Liverpool and England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold has launched a new initiative aimed at providing career opportunities to young footballers who don't make it to the top.
For all the success stories of academy graduates starring in the Premier League, there are countless more forced to leave the game after failing to earn a professional contract. Those who spend their youth in top academies can see their education impacted, with knock-on effects on career prospects after giving up on their football dream.
Alexander-Arnold is one of a number of Premier League stars to have come out of the academy system and made it to the very top, but the majority of youngsters aren't as successful. The 24-year-old has made reference to this when explaining his motivation to set up The After Academy.
Statistics published in a release announcing the launch of The After Academy lay bare the challenges facing academy talents. Just one of every six players offered a scholarship aged 16 is still playing professional football at 21, while more than 99% of those who join an academy aged nine will not make it as a pro.
Alexander-Arnold was part of Liverpool 's Champions League winning side in 2019, and also became a Premier League champion the following year. Others haven't had the same path, though, whether at Liverpool or elsewhere, and The After Academy is designed to help talented footballers use transferrable skills from their sporting experience to move into new career paths.
"That feeling of lifting trophies for your childhood club is magical and I wouldn’t swap it for anything in the world, but if things didn’t work out the way they did I could have been one of those being told the dream is over," the England international said in a statement. "I’m fortunate to not know what that conversation is like but I know from my friends and other former players how hard it hits and how tough it can be."
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Alexander-Arnold's project has received help from players' union the PFA, which is listed as a supporting partner. PFA CEO Maheta Molango praised what has been described as a "perfect" positive example from Alexander-Arnold.
“Pursuing a career in football brings unique challenges in terms of personal development and wellbeing," Molango said. "Helping players plan for their future is central to the work the PFA does. We're excited to be working with Trent and look forward to being part of his journey with The After Academy.”
Alexander-Arnold also appeared on BBC Breakfast to shed more light on the project and his own experiences. The appearance allowed him to paint more of a picture of the situation faced by academy players as a whole, not just those who make it to the top.
"At the age of 16 you go into full-time football, it's your job, you start getting paid," Alexander-Arnold said. "From that point on, getting released, The After Academy will be there to support you, to kind of give a second chance - more opportunities to soften the blow of being released and your dreams being crushed.
"It's also just eye-opening to [be] given an indication as to what else is out there in the world. Because we live in a footballing bubble where we eat, sleep and live football.
"I didn't know what the opportunities were like. I didn't know there were so many opportunities - different jobs within football, sport, a different number of things, and I think it's just important to show [that to] these young people."
