A New Season Begins: Listening, Effort, and Taking ourselves more Seriously

Dear Lads,

The summer break gave us all time to recharge — but also to test ourselves. The squad was split in half and entered different tournaments. Some of you lifted a trophy after the drama of penalties, others battled all the way to the final and finished runners-up, and another group pushed hard into the semi-finals before bowing out. Different outcomes, same truth: every one of you showed grit, determination, and the courage to compete when it mattered.

Now, with school starting back on Wednesday morning, a friendly match that evening, and the first league game this Sunday, its time to raise the bar again. Those summer moments mattered. They prove that you can rise to an occasion. They also remind us that your talent may create opportunities, it is your effort that carries you across the line.

Trusting the Manager

It’s natural, sometimes, to question decisions — why am I on the bench? Why am I playing this position? Why are we training this way? But remember this: your manager means well for you. His role isn’t to make you comfortable; it’s to help you grow.

Last season we saw how one tactical switch — moving a teammate into a central role — transformed everything. From a team struggling for confidence to a group going unbeaten. Sometimes, the difference between winning and losing comes down to listening and trusting.

Respect the Effort Around You

I want you to think about what it takes to get you to training and matches. The lifts, the burgers, the ice creams or takeaways, after certain games, the weekends sacrificed, the juggling of schedules — As parents we give up a lot so you can chase your dream or dare I say, enjoy your hobby.

Your manager does the same. He sacrifices his time, his energy, and his patience to help you grow. He doesn’t always tell you what you want to hear, but he tells you what you need to hear. Trust him. Listen to him. He means well for you, even when his decisions feel tough.

So the question is: how will you respect our efforts? The answer is simple: by giving your best every single time you step on the pitch.

Feruz and Robertson: Two Different Paths

I’ve written before about Islam Feruz and Andrew Robertson. Both began their journeys with talent. Feruz was the wonderkid — tipped for greatness at Celtic, even likened to Rooney and Romario. Robertson, meanwhile, was told he was “too small, too scrawny” and released by the same club.

But look at where their paths went. Feruz, with all his natural gifts, lost his way — distractions, poor attitude, wasted potential. Robertson, through sheer persistence, humility, and hard work, went from Queen’s Park to lifting the Champions League trophy with Liverpool. He had to fight for everything. He wasn’t the biggest, the strongest, or the most gifted at first. But he listened, he worked, he respected the process — and today, he’s captain of Scotland and a Champions League winner!

The difference wasn’t talent. It was mindset. Coachability. Respect for the process. This indeed is the difference between talent wasted and talent fulfilled. And that’s the choice in front of every one of you this season.

Lessons from Kobe Bryant

This truth isn’t unique to football. Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest athletes of all time, built his legacy not on talent alone, but on obsession with improvement. His “Mamba Mentality” was about relentless effort — extra hours in the gym, studying the game like a science, and demanding the best from himself every single day.

He put in hours when no one was watching. He took himself seriously – That’s the mindset I want you to carry into training, into matches, and even into school. That’s the mindset that separates the good from the great. 

From Last Season to This One

In my post on Trophies , Teammates and Teaching Moments 

I shared how last season ended — with lessons about humility, resilience, and the power of the team. Those lessons don’t fade with the final whistle; they carry into this season. They are the foundation for what’s ahead

This season is your chance to build on the foundation. To take yourself seriously. To give maximum effort. To respect your coaches, parents, and teammates. To work so hard that, come the final whistle of the season, you can look back with pride — not just at the trophies, but at the effort you gave and the player you became.

This week, most of you will walk back into classrooms on Wednesday morning and onto the pitch for a friendly later that same day. Sunday brings the real start of the season. It’s the perfect reminder that football, like life, requires balance. Effort in school, effort in football, respect at home.

The trophies will come — or they won’t. That part is never guaranteed. What is guaranteed is the pride you’ll feel if you give everything, respect your coaches and parents, and take yourself seriously as both a footballer and a person.

Final Word

This season isn’t about proving anything to anyone else. It’s about proving something to yourself: that you can rise above excuses, distractions, and sulking, and instead embrace discipline, effort, and growth.

The path is clear. The choice is yours.

• Feruz or Robertson?
• Natural talent wasted, or humble work rewarded?
• Good enough, or proud at the end of the season?

My advise:

• Listen more than you speak.
• Respect the manager, the badge, and the game.
• Match your parents’ effort with your own.

And to the parents and the manager:

Thank you. For the time, the patience, the energy, and the sacrifices. Your investment is shaping these boys not just as footballers, but as young men. I particularly want to say thank you once again to Simon and the management team. I am sure I speak for all the parents when I say: We appreciate the work you put in not just on Wednesdays and Sundays but also behind the scene when no one is watching. We’ll keep supporting. But ultimately, I hope the players take responsibility for their own growth.

Lads, make it worth it. This is your season.

Let’s start strong. Let’s listen. Let’s put in the effort. And when the season ends, let’s be able to look back with pride — not just at the trophies, but at the journey.