I hope to convince you of three things. First, how incredibly difficult it is to make a living out of football. Second, how
it would be sheer lunacy not to prepare for an alternative job in case you don’t make it. Third, how it is
possible to get to the top if you are blessed with enough talent and you can avoid the mistakes made by myself and many others.
When I joined Coventry they asked me what I wanted to be if I weren’t a footballer. ‘a journalist’, says I.
A professional footballer must never forget that he will need another job eventually, whether he makes the grade or not.
Don’t think the best things in life always happen to someone else.
Believe in yourself and anything is possible. When I was a kid they told me I would never make a living from football. I did. When I was forced to stop playing they said I would never get into television. I have. THEY, are people who never do anything with their lives because they never believe they can, or they can’t be bothered to try.
Throughout history most of the world has been saying what can’t be done, only for the few to go out and do it. That’s the difference between those who win and those who loose, those who make it and those who don’t:
self-belief, self-sacrifice and unshakable determination. You will rarely find a winner in anything without those qualities to complement natural ability. Don’t confuse self-belief with arrogance.
Self-belief is to know your faults and to belief you will overcome them. Know your limitations and work to eliminate them. Remember the three D’s—dedication, determination and discipline. Don’t loose confidence when things go wrong. You are never beaten until you tell yourself you are beaten. So take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves, and
forget about mights and maybes; talk about wills and whens. It is possible if you believe it, and never forget that nothing worthwhile in life comes easy.