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Now with Pro Touch Soccer Academy: pacey striker Sebastian Eurico |
Eurico bids for big time – again
‘I’m fully focused on getting my football career back on track,’ says young star
SCORES of aspiring young footballers dream of making a name for themselves within the professional game.
Every kick of the ball masks a hidden hope that maybe they will get spotted by a scout and given the chance to prove themselves within the youth ranks of a professional club.
For most of them it remains a wish that will never be granted.
So the idea of a promising young player just walking away from his big chance sounds ridiculous.
But for Sebastian Eurico that’s exactly what happened.
Three years ago the pacey striker, who is now 14, joined Premier League side Fulham after being spotted playing for the Camden District under-11s team at Regent’s Park.
Sebastian, who lives in Camden Road, quickly found himself signing a schoolboy contract with the club, where he trained three times a week and got the chance to play against rival youth teams from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea.
Everything seemed to be going well for Sebastian, until changes around him threatened to derail his dreams.
“At Fulham things changed very quickly for me. All the players that I had formed friendships with were released, and I’d been moved up an age-group so I was playing with older boys that I didn’t know.
“New players came in, and they never passed the ball to me so training became very frustrating. I felt left out and was unhappy, but I couldn’t join another club because I was under contract.”
Back in October Sebastian missed training because of personal reasons. Although he informed his coach, he was dropped to the substitutes’ bench for Fulham’s next game.
“I’d never been put on the bench before, and I was left there for the entire game. At one point the coach told me to warm up, which I did, but they never brought me on. I was angry because I’d made a lot of effort to get to the match and I was told I’d play.
“That was the final straw for me, I decided that it wasn’t worth turning up for training if they weren’t going to play me.”
Sebastian didn’t go back to training for almost three months, and when he did eventually return the club soon terminated his contract.
It could have been the end of Sebastian’s dream, but to his credit he has since seen the error of his ways and is now hoping that he can become a beacon to other young players who threaten to self-destruct.
He has now joined the Pro Touch Soccer Academy, an organisation aimed at helping disadvantaged young footballers from across Camden and Islington make it in the often harsh world of football.
Spending his time training and playing games at the artificial pitches at Market Road in Islington, Sebastian is already attracting the attentions of a string of pro clubs, including Nottingham Forest, MK Dons and Norwich.
He’s hoping that his second chance is approaching fast and promises that it will be one that he’s ready to take.
“Looking back now I know I made a big mistake. I should never have walked out on Fulham. I was stupid.
“I started wasting my time on the streets when I should have been playing football and helping my mum. I can see that now.
“My whole attitude has changed. I’m fully focused on getting my football career back on track. |
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