About Substitutions

“The job of a football coach is to make players do what they do not want to do, in order to achieve what they have always wanted to be.”
- Tom Landry

Sports have always been an important part of my life. I have learned valuable lessons in life thanks to a ball at my feet. I have forged unforgettable friendships that are likely to last a lifetime with people who went from random strangers to brothers in arms. Sports allow you to discover yourself, as well as a society of people that would not have existed otherwise. A world where you learn to build a new type of family, forging memories along the way and reminiscing about them every now and then. It cannot compare to other experiences. It is a universe of its own.

Further down the road, I have developed beautiful bonds with more than just the players who shared the field with me. True, they were my brothers and we would do anything for each other, especially if someone came messing around with any of us. However, they are not the only ones whom I stay in touch with today. There are other people who helped me become who I am today. They showed me tough love, pushed me to become better, refused that I would ever think of settling for anything, wanted me to aim higher, faster, and stronger. During my time playing club football and high school basketball, not only did I make brothers, I also had the blessing to meet new father figures.

The toughest job in the world is not to be an engineer at Tesla, nor is it to work as investment banker for JP Morgan. Once you know how to do a job, it remains demanding and challenging, but it becomes simpler since the basics and correct reflexes are there. It becomes solely a matter of simple tasks combined together. There is only one job in this world where the cards are never the same, and the approach is completely different every time. That job is coaching – or teaching if you prefer -, even more so when it involves man management.

Father figures come in different ways, often in the way we least expect it. We do not choose them, for they choose us. They come towards us with a lending hand, offering us advice, tips on how to improve. This type of help is directed at both the player and person you are. It is tailor-made just for you, because they could never treat two players, two persons the same way. It has to be different, because each and every one of us react in a different way to various forms of feedback. Some of us require tough love and pressure, for we understand what it feels to let down that person who truly believes in us. Others would respond best when given that slight in the right direction, feeling that tiny voice telling them directly: “I believe in you”.

"A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life."
- John Wooden

I always wondered what made a great coach. You know, coaches like Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho, and many more. They mesmerised the world of football as I know it. Constantly innovating, never settling, always keeping that hunger going despite the numerous titles won over the years. They would refuse to settle. They always wanted more. When it comes to winning trophies, that is what separates good coaches from the great ones: it is that ability to transfer that image, those values, to the players. Make them believe that they can make it, that they have what it takes. Even if it means throwing “Mister Nice Guy” in the bin.

The other day, I watched a video explaining the difference between a nice guy and a good man. Today, I know that I want to be a good man, instead of a nice guy. Being a good man means saying things as they are. It means being that shoulder to lean on when you have to, whilst being able to shake somebody’s core because that is what they need to hear. It is about standing your ground for what you believe in, instead of being a crowd pleaser. If the aim is to make it to the top, you cannot keep everybody happy. Success reveals jealousy in some people because it sheds a light on their discomfort. A coach’s success is not solely measured by the number of medals he won, but also by the impact he has had on a player’s understanding that there is more to life.

I did not figure all of this out on my own. I had amazing mentors.

I used to be extremely prone to anger, manifesting disapproval at the slightest injustice made against me. I paid the price twice on the field because of that, as I got two red cards for losing my temper and letting anger control my game. Instead of giving up on me and dropping me to the bench, my mentors kept on believing in me. They helped push through those problems, both in football and in life. They showed me tough love and I understood that the fact they are that strict with me regarding my game, means they know how good I can be and do not want me to settle for anything less.

In both basketball and football, these great father figures made me a better player, a better teammate, a better leader, and a better person. At least, I hope so. I could never thank them enough for everything they have done for me. The least I could do is remember their names. 

So here we go: Joe, Tony, Mitri, Libor, Nenad, Michel, Kady, Florian, and most importantly, Yussef.
Thank you for everything!

You made me fall in love with the two most beautiful games this universe has ever created. You never gave up on me. Everything I am today  – both on and off the pitch – is the result of all the effort you have invested in me. I will forever be grateful for everything you have taught, in football as in life.

As I write those lines, a single tear rolls down on my face. Tear of melancholy for I wish I could go back to those training sessions and those games with you, yet also tear of joy for having shared the field with you. I miss you all, and I hope you are proud of me.

I will never forget you.
So once again, thank you!