Messi’s Former Agent Selects Me

Exciting stuff this week.

Josep Minguella, the agent who discovered Lionel Messi, has picked me to be apart of one of the 20 finalists from over 1500 applications of the Fieldoo.com “Minguella Agency Challenge”- a search to find footballers and give them the opportunity to trial or sign with La Liga and Segunda Divsion clubs in Spain.

I also got an article mention and was tweeted by one of the most famous, respected football journalists in Spain with a following of over 150,000+ on twitter, Axel Torres.

Expecting to get some more mentions in Australian press about this. Whether I get a trial or not, this is definitely great for building my name and reputation. The competition organisers will pick their finalists in November.

I also had a conversation with Oscar, the American guy in my team about Kalman Menyhart who bought Kaposvar.

Apparently one of his friends signed just from Oscar’s and his brothers word. Kalman had never seen him play!

Meanwhile, I was put on the bench for the match with my local team. At one point in the 2nd half I felt like leaving the bench and going home. After asking  “Why did you put me on the bench?” Jermaine said it was “tactical”. I’m sick of putting in this work and not being recognised for it. It makes me demotivated to train at all. I have to figure something out that will make the coach have more confidence in me without the whole ‘language barrier’ thing as an excuse.

• 1-on-1’s
• Receiving with back to ball
  & become a more valuable player by..
• Looking for more ways I can get on the ball

– Getting better at 1-on-1’s, and find that I have a key advantage as I can shoot with both feet well and so the defender doesn’t know which direction I’ll go. Also learning not to stop or slow down as I’m approaching the defender.
– Getting on the ball more by positioning oneself on edge of box for 1 touch, shot.
– Making inside runs, you can get on the ball so much more as I found in training this week.
– Coach pointed out to me whilst playing, don’t be static, move & move. I think he was right and just maybe the answer to getting on the ball more.
– Receive ball on touchline, rather than in the middle.
4/8/13 – Confidence definitely improving in one on ones as I practice them more and more with the out of contract guys.
12/8 – going inside more as a winger to make those cross field runs, I do get more touches on the ball that way.
25/8 – go inside, but don’t crowd other peoples space.
1/9/ – trying to make more actions. Really trying to turn on that confidence.
15/9 – does better improvement with confidence come from playing with other more and taking risks, or doing individual training?
15/9 – if I compare myself now to this time last year, I definitely go inside more and lose the ball less often with my back to goal.
22/9 – definitely taking more players on in training. More shooting and dribbling. Final ball is lacking at the moment.. which is strange because it is my strength.

General comment: Improving, and I really want to shine more out of tight positions. Getting better, but so difficult to make this a habit. Still making sure I’m purposely scanning in personal trainings and club training drills.

3. Ongoing – Find out what makes great players, great. What separates the “great” from the “good”

This kind of stuff usually gets posted on the Facebook page

4/8/13 – Doing this actively and making good gains.

31/8 – need to build more actively.

22/9 – add 100 people next week.

1/9 – added 100 connections on linkedin

Next week

Monday: Evening: Training A

Tuesday: Evening: Training with JOS + extra crossing and finishing exercises

Wednesday: Lunch: Damsko training with Out of contract players Evening: Workout C

Thursday: Training with JOS + extra crossing and finishing exercises.

Friday: Rest

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Game