Holland is not the place to earn a contract.

I’ve been stressing the last few weeks on what I should do. I wanted to get a job instead of study. I wanted to play pro football, somewhere, anywhere! Unfortunately.. nothing concrete happened.

Holland is not the place to earn a contract. Amsterdam is a Talent hotbed. Last year I remember feeling honored that a guy who played for Sydney FC, trained with my team in Australia. Fast forward to now, and in my team there are players who played for the reserve team of AFC Ajax. Guys who’ve played against players like Ibrahimovic and Luis Suarez.  If you make it that far in the academy system at the worlds best youth academy, then you have to be good. Can you believe I’m playing in a supposedly “amateur” 5th division competition?

Many have played professionally in the Eerdivisie, 2nd division and/or around Europe when they were younger. It’s surreal that I’m shoulder to shoulder with players that have that kind of history. I should really be proud of myself of getting into this kind of environment, but with so much talent and limited opportunity and money, I feel it’s better to go elsewhere.

If I take a step back and look at what’s most important for me in my life right now – it’s fulfilling my football dream. No doubt about it. I want to achieve it by any means and as soon as possible.

Now that I’m approaching my 2nd year of university, my parents expect me to get a degree. I feel like I’m being influenced to go in a direction I don’t want to go and work a regular job. The people I’m surrounded by are happy to one day achieve managers jobs and salaries. But no one really shares my ambitions. They tell me to be “realistic”. I want to go out there and become a professional footballer and I want to build massively successful companies one day. I’m never, ever going to settle for average.

If I stop university, how do I keep my parents happy? There are 3 ways:

1) I have/get a good job where I’m earning good money

2) I am playing professionally

3) I have a successful business earning more than 5k per month

I think I can only stop university once I have one of those three things.

So if I have to study, then I should just do it in the most efficient manner possible, learn as many things possible that apply to the real world. There’s also less pressure because I don’t need a minimum number of credits.

When it comes to accommodation, I could live in Amsterdam for another few years because it’s a beautiful, fun city with alot to do. But I know I can’t be here forever. Opportunities will take me elsewhere once I get a contract.

If I do get offered a place somewhere with football, there will be money consequences. Tuition fees and cancellation fees for accommodation could be lost and that could cost alot, but it’s a good trade off for “making it” anyway.

Action steps

1) Now – contact mentor Moses and see what he can do for me. Contact other people one last time to see if they can do anything. For next two weeks, if nothing happens, book accommodation.

2) Football – Set a football self promotion plan for the next four months so I can get that place in a pro team. Track progress. Read. Train with out of contract players. Play a full season in the meantime, play regular games. Improve, improve.

3) Accommodation – Book student hotel until June 2014 or look at alternatives

4) Business – Continue hustling

5) Job – Look for part time or remote jobs to earn income and gain experience.

Monday – Evening: Training with JOS

Tuesday – Evening: 6th pre season game

Wednesday – Rest

Thursday – Lunch: 45 mins player analysis Evening: training with JOS

Friday – Workout C

Saturday – Rest and 30 min game analysis

Sunday – Cup game vs SV Diemen