Personal Statement
My football Talent was spotted very early in primary school. My older brother was already in the sport and doing very well so I didn’t have to search for playing opportunities. My teachers and coaches believed I could go far in the sport because they witnessed my passion for it. My school report often praised my attentiveness during football lessons and matches; it also encouraged me to pay as much attention in other areas of studies.
At the age of ten, I signed a two year contract with Tottenham Hotspurs Academy. From this point on I was playing academy football alongside the best young players in the country. 12 months later, my father was approached by a Chelsea FC scout who persuaded us to switch over to Chelsea, there was not much argument on my part at all! For the next five years I spent my time doing what I loved to do at Chelsea fc. I have been trained by some of the best football coaches like Eddie Newton, Brendan Rogers, and Neil Bath.
My passion for football was so strongly rooted that I could feed of the imagination of becoming a professional footballer every day and not even think of food. By the age of 13 at Chelsea, I had been moved up to playing for the u16 team as a result of my drive and determination. I had also matured physically and mentally ahead of my team mates at the time. Training with the likes of Fabio Borini (now at Liverpool) and Josh Mceachran challenged me to develop my technical ability as these 15/16 year olds were as fast and as strong which were some of my main attributes playing in the U13 team.
As an advocate of law my father believed that he was qualified enough to liaise and negotiate with the football club on my behalf, somewhere along the lines communications broke down between the football club and my father and the relationship turned very bitter and vindictive. Chelsea agreed to my release but with a hefty contractual condition which made it impossible for other clubs to meet. This meant that football teams like Arsenal and Blackburn rovers turned me down not based on ability but on the conditions placed on my release clause.
I finished High School with 13 GCSE’s A-C in 2011. I then went on to college level three business. In 2014, I qualified with a triple distinction and was awarded a scholarship fund for exceeding the targeted grade that one was expected to achieve. Currently I am studying at University of Greenwich studying International Business with entrepreneurship, where I have a part-time job at Sports Direct whilst playing first team football for the university and also looking for a semi-professional team that I can join whilst studying.
The duration of the course is approximately three years I am currently in my second year. My plan is to undertake a placement year after graduation and then complete my Masters.
I look forward to hearing from you very soon and would relish the opportunity to play football at a competitive standard again.
Ken Ogbuagu.
