03/03/2026
I don’t usually talk about this.
A lot of people ask what actually happened after West Ham.
I was there 11 years at West Ham United.
Came through every age group.
Trained with the first team.
Then I got released.
I went on trials trying to earn it back.
Then I tore my ACL.
For a long time, I was just trying to understand it all.
When you’re young, you think football is just about ability.
If you’re good enough, you’ll be fine.
But nobody really prepares you for:
Being released.
Rejection at trials.
Losing confidence.
Life happening off the pitch.
That period taught me more than the academy ever did.
It showed me that most of us don’t lack talent.
We lack guidance.
We lack honest conversations.
We lack someone explaining how this football life actually works.
That’s why I speak about it now…
That’s why I share my story.
That’s why I wrote my book.
That’s why I started the Ball & Live Podcast.
If you’re going through your own version of this journey, just know you’re not alone.
Keep building. ⚽
