Chasing the Dream of Football Pro – The Diary of a Teen trying to make it

Weeks Reflection lazy hattrick improvement 100%, nick humphries football soccer

So this evening I got back from London and after watching Chelsea get beat yesterday by Man City at stamford bridge and stupid math homework I just wrote random answers to so I could get it done, i’m not feeling the happiest. But on the good side, going to England and training and playing with competitive youngsters and just getting the experience of playing english football was well worth it. I have come to a conclusion now that after I finish my studies at school, it would be my dream to be..

Living in England/Europe and Playing for a Premier League Academy or Top Level Team

Working Part Time on my Business’

That’s my short-term goal right now and I have about a year and a half to achieve it, time goes fast so i’m working towards the short-term dream from tomorrow, I’m committed!

Reflecting upon the three, two hour trainings with AFC Wimbledon this is what I learnt. What training mostly consisted of were passing drills and one-two touch drills. We never did any fitness sessions, however most of the drills were done at high intensity. The academy team has some good players, however the coaching staff weren’t amazing. I thought Mark the head coach was a good guy, but he didn’t have full discipline over the players, I thought at times he laughed to much with them and could of dealt with heavier consequences to those who were misbehaving in the change rooms or something. The two other coaching staff could of put in more input at times and I don’t know.. I just didn’t think it was professional enough.

Monday:

• Leant they play at a high pace and touch has to be good but it was nothing hard I could handle it easy.
• Other players finishing is better than mine

Tuesday:

• Learnt that so many players are undisciplined (for example players talking when the coach is talking)
• Have to be strong physically.
• Standing tackiling was very poor, got beaten through the legs a million times!
• Haven’t seen a player that really wants it, that gave it their all to be noticed, to win balls, etc.

Friday:

• Finishing was poor, striking with laces needs more power.

The other things I found is that touch is really important, which the pros have said before but now I really now how valuable a good touch is when in high intensity, fast pace situations. Speed also helps alot in my opinion.

The Overall Wrap Up from the Coach

I wasn’t exceptional and he didn’t go wow I really need that player on my team.
I was there with the standard of players, but not in the high standard bracket.
I need to be stronger physically.
Use inside of the foot more.
He said I didn’t look quick on the pitch, but probably because it was a small pitch.
I looked ok technically.
Times where I looked like I got pushed off the ball.
Need to make faster decisions.
Need to kick some playing habits out of my game, he didn’t say what exactly.

So the three most important things i’ve learnt about myself in my time there and that need to be improved in order to make it where I want is:

Be 10/10 in some areas so I am considered an exceptional player

Faster decision making

Strength on and off the ball

The next trial I want to go to is for the open trials at the Bolton International Academy in three or four weeks time, will keep you updated if I decide to go or not.

Otherwise, I will keep working hard to become an world class footballer!

Weeks Reflection england, exceptional, humphries, nick, soccer, trial, wimbledon

Hey, so it is half past nine and i’m sitting in bed at my brothers house in London and taking the time to reflect on the week.

Trials Day

Today was the footballcv trials day in Hampton. It didn’t go so well.. 15-20 minutes after the game starting I got a metal studded boot right in the forehead. Starting bleeding and they had to take me off immediately and I ended up going to the hospital to see if I needed stitches. Turns out the cut didn’t need stitches and the whole day was almost a waste of time. Although I did learn some things in those 15-20 minutes about my first experience playing in England.

1. It’s played at a faster pace, requiring top fitness.
2. Many more long balls
3. Harder tackles

Yeah it was interesting and I’ll learn more about it this week at Wimbledon.

My Preparation
I had a pretty hectic week juggling school, business and football so I had to “cancel” 3 or 4 things I was planning to do, but I also felt my body needed a rest in some occasions because I could risk injury.

How the week went

We did alot of fitness on Wednesday and Thursday and not alot of technical ball work, but i’ll tell you what went on:

Tuesday:

• Finishing was really good, however I wasn’t placed in any one on one situations.

Saturday:

• Two touch passing is not great
• Finishing was once again good

Sunday (Match/Trials Day):

Alright, so now comes Wimbledon.. will keep updated.

Weeks Reflection day, finishing, injury, passing, tackling, trials

What to say about this week…

I’ve only really trained twice this week due to a little sprain in my toe and a knock in my knee. Probably which I could’ve trained on but seeing as I am finally going to England next week to trial, I didn’t want to risk injuring myself further.

In the round up of how my two trainings went, here it is:

Thursday:
- Too relaxed on the ball
- Shooting was way off! Missed all chances.
- Turning with the ball was good, something I have worked on (training pays off once again!)

Saturday:
- Played game, had three one on one chances and finished none! Should have finished all of them.
- Dribbling through cones only with inside of one foot needs a lot of improvement.

I’m about 100% again and next week will be about catching up and getting ready, preparation week. I’m feeling a little out of fitness and I need to work on a couple of things so I don’t embarrass my self. I’ve worked out a schedule which I will stick to until Saturday when I leave to the airport. If I am not at my best at 100% before going into the trial, then I won’t really know how I measure up.

Monday Morning: 10 minutes right/left foot one touch passing,  10 minutes two touch passing, finish with 50 pushups, 50 situps, 150 leg co-ordination exercises / Lunch: 15-20 minute game with friends / Afternoon: 40 minute treadmill run.

Tuesday Morning: Same as Monday / Lunch: Same / Evening: Club training.

Wednesday Morning: 30 minute run / Lunch: Same / Evening: Club training.

Thursday Morning: 10 minutes juggling, 20 minutes dribbling exercises, 10 minutes one touch, two touch/ Lunch: Same / Evening: Club training.

Friday Morning: 60 minutes run / Lunch: Same / Afternoon: Swim

Saturday Morning: Club training and then leave to England.

Sunday: Trials day at FootballCV.

Monday – Saturday: Wimbledon.

Weeks Reflection injury, plan, prep, training

So following on from today’s other post,
I had a rocky week this week. Only trained on Tuesday and Wednesday as I got a slight strain on my knee from doing some stretching exercises on Wednesday night. Going through the days here were the key points..

Wednesday:
Passing against bench exercise with more pace.
Need to have quicker legs in trampoline sprinting exercise.
Following and man marking has to be better for defending.
Awareness and one touch passing was good.

Saturday’s Game:
The Big Thing That Needs Improvement:
- Taking players on one-on-one, especially with left foot. [I was playing on the right and left wings and was far too slow with taking the ball up, passing and taking players on].
- Shooting was appalling. 2 shots on target, 3 shots way off target.
- Crossing with left foot needs way more improvement.
- Getting back for Tackles, and especially slide tackles were great.

Now, I also have noticed how much training really does relate to games. Everything, the way I pass the ball, how fast I take the ball up the field, how fast for me it takes to get back to defend. I somehow thought that when you’re in a game situation it’s different but really it’s exactly the same. My coach was saying this before, but I didn’t really understand it until now.

I also find that the things you learn while watching games really does make a difference to how you play, from the way you position your body to where you pass, yeah all I have to say is that watching lots of premier league games has made me smarter in football

Two weeks before England, I have to buckle down right now and prepare properly because if i’m not at my best at 100% before going, than how will I really know how I measure up to these english players.

Stay tuned for more.

Weeks Reflection game, intelligence, review, slide, tackles, weekly

Hmm.. what to say about this week.
Going through the days I found

Tuesday:

• More determination to do better in long fitness exercise in training

Wednesday:

• Long passing accuracy can be improved
• Left foot finishing needs improvement
• Short touches with the ball again needs more improvement

Thursday:

• Running at high pace needs to have more smaller touches for more control

Looking at what i’ve wrote the last few weeks, working on having smaller touches looks like the biggest concern. So next week i’ll focus on keeping smaller touches! I wish I could work on this stuff at the oval near my house, but it’s snowed down like crazy the last few days.

So I Couldn’t train on Saturday or today because I slightly sprained my toe, hopefully it gets better by tomorrow.

It’s probably because i’ve kicked my mini ball all around the house alot this past week before school and after trainings. What Will Smith said about “working when the other dude is sleeping” has made me think and realise that to go where I want to go I gotta “work on my football skills while the other dudes are sleeping” .

Fresh new week from Monday, I got a game on Saturday to top it off. Lovin it.

Weeks Reflection academy, football, review, soccer, weekly

Another week passes, finished this years first game a couple of hours ago and now i’m catching up on some last minute homework.

Starting off with the game which is the freshest in my mind at the moment, I think I played good. We won 8-0 against a pretty average team. I first assisted a goal from taking a corner kick and then scored a one on one, I had just one other shot on goal. My goal came from the determination to score as I made a run through the middle of defence and received a through ball which paid off when I nutmegged the keeper. What I did well was making runs with the ball, tackling and touch was good.

If we look at my main focuses for improvement:

1. ONE ON ONE FINISHING
2. PLAYING PACE
3. DECISION MAKING
4. FIRST TOUCH

I think all of these things were done ok – good in the game which this game I guess shows i’ve done a little improvement in those areas.

On the negative side, there wasn’t too much. Positioning could of been a a little quicker in some cases, I think I should of made more runs and received passes through the middle of the pitch, too one sided. I also didn’t feel as though I was really, really important like if I was Rooney when he scored those 4 goals. I want to mean much more to my coach and in my football so I think I just got to take my game to the next level as if I were just untouchable on and off the ball.

But going back earlier in the week here is what I reflected on in trainings, the fitness side of things is postponed until this coming week:

Tuesday:

• Improving my playing intelligence of the game
• Knowing when to run, sprint and pass
• My confidence really lacked in drills and didn’t think things through.
• Balance and co-ordination needs improvement
• Finishing needs improvement.

Thursday:

• CONFIDENCE, It wasn’t there!

Saturday:

• Two touch passing could have some more perfection

So as you can see, the confidence side of things wasn’t so great. When I stuff up in training or get shouted at by my coach I tend to put my head down. I am learning that these things will only make me stronger so it’s not worth putting my head down for anything, it shows that I lack confidence in myself to others and that’s something I can’t do.

Anyway that’s all for this week, it’s a month to go now before I go off to AFC Wimbledon and see how I go with my one week trial there, can’t wait!

Weeks Reflection confidence, football, good, soccer, stuff, training, up, wimbledon

Like I said before 2010 is the year!

I think the first week has gotten off to a good start. We’ve started our two months of mostly fitness trainings this week. Although I thought I was going to struggle in training because I didn’t really follow my coaches training plan over my one month break, the running session we had really wasn’t so bad and I was keeping up with the best;  so it was kind of surprising but I probably keep my fitness because i’m young. I reflected after each session I had with my club, these are the things I learnt and need to improve on:

Wednesday:

• Although i’ve heard this before I heard it again and that is to use your body to shield the defender from a pass, don’t be scared if you get kicked because it’s and foul anyway + it will make you a stronger player.
• Need to work on having smaller touches for better control, especially smaller touches with left foot as it feels a bit uncoordinated.

Thursday:

• Improve on first touch a little
• One on one finishing still a big problem
• One on one with an opponent.

Saturday:

• Look up first then pass
• On the positive: One touch passing has definently improved, mostly from passing ball against wall.

I think I am being really self critical, but I also need to properly identify my strengths so i’ll do a little reflection on that too next week.

Also, I worked a little on my free kick technique using the side of my foot to strike the ball. I got it off Drogba’s free kick 3-0 goal against Arsenal last year. I’ve worked on my style heaps and heaps over the years, but I think this way is definently working for me and the ball seems to go where I want it too when I strike the ball. I have to post a video of myself doing it, but here is that Drogba goal.

Anyway, there’s four trainings and a game to cap it off next week so can’t wait for that.

Weeks Reflection first, fitness, football, passing, touch, training, work

For roughly the past three weeks I have been on holiday’s in Australia, during that time i’ve been tied up with meeting friends and going to the beach and pool. I haven’t been following my coaches training plan which probably means i’m going to die when training resumes in around a week as he has a two month fitness plan for us. These three weeks have felt like weeks well i’m declining in skill and wasted time to develop my skill, on the plus side i’ve done some things only the beginning of 2010 that have made me feel like I can achieve anything, it’s all mental. First it was basically getting a chick from ‘I like you’ to ‘I love you’ by being confident in myself, and second was doing what’s called an ‘endo’ at the pool (doing a backflip while jumping forward from a 5 meter diving tower), not succeeding by landing on my face but it was probably the toughest thing mentally i’ve had to do. Anyway one of my goals for 2010 is just to be confident and never back away from opportunities whether it is free time for a football session or talking to girls.

Reflecting on 2010, I saw a change in me that I started to believe, believe that I could succeed and the determination to be the best. It happened from analysing football games more on TV and working 100% in training and this has got me fired up to be professional and I know I can.

2010 will be start of a two year period to try and make it. But 2010 really is the year to become signed,I’m 16 now and I turn 17 in July and this is the age I can do it. With the progress i’ve made over the last four months, what I can do in 12 months can be amazing.

This year my development will be even faster achieved with more planning and organisation but most of all with the determination to succeed. The key focus areas this year will be:
1. ONE ON ONE FINISHING
2. PLAYING PACE (URGENCY)
3. DECISION MAKING
4. FIRST TOUCH

Two things here are mental, two things here are skill wise. I need to act as though I am a good player whether it is playing with my mates at school or doing a drill in training, I need to act like I am the man and that means working harder than anyone else on the pitch or court.

I have made a pledge to myself that this year I will update this blog at least once a week and analyse my performance after every game and tournament.

This year really is the year to make it and I know I can do it.

If I get a setback, I can turn it into a massive victory.

If I believe I can succeed, I will.

And once I make it, all the hard work, all the sweat, it was all worth it

Weeks Reflection 16, determination, footballer, new years resolution, pro, succeed

Hi again, I’m pleased to say alot of good stuff has happened since my last entry.

Let’s start off with Tuesday. I know this is a one time thing but it’s these little performances like this that give me more confidence. YES! I played noticeably better than the undisputed “best player” in the team named Flo. Same height, about an year older, been with the club for many years, had a trial with Aston Villa and most intimidating of all.. he has an beard. In an 45 minute training match I took the ball off him at least 3 times, scored more and overall played better and he wasn’t having a bad day.

I didn’t think I could really do this a year ago and didn’t think I was capable of, but now I have and like I said it’s a confidence booster.

Our famous coach returned to coach us again on Tuesday after not being able to coach for the last couple of months because of knee surgery.

His words of wisdom taught me not to pass the ball into a player in tight space and rather dummy it and turn the other way where a player is in space, switching the ball.

He also told me not to sprint to get the ball left and right when playing upfront as it only tires you out. So wait until the ball is played to an appropriate distance where the midfielders would be pushing closer to you and then go in for the kill. I think I saved a lot of energy by doing this which is why I think I got a lot more tackles in and played better.

Scenario: Holding the ball, back turned to two players trying to take the ball away, I stand there shielding the ball not trying to get out the situation, I lose the ball. The Solution: Coach says that when I have the ball and am sooner or later going to get the ball taken off me then do something because you’ll get the ball taken off either way.

These things I need to improve on are not to do with skill but play intelligence. The biggest concern I have with myself is knowing what to do after I receive the ball and this is my #1 to get better at.

We had these two 1991 players who came in training today that play for Honved FC in the first division of the Hungarian League. Actually, I was told that they play for the reserve Honved side which actually play in the 2nd division. They played wicked fast and were very pacey. Even though these guys are about two years older than me and play at a high level, I could still keep up, but they took the ball off me a couple of times and this is because I don’t react quick enough, I relax too much on the ball, my mind tempo isn’t in sync with the playing tempo. Again this is to do with knowing what to do after I receive the ball.

Back to the coach, I talked to him while he was dropping me off home in his car. I told him I got a one week trial with AFC Wimbledon in February. A TRIAL!?!? Yup, but I wasn’t spotted or anything. I called up Wimbledon’s academy manager and he basically said I could have a weeks trial with them. I have really no idea about what an conference side’s academy side is like but I heard it is at a good level so I’m gonna go check it out and give myself a test there.

Back to the story, coach then told me that John (assistant coach) and himself believe that I’ve worked really hard since September and have improved which I agree on actually
His main concern is about my position. He doesn’t know if I’m a winger, striker or a right back.
He says if he could find out the right position for me that I could be an country international player. If not, then an average player for the 6th division of english football. He says if I keep working hard, then in the next six months he could take me on trials with Belgium as well as English clubs along with Flo (the guy I played better than)

I’ve been doing extra training at home and local field for about twice a week, mainly focusing on doing 500 one touch passes against a wall with 50 passes in a row each time without stuffing it up. I must of done double that considering I did stuff up an awful amount of times.

So it’s been positive, my first touch has improved, my shooting is better, I dribble more I feel as though I’m much more confident.
I’m starting to think that all it takes is self belief and practice.

I have an Hungarian tournament to go to with the team tomorrow and an friendly on Sunday. Football weekend and exams next week :S

Anyway If I keep up what I’ve been doing lately and work even harder the dream of signing a professional contract is maybe a reality. Wow.
I’d like to go out with a clip I found from nikefootball. Talk to you next week!

Weeks Reflection dream, hard, humphries, nick, nikefootball, work