In my last post, “When Talent Isn’t Enough — Part II”, I shared the story of Dele Alli—a footballer who rose to stardom early, only to find himself at a crossroads because talent alone wasn’t enough. His journey is a stark reminder that discipline, mindset, and humility are what sustain success, not raw ability.
In Part 1 of why Talent isn’t enough, we explored why talent alone won’t carry you to your dreams. We talked about sacrifices, attitude, humility, and the stories of young boys who had greatness in their feet—but not in their mindset. Now, here comes a powerful example from the professional game.
Dele Alli: A Talent Lost — Unless He Changes
You’ve just come home from Scotland where you spent some time with Uncle Smart. You’ve been to Africa, spent time with family and seen things few kids your age do. That trip wasn’t a break-up; it was a reset, a reminder that dreams—especially big ones like football—need work, mindset, and heart. In Parenting a 12 Year Old with Big Dreams, I wrote that talent isn’t enough — dreams need effort, focus, coachability, and humility
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Currently away with Family with his Sister, I have missed them both. I hear the 5am alarm and can’t wait for the kids to return home. It’s almost time for a new football season, and a new academic year too—
For Kingkong, a fresh start, a clean slate. Before the boots go back on, before the whistle blows.
Hey Kingkong, I wanted to share something with you.
You’ve been through a lot
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In a recent blog, Parenting a 12-Year-Old with Big Dreams: Why Talent Isn’t Enough, I wrote candidly about the emotional friction between father and son, the academy pressures, and the wake-up call KingKong needed. I contrasted the diverging careers of Islam Feruz and Andy Robertson — two prodigious talents whose fates were shaped less by ability, and more by mindset. I shared my internal wrestling over
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Let me be honest: I don’t always get it right.
There are days I snap when I should have paused. Days I feel pulled thin—between work deadlines, financial pressure, school emails, and half-eaten dinners that go cold while I’m still replying to “just one more” message. There are moments I silently wonder: Am I really the man my family needs?
But here’s what I’m learning—fatherhood is less about getting everything right, and more about
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My name is Kelly-Kester. 
‘Influential fathers’ was created to help fathers and aspiring fathers to become FATHERS of GREATER INFLUENCE. Fathers play an important role in every society but many fathers are workaholics and are increasingly overwhelmed by the demands of competing priorities. This usually affect their level of influence in the life of their children and beyond their home.