Let me change your mind about footballers' off-field activities
Marvin Sordell
MD & Co-Founder at ONEIGHTY Productions | Co-Founder SWOOP | Former Premier League & Olympic Footballer | Public Speaker - For all media enquiries, please contact [email protected]
‘Professional football player’ may be my job title, but it doesn’t define who I am.
There are numerous cases where a player’s performance level has dipped and their extracurricular activities are brought to light. It doesn’t seem to matter what it is – clothing ranges, branded photoshoots, special emojis even – because often it will be pinned as an underlying reason why they aren’t playing well.
A widespread opinion is that football should be every single player’s number one priority. I agree with that – but only to an extent. Just focus on the game and do all that other stuff when you retire, I often hear.
As you’re reading an article that I’ve written, you can probably see why these opinions are ones which disappoint me. Some of you may disagree and believe that football players are paid enough, so should never think of or do anything else.
But before you come to a conclusion, I’d like you to hear things from the perspective of one.
What Works?
A common misperception of football players posting on social media, going to events, joking around off the pitch or launching their own businesses is that they aren’t focusing on football.
Of course, a professional athlete has a responsibility to remain in peak condition. It’s why they’re paid so handsomely. But if what they’re doing doesn’t affect this, then how they spend their free time outside of work should completely be up to them.
There will no doubt be a multitude of people whose job was initially their hobby, and then quite understandably found a new pastime to have a relaxing and stress-free environment away from work. In most cases this is a completely normal thing to do, yet we seem to hold football players to different standards.
It’s not an outlook that’s exclusive to Premier League players either. I’ll use the example of Marvin Morgan, who previously played for several Football League clubs including Hartlepool, Shrewsbury and Plymouth.
He found barriers in creating his (now very successful) clothing brand Fresh Ego Kid. Marvin has spoken before about how he was discouraged.... Read the full article here