground like Jude Bellingham.
Lazy as f u c k though and had an awful attitude on the pitch, constantly moaning if he got tackled and b I t ch I n g if he received a bad pass ( usually his fault for poor movement )
I was 5 feet 9, a small wiry frame and only that way because I’d had to train like crazy to get off my youthful natural fat, I was meant to be tubby I think.
I worked my nuts off on the pitch, never gave up a lost cause and chased everything, I’d run till my feet bled in this type of weather.
I kept my mouth shut ( highly unusual for me! ) and concentrated like he’ll because I was too mediocre in talent to switch off mentally.
I never got booked even though I played until I was 43.
I said to my lad that if I’d been blessed with his body and physical ability and mixed it with my desire and fitness and commitment I’m certain I could’ve played at least at a high non league level.
It really boils my p I s s when I see natural ability ruined by poor fitness ethic and bad attitude.
A programme worth a watch though I think.
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