Football and College – The final chapter
Credit:
The last two weeks have been extremely busy for me with college exams stuck in between football
matches. As a result, I was unable to update my weekly column the past two weeks.
I have written before on the difficult task and hard work of combining both full-time football with my college commitments but spoke also of the rewards of combining and achieving success in both.
I am happy to say, last Wednesday, I concluded possibly my last ever college exam and come graduation time in November, I will be the proud owner of not only an Honours Degree in Business Studies but also a Masters Degree in Finance.
The year started with both myself and my former team mate at Sporting Fingal, Stephen Paisley, pursuing a Masters in Finance and Capital Markets in D.C.U whilst also concentrating on our football commitments.
Success on the football pitch came in the shape of the F.A.I Cup and achieving promotion to the Airtricity Premier Division with Sporting Fingal.
Off the pitch, Stephen decided that on conclusion of his studies, and after gaining both his Degree and Masters, that he would take up the option of a full time finance graduate position with Bank of Ireland.
It marks a marvellous accomplishment on his part to have successfully combined both football and college over the past few years and I think his achievements should be acknowledged. For me, his triumph both on and off the pitch epitomises what can be gained if you just put your mind to it and decide take on a college education as well as play football at the top level here in Ireland.
Stephen came back from Manchester City at the age of 20, disappointed and disheartened. Like so many before and even more after, he had never completed his leaving certificate before he went over to try his luck across the water.
With no leaving certificate to his name, he went back to complete it whilst also signing for Longford Town. During his time there, he not only finished his leaving cert but also began a Degree course in D.I.T which he completed during his time with St.Pats.
On the pitch, he was successful as he won two F.A.I Cups with Longford and a League Cup. He also represented Ireland at u’20 and u’21 level and featured in Europe for St.Pats.
He finally moved onto Sporting Fingal where he finished his Masters effectively and has now begun a new journey both on and off the pitch switching from full time football into part time football and starting a new full time financial career.
As I have pointed out in a previous article before, the success rate of young teens going over to England and making it big with a team over there is very low and the majority end up coming back to Ireland, with no real education and not knowing what to do with themselves. Stephen and I can be categorised in this same bracket.
One thing I noticed when I came back from Leicester City F.C. at the age of 19 was that there was no one within the F.A.I that I could turn to for advice and talk to with regards not only education but also where exactly I can go from here; what are my options.
For a young kid coming home from England, it can be a particularly lonely and disillusioning period, having your dreams shattered, being told you’re not good enough and your life basically turned upside down.
I know a lot of people, some friends, who have come back from England and completely turned their backs on football. Some even followed an even worse path and got mixed up in all sorts.
For this reason, it is vital that some kind of advice network be made available by the F.A.I that will help our young kids coming back from England to get their lives back on track.
It could involve a number of things with a focus on career guidance in terms of finding out what exactly each individual kid wants to do or what they might be suited to doing.
It could also include helping them get back into education; helping them get a job through interview and C.V. workshops; building up their confidence as it will no doubt have taken a hit after being told their not good enough from their respective clubs in England.
At the moment, when you come back from across the water, the main people that you will turn to for advice and everything else are your family. There are also other possible places like FAS.
I find it baffling, however, that the F.A.I do not have something in operation of their own where young disillusioned kids can turn to for advice and development. If there is such a network, I have never heard about it.
In terms of the League of Ireland, I have had numerous team mates from Bray, Drogheda and Sporting Fingal who have approached me and inquired about college. Most of their questions are based on either of two things. One, they are not sure what course would suit them, although they have expressed a keen interest in starting a course and gaining an education. Two, they are not sure what qualifications you need to get into each respective course.
I know the P.F.A.I, and in particular Stephen McGuiness, are doing a great job with relatively low funds. Stephen has helped me out no end in the past. I have also received financial help from them in the past with regards their college grants that they give out every year and I am very grateful for that.
However, if there was an education advice network in the P.F.A.I that players within the league who were members of the union could turn to, I am positive that it would be utilised.
The reason behind combining college whilst your still playing football is that it will help you make the transition from the “football world” into the “real world”. That transition can happen when you’re 26, 29, 32 or even 36 years of age. What college will do is provide you with the necessary tools to make that transition.
Stephen Paisley decided it was time now to make that transition and I would just like to take this opportunity to say well done and wish him all the best with his new job.
I have written before on the difficult task and hard work of combining both full-time football with my college commitments but spoke also of the rewards of combining and achieving success in both.
I am happy to say, last Wednesday, I concluded possibly my last ever college exam and come graduation time in November, I will be the proud owner of not only an Honours Degree in Business Studies but also a Masters Degree in Finance.
The year started with both myself and my former team mate at Sporting Fingal, Stephen Paisley, pursuing a Masters in Finance and Capital Markets in D.C.U whilst also concentrating on our football commitments.
Success on the football pitch came in the shape of the F.A.I Cup and achieving promotion to the Airtricity Premier Division with Sporting Fingal.
Off the pitch, Stephen decided that on conclusion of his studies, and after gaining both his Degree and Masters, that he would take up the option of a full time finance graduate position with Bank of Ireland.
It marks a marvellous accomplishment on his part to have successfully combined both football and college over the past few years and I think his achievements should be acknowledged. For me, his triumph both on and off the pitch epitomises what can be gained if you just put your mind to it and decide take on a college education as well as play football at the top level here in Ireland.
Stephen came back from Manchester City at the age of 20, disappointed and disheartened. Like so many before and even more after, he had never completed his leaving certificate before he went over to try his luck across the water.
With no leaving certificate to his name, he went back to complete it whilst also signing for Longford Town. During his time there, he not only finished his leaving cert but also began a Degree course in D.I.T which he completed during his time with St.Pats.
On the pitch, he was successful as he won two F.A.I Cups with Longford and a League Cup. He also represented Ireland at u’20 and u’21 level and featured in Europe for St.Pats.
He finally moved onto Sporting Fingal where he finished his Masters effectively and has now begun a new journey both on and off the pitch switching from full time football into part time football and starting a new full time financial career.
As I have pointed out in a previous article before, the success rate of young teens going over to England and making it big with a team over there is very low and the majority end up coming back to Ireland, with no real education and not knowing what to do with themselves. Stephen and I can be categorised in this same bracket.
One thing I noticed when I came back from Leicester City F.C. at the age of 19 was that there was no one within the F.A.I that I could turn to for advice and talk to with regards not only education but also where exactly I can go from here; what are my options.
For a young kid coming home from England, it can be a particularly lonely and disillusioning period, having your dreams shattered, being told you’re not good enough and your life basically turned upside down.
I know a lot of people, some friends, who have come back from England and completely turned their backs on football. Some even followed an even worse path and got mixed up in all sorts.
For this reason, it is vital that some kind of advice network be made available by the F.A.I that will help our young kids coming back from England to get their lives back on track.
It could involve a number of things with a focus on career guidance in terms of finding out what exactly each individual kid wants to do or what they might be suited to doing.
It could also include helping them get back into education; helping them get a job through interview and C.V. workshops; building up their confidence as it will no doubt have taken a hit after being told their not good enough from their respective clubs in England.
At the moment, when you come back from across the water, the main people that you will turn to for advice and everything else are your family. There are also other possible places like FAS.
I find it baffling, however, that the F.A.I do not have something in operation of their own where young disillusioned kids can turn to for advice and development. If there is such a network, I have never heard about it.
In terms of the League of Ireland, I have had numerous team mates from Bray, Drogheda and Sporting Fingal who have approached me and inquired about college. Most of their questions are based on either of two things. One, they are not sure what course would suit them, although they have expressed a keen interest in starting a course and gaining an education. Two, they are not sure what qualifications you need to get into each respective course.
I know the P.F.A.I, and in particular Stephen McGuiness, are doing a great job with relatively low funds. Stephen has helped me out no end in the past. I have also received financial help from them in the past with regards their college grants that they give out every year and I am very grateful for that.
However, if there was an education advice network in the P.F.A.I that players within the league who were members of the union could turn to, I am positive that it would be utilised.
The reason behind combining college whilst your still playing football is that it will help you make the transition from the “football world” into the “real world”. That transition can happen when you’re 26, 29, 32 or even 36 years of age. What college will do is provide you with the necessary tools to make that transition.
Stephen Paisley decided it was time now to make that transition and I would just like to take this opportunity to say well done and wish him all the best with his new job.
