Manchester United player meets RIASA students
07/12/2011
Tom Cleverley met the RIASA students to discuss what it is like to be a professional player at arguably the world’s biggest club, Manchester United. Dave Baldwin, CEO of the football academy, asked Tom to come in to speak to the students and give them an insight into Manchester United and what it takes to be a full time player at the very top level.
Cleverley indicated, that while technical ability is important what stops most players becoming a professional is their lifestyle and dedication. Cleverley told the RIASA students. “It is ‘self discipline’ in all aspects of a footballer's life that is key”; he cited Ryan Giggs the Manchester legend as a ‘mentor and role model’ for the younger players at Manchester United in this respect.
Cleverley said, “Ryan is the ultimate professional – he undertakes yoga classes and keeps himself in top shape through the lifestyle he adopts.” Cleverley added, “it’s simple things like getting adequate sleep that is as important as a healthy diet and training routines”.
Cleverley indicated that besides a good life style, mental strength is key to success; some professional coaches told him he was ‘too small’ – this made him more determined to make the professional grade. “One of the things that really helped me” Cleverley said, “ was playing in the lower league and learning to cope with the physical side of the game.” He indicted without that development time I would not have been able to reach where I am today.” This connects to what the RIASA program offers, in that students are exposed to lower league play but also the professional academy games, which offer different types of challenges as part of their overall development.
When asked what a typical day looks like at Manchester United, Cleverley answered, “I usually go into the ground at 8:30am for gym work, this is not mandatory but something I do along with some other players on my own; I do some bike work and stretching ready for our session at 10:00am. The session lasts about 75 minutes depending on what the coaching staff want. After that we all go for lunch as a team and leave the ground in the early afternoon.”
Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/n/1261.aspx
