Request for Progress Plan for Gorqe
Hello Lavi,
I trust you are well, and thank you for sharing your email address.
Before I begin, I want to stress that this is a friendly email with no intention of criticism. However, it’s essential that I understand exactly what is happening and who is responsible for certain decisions.
First, I want to thank you for both text messages you sent to my partner.
The first message, when Gorqe didn’t turn up to practice, showed great understanding. Instead of telling us, “If we don’t come to training, we won’t play on Saturday,” you asked how he was and why he wasn’t attending. This meant a lot to us.
In the second message, you once again showed your concern and full support for Gorqe, instead of saying something like, “If you don’t like it, go somewhere else.” This speaks volumes about your character and shows that you value a decent player.
Now, here is my question:
Would there be any chance you could draft a progress plan for Gorqe, with clear goals and a timeframe for him to achieve them?
I’ll admit that I have very little understanding of what is currently going on with the three teams, but I observed that the last time he played, he was with the Blues.
Now, having more experience as a football dad, I had a very long and constructive conversation with Gary, which lasted just shy of half an hour. He advised me to speak directly with the coaches if I don’t understand something or have concerns.
To be perfectly honest, I do not want Gorqe to end up like Jahnie, who is stuck in a reserves B team in league three, which does not give him any challenge whatsoever. Everyone seems to know he’s the top player in that team, but there seems to be absolutely no chance for him to progress to the Ambers.
In the past, I didn’t focus much on Gorqe because I was preoccupied with Jahnie’s situation, where he seemed to be stuck in a loop. It became evident that just playing well wasn’t enough to move him to the Ambers. I want to ensure George doesn’t face the same issues in the years to come.
While Gorqe was absent from training, we explored other teams, and he was consistently offered spots in their top teams. In his Sunday team, he plays with boys a year older. Just like Jahnie, he trains with three different teams, practices five times a week, and plays two matches over the weekend.
I believe a progress plan would clearly outline what Gorqe needs to improve on and what he must achieve to earn trials during friendlies and tournaments with the Ambers. This would help assess if he can keep up with their pace of play.
I have no intention of interfering with your coaching or that of any other coach. However, it is very painful to see what’s happening with Jahnie, and I don’t want Gorqe to go down the same path without being given the opportunity to prove himself with a top team.
I understand Gorqe just turned seven a few days ago, but both boys are determined to become professional football players. They have sacrificed everything—karate, ballroom dancing, and music—for football.
Our aim, and theirs, is to get signed or at least pre-signed by a professional football club before they enter secondary school.
We’ve made them fully aware that becoming a professional football player is highly unlikely, but they don’t seem to care. They work tirelessly day in and day out. As their father, my role is to ensure they play in the top team and the top league at all times, based on their abilities.
If Gorqe fails to meet the goals in your progress plan, I’m happy for him to stay where he is. However, without a clear progress plan and timeline, we cannot work towards anything, and I fear we may end up in the same situation as Jahnie. That must not happen.
Once again, please do not take this message as criticism of you or any other coach. I simply wish to express my concerns and feelings and work with you, the other coaches, and ourselves as parents to have a clear aim and timeline we can all work towards.
Kind regards,
Spilff