We all wanted/want to be footballers and have a vague idea of what our career would look like and where you would ply your trade and for whom. It makes me giddy thinking about mine. I’ve been thinking about my failed footballing career. As an 18 year old with 2 serious ligament injuries already sustained and no ability whatsoever, it seems the higher powers didn’t fancy me a footballer. But, that doesn’t stop me THINKING what my preferred career would look like.
It looks like you can’t win when it comes to how you would want your career arc to play out without drawing any criticism. In fact, I have planned out my would be perfect career in my opinion. As a childhood Arsenal fan, I would obviously be apart of the youth team, maybe be scouted whilst I’m knocking a ball around at my local park and before I know it, I’m chucked into a pool of other aspiring footballers no older than 10. Inevitably, I end up skinning all of them in one of those training matches and am personally recommended to be signed up. The work from a young age would pay off and I would be granted a first team opportunity aged 16, a replacement for an injured Abou Diaby , or something and I would be your typical bulldog like midfielder who could double up as a centre-half/sweeper if need be.
My time at Arsenal would eventually come to a close at the age of about 23, I leave for Borussia Dortmund. As part of my home debut at the Westfalenstadion, I am greeted by the “Yellow Wall” and one of their infamous banners saluting the signing of me. With a club motto of “True Love” I think it would be highly likely that would happen. After 2 seasons in Germany, I leave for Fiorentina, after Prandelli returns to the Viola’s and makes me his first signing under his new reign. After a year, I am made captain and would lead Fiorentina to their first Scudetto since 1969.
Aged 27, I start to miss England and leave Florence a player revered by the Viola fans. I make my return to Arsenal and automatically named club captain, I come out of the tunnel to a rapturous applause of the Ashburton Grove faithful (Emirates Stadium isn’t allowed in my fantasy). To cut a long story short, I become the first captain of Arsenal to lift a champions league, followed by a dominance of English and European football until I eventually bow out of football altogether and become a huge media personality…I’m kidding. So yeah, I’m sure everyone has their ideal career, maybe not in this depth, but yeah, there’s mine and have a think of yours.