It was then he begun looking for pathways in the UK and reached out to UK Football Schools where he spoke with the director, Chris, who helped him find the perfect football academy within a boarding school. Alex knew he needed to be working with UEFA licensed coaches, and to be able to showcase his potential to those who had fantastic links and experience within the game.
Once he arrived, he was regularly training under the nose of a former Hungarian international player and a technical director who has had a successful career as a Premier League manager and player. It was here he developed a better understanding for the game as he improved the physical aspects of his game and had to adapt his football brain, as the game in the UK was played at a much more intense pace. Alex was training and playing daily, with and against players that had represented their country in the U21’s World Cup, and many players trialling at pro clubs.
One of the biggest factors for the move was that Alex did not have the levels of exposure he needed to be successful. Through the help of the managing director at the boarding school, whom he sat down with weekly, he went on to develop connections into the professional game with Kettering Town, Tranmere Rovers and Crawley Town, who all expressed an interest. After their season had finished, Crawley’s manager and assistant came to the soccer school in England that he was attending and watched him train for a week and play against another professional academy (Mansfield Town) and he did not disappoint…
The connection had been made with Crawley Town, however as it was now pre-season, he spent the following 3 months in the top football academy in Europe that UK Football Schools recommend. Whilst he was meeting players and cultures from every corner of the world and learning different styles of play, he was training with a professional club. The football academy in Spain offered an elite environment to be focusing on his development with the guidance of UEFA licensed coaches, at an important stage in his career. After three months he returned to Crawley Town to continue his progress in the UK and after just one week of training with the first team, he signed a professional contract with the club.
It was a huge sacrifice for Alex to move out of his comfort zone and across from the US to the UK, but he knew with hard work, desire and commitment, he needed this opportunity that the boarding schools football academy offered, to take him to the next level. Everyone at UK Football Schools are extremely proud of his story and success so far and we hope this is just the beginning of his journey!
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