Earlier this evening, my Dad saw me training in the garden. He came up to me worried and anxious for me to stop training. I had been training by myself the most part of the evening and I was determined to get something I was working on with my left foot correct which is why I was out a little longer than usual. He said that he thinks that football for me is becoming an addiction, that i’m overdoing it. I disagreed with him, I told him to become a professional footballer I need to work really hard. He said that you don’t improve if you work too much, but I feel as though I am improving every day and growing in confidence by training 3 – 4 hours a day. I won’t listen to him, after all he has never been super successful in anything so how would he know? I know who I am, what I believe in and I’m going to keep working hard until I reach my dream.

Here is what I saw of myself this week.

Tuesday (AFC Wimbledon Training):
- Awareness of players needs to be improved
- Strength

Thursday:
- One on one finishing was poor
- Passing was good

Saturday:
- Left foot is improving, I feel more confident with it
- Finishing was good this time.

Next Week

Focus: Finishing

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!