Elsewhere In Football #13
- Jan 7
- 3 min read
Happy New Year
First and foremost, Happy New Year!!
It seems so long ago that I was sat at the start of 2024 worrying about how I was going to find the capital to keep Angkor City moving forward. It was a year ago, almost to the day, when I realized that it wasn't going to happen and I withdraw the club from Cambodia League 2. What followed was the hardest year of my professional life. Seemingly banned from coaching in Cambodia and the acceptance of failing closing in on me. I've worked in a competitive field my whole life and losing/failing is always hard to swallow.
Nothing more important than family.....
Football is my life! What I've learned over this year though is that it's my family that is the most important thing in my life. Being a great father and husband is more important than being a great coach or even coaching football. For the first time in my life I'm not begging, borrowing or stealing to get to the top. I don't ever care about reaching the top. All that matters is that I'm happy and healthy and that my family get the very best version of me. For the first time in my life I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone and I'm realizing that there might be a life outside of the game.
Falling in love with football again.....
Back in the UK I've had the opportunity to get to live games and get that feeling back for the game. I've loved watching games at all levels, freezing my bollocks off and taking long walks across football fields watching young hopefuls start their dream. The sounds, the smells and the feeling you get when watching football in England is like nowhere else is the world. This is the home of football!! Unfortunately I've applied for over 35 jobs since being back here in the UK and it would seem that English football is closed to anyone that isn't already in the system.
What lies ahead for 2025......
The Nauru project continues to move forward very slowly and there are a number of projects in the region that I'm also closely monitoring. Whether anything comes to fruition on these projects remains to be seen.
Angkor City will return but it will be a slow and steady climb back to professional football. We will begin by re-entering the Hun Sen Cup in 2025 and beginning things at a semi pro level. I will be the owner of the club and have no plans to coach. We will hire the right team to move this project forward.
Forza Academy has returned and will be operating a small academy in Poipet. This is fully operational already and I have a great team on the ground doing the work.
I'm other projects, I've been in contact with academies in Thailand and discussions are moving forward. I have also set my sights on clubs in Cambodia, Philippines and Bhutan.
Right now I'm in the UK and preparing my return to Asia, however I am in no rush and my next steps will be calculated and methodical. My focus is to be back with my family and spending time with them.
Commentaires