Thread by @manny_smith6, I’m going to do a thread in a few hours on the [...]

I’m going to do a thread in a few hours on the past 2-3 years how and what I did to take control of my life. It will help somebody out 100% brb

All I’ve known was football from a young age and I was very aware of what standard I was at and what advantages I could take from the game to set me up after

For years my wife banged on about life after ball, at least 2 times a month and I would tell her I could play till I’m 40

I’ve got years to think about that..

Thé season after we had the clean sheet record for the club my wife made me write down 4 goals that I wanted over the next 3 years. She’s into law of attraction HEAVY so I went along and really started to think what I actually wanted not only for the next 3 years but past that

I wanted to be in control of when I finished football.
I wanted to be mortgage free by 33.
I wanted a Audi A5.

(just always liked them

)
First thing when I woke up I would read them over and over, and them 3 things were on my mind all day everyday!!

That next season I went into every game like a mad man. I was playing my best football and felt on top coming into contract negotiations, I felt like a asset.

Coming into the Solihull game everything felt off, I knew something wasn’t right but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It was a weird feeling. After jumping and landing on 1 leg 10948484 times.. this was my last

Grade 3 mcl tear and bone brushing. I felt the lowest I ever was. Everything was running through my head, ´what you doing after football.. what you doing after football’ was all I could her my wife saying in my head.

and contract negotiations stopped

here we go!!!

There was a reason I didn’t sign what was offered, I felt I was undervalued as a player and person and how I was treated didn’t match what I was offered and when I was saying this it was the truth, went over my agent head who wanted me to sign, injured or not I knew my worth

Kept my head down and done all I could to get back and in the right space, I knew I would play again and set a date with my phisio, 8th nov 1st fa cup game. I was selected the week after to play and I really started to value the power of self belief!

The day before my last game that I played, I signed the deal that I finally wanted and deserved. Then got injured again and that would be that.

what about my goals I set

For months I was able to take my girls to school and pick them up and enjoy Christmas, birthdays and family values, years of football made me blind to real life and things that I wouldn’t get a second chance to do, I was actually free

My therapist told me, that if I really wanted to make a change, let go of everything and everyone that in a years time I could guess and be right to where they would be at. So I did.. respectfully... then got a new car

We found property in France (randomly) and asked ourselfs if we could make the move and would us as a family benefit!? That’s all that mattered! HELL YES! brought in January 2020

Mortgage free

New car

2.5 year contract, but I was ready to retire

January 14th I retired! I WAS IN CONTROL OF WHEN I STOPPED PLAYING

The following week we moved to France

Confinement in France

Almost a year later I have 2 bilingual kids and we are actually living our best lives not just saying it

She’s too far gone

For anyone in the football world you have to look after yourself and do what’s best for YOU! Set your own goals and don’t let nothing get in the way, surround yourself with people that push you. Don’t give a s**t about trying to impress anybody but yourself!

Football was great to me and has set me and my family up I can’t be greatfull enough!! Met some real great people that I’m still in contact with now! Know what YOU want out the game

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