Sometimes we get tempted to believe that only the lucky people get the best opportunities in life and that we don’t have the lucky quality. However, anyone can find several opportunities when we put in the effort to step into the right environment at the right time. In the middle of difficulties, lies an opportunity!

Tom Broadbent is an English professional footballer who currently plays for the National League side, Eastleigh. He joins us to share his journey and how opportunity links to modern-day football. Tune in to get Tom’s lessons and insights into creating the opportunity to become a professional footballer, how to approach and how to maintain playing at a higher level. 

In This Episode:
[01:27] How opportunity links into modern day football
[02:08] Getting into professional football
[05:58] First-day training in trials
[07:08] Realizing the potential and immediate steps to take the opportunity
[10:07] Preparing for trials with Bristol Rovers
[12:27] Perceptions of a professional footballer
[15:40] Why didn’t football work out at a young age?
[18:08] Facing rejection at a young age
[20:09] Advice to young players that are facing rejection
[22:00] 6 years of football
[26:05] How Tom Broadbent came to a decision of shifting to football
[30:35] “I belong here” feeling
[32:15] Professional football environment
[33:47] The moment when Tom signed for Bristol Rovers
[35:16] Getting motivation into the team
[39:27] 1st season feeling at Bristol City
[41:01] Surviving and striving: Changing the mindset
[43:15] Move to Swindon
[49:11] How different is Tom Broadbent from the trial and now in Swindon?
[50:43] Creating training habits and routine
[53:00] Dealing with anxiety
[54:45] Remembering your value during low moments
[56:08] How important is an opportunity?
[58:14] Dealing with opportunity
[59:56] Tom’s reasons behind the success
[01:01:07] Quick fact questions 
[01:05:44] Advice for the young 18-year old Tom Broadbent

Just like any other footballer out there, Tom wanted to be a pro but it just didn’t work out while he was young. He decided to quit playing football and concentrate on the army. But while still in the army, he started playing again, gaining interest with the National League teams. In 2017, he gambled to sign off the army and transition into professional football, starting with trials to join Bristol Rovers. Two weeks later, he received a call for an offer with Bristol Rovers. 

“Coming in, I was that focused. I just ignored everything that anyone else said and I just didn’t care.”

Tom says football didn’t work out for him while he was younger because he was quite late in developing. By the age of 16, he still wasn’t physically fit. Being in the army helped him build his character and mental toughness that pushed him to grab the opportunity when it presented itself. He advises young players who are facing rejection out there not to think too much about it, however much it feels like the end of the road to them. 

Tom Broadbent Professional Football Career

Although the army was great with mates, sometimes it felt like it’s not even a job. Tom says he was getting annoyed with his lack of purpose in life. After sifting to professional football with Bristol Rovers, Tom says he found the environment around him just like the army; a great manager and a team that gave him the “I belong here feeling.” 

After the first season, he moved to Swindon town in 2019, a new start that saw Tom win promotion with the side into League One. Although he only featured in nine of the games, he was happy to challenge the first team to play really well. 

“Don’t think too deeply into what people say about how you play. As long as you stay strong in your head, then you will do it right.”

How To Maintain Playing At A Higher Level

Finding a balance between people’s expectations of you and following your path can feel like a constant battle. The high pressure involved can sometimes turn unhealthy and affect your performance. Join Joe Partington as he interviews Andre Ayew on dealing with pressure, high expectations, and reaching the top of your game. If you want to learn how to maintain healthy levels of pressure or just want to know how you can improve your game, this episode is for you.

“People expect you to perform. People expect you to always be good. But you need to have your own goal”

Andre Ayew currently plays for the Championship side, Swansea City, and captains the Ghanaian national team. He has played for Olympique Marseille as a junior player and the senior team, winning two French league titles and three French Super Cups. Andre has also played for the English side West Ham United and Fenerbahce in Turkey. As a young player, he captained the U20 Ghana national team that won the FIFA U20 World Cup and the U-20 African Cup in 2009. 

In this episode:

[00:00] Intro

[00:48] How dealing with expectations link to modern-day football

[06:14] Why did Andre become a footballer? Expectations or his dream?

[08:11] Dealing with pressure at a young age

[13:43] Moving to Marseille at 15

[17:32] Debut at 17

[22:26] Having a training routine 

[28:08] Comparing Ghana’s vs. Club pressure

[31:30] Starring the U-20 World Cup team

[36:30] Thoughts on going on loans

[39:28] Elite player at Marseille

[44:12] Staying fit

[46:40] Joining the Premier League

[50:17] Experience playing as the ‘underdogs.’

[56:10] Andre’s record transfer to West Ham United

[01:00:00] Facing the adversities

[01:07:43] Dealing with everyday pressure

[01:14:35] 5 Quick questions 

Andre Ayew Dealing With Pressure At Young Age

After his father’s impressive record in football, topped up with his uncles being professional footballers, Andre was expected to follow his father’s footsteps from a young age. Andre’s father (Abedi Pele) had already set a “hard-to-break” African record as 3x African Footballer of the year. Even at a very young age and performing well in football, the media used to refer to him as “the son of Abedi Pele.” It was hard for him to make a name for himself.  How could young Andre fulfil people’s expectations? 

Keeping his focus and aiming at the goal, Andre says he had to accept pressure very early in his life. 

“You can’t change the fact that there will be pressure. The pressure is there, but how do you deal with it?” 

He said. His parents also made him understand that if he wanted to play football, then that’s what he should expect to go through. 

At 15, Andre signed for his father’s former French club, Marseille, at the academy level.  He recalls how he kept his head high, worked hard physically, mentally, and tactically to get a chance in the senior team. At 17, he made his debut. Now a new form of pressure came calling. He says he had to work extra hard to keep his position in the team.

“I was always working hard physically. Anytime we used to run, I used to be the highest runner on the team.”

Improving On The Game

His determination to improve and give his best on every matchday yielded a lot of positives. He was called to play for his country’s U-20, which he captained and won the FIFA U-20 World Cup and Africa’s U-20 Cup in 2009. More success