A Deep Dive into my time at the Yellow Submarine
The last 5 months have been nothing shy but the best experience of my life. As a child, the only thing I have known is sports but football in particular. Being born in England to an English father and Irish mother, both big football fans, I grew up learning a lot through football. I learned simple values of life like loyalty and respect and love through my fathers passion for football and growing up in Ireland, everything I compared in life was always against football. Do I love school as much as I love football? If I don’t make my bed will my parents stop me from playing football? These are just daily thoughts that would run through my head but there was always one common denominator, football.
When I was 19, I finished my exams in Ireland with a dream of pursuing a career in football. To enhance my quality and knowledge of football I decided to move to Amsterdam, where I decided to study International Sports Management, Business and Finance. Being in an environment that expected the very best and dedicated sports fans, I knew I found my place that would propel me in the world of sports. Learning through other sports has benefited me greatly into a deeper understanding of football and the world of business and football as a whole.
I am currently a fourth year student in my course required to undertake two, six month internships in order to graduate and I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to plant myself at a top footballing club. When I came across the opportunity to work at Villarreal CF, it was a no brainer, I simply knew that I had to work at such a prestigious and historic club. A team that I certainly know a lot about and just limited to watching on the TV, the dream from the beginning was there for the taking.
I began my internship here at Villarreal CF in September 2022, under the supervision of Lucy Goffe who has given me opportunities and experiences that young me only dreamed of. There was never a day where I did not wake up excited by the tasks and challenges of a new day at Villarreal CF. I knew I wanted to squeeze everything out of this internship and to indulge in every aspect of the club. Working alongside the members of the international business department as well as the academy coaches, I can successfully say that there was nothing more I could have gotten out of the internship nor could there have been other ways of developing myself personally and professionally. It was my dream internship.
Some of my tasks included keeping regular contacts with our American sponsors and partners on a weekly basis whilst also analysing all of the Villarreal CF International Partner Academies socials, to see how they can gain more traction and a stronger position in the American market. With this, I also had the opportunity of researching and analysing the effects of such a unique tournament during the middle of the domestic season, the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Here I analysed our performances as a club across all our social media accounts and provided recommendations and strategies to follow in the future when the club goes through a unique tournament again or during the summer off season. All of this while keeping one eye on penetrating the American market even further.
As well as that I also had the opportunity to taste the coaching styles of the Academy coaches and witness how they approach and take sessions to prepare the future footballers of tomorrow and realise my dream of being on the pitch.
From walking into the training ground to work and seeing regular first team players I used to idolise on the TV to watching regular home games. From experiencing games at the stadium of Levante to experiencing the Estadio de la Ceramica. From watching UEFA competitions on the TV to getting first hand experience of UEFA days at a top club it has filled me with the experience of a lifetime and memories I will never forget.
I learned many things and placed my own personality on the work I did but one of the values I have been lucky to learn is that of Endavant. Along with what I learned growing up through football, this saying alone summarises me maxing out my potential at everything I do and to always push myself even to the last minute, just like the Villarreal CF players on the pitch.
I would not have changed anything for the world and to have the support of all my colleagues and Lucy, I could not have been in better hands and I will forever be grateful for the amazing and short 5 months at the club. I wish everyone at the club the best and a very successful future.
