Stephen Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp

In a recent interview Steven Gerrard spoke honestly and freely about his retirement from the game. A stellar career is coming to its inevitable conclusion and he is now facing up to a life without the thing he loves the most; playing professional sport.

It is a transition that all sports men and women will have to come to terms with, the one and only guarantee in such an unpredictable profession. Even Gerrard, the man who carried his often ordinary Liverpool side to extraordinary heights cannot avoid the harsh reality of Father Time.

Gerrard has already dipped his toe into the world of media, appearing on BT Sport as a pundit but his long term ambitions appear to be focused on either coaching or management. He is currently keeping fit by training with his former employers and says he has spoken to current Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, about returning one day in a coaching capacity; "The club have let me know they're keen for me to come back."

He gave everything as a player, leader and talisman, that 'all in' attitude where 100% rarely justified what he was able to produce. He does however rue the fact that he was never able to show that same level of commitment in preparing for his life after football, saying; "I have regrets now that I didn't start my badges at 21-22. All that time I wasted in hotels when I was watching The Office and The Sopranos."

The former England skipper accepts that if he had invested his spare time more productively he could have now been ready to study for his Pro Licence. Thats why he is keen to stress to others the importance of adopting a different philosophy, saying; "If you don't start your coaching badges until the end of your career when you've finished, have you got the hunger and motivation to start from the very bottom and go up? Because there are no cutting corners. I think a few things put you off."

Apathy is without question a huge problem within the football profession. So many players I've played with regard personal development as an afterthought. Plenty have the enthusiasm to gain qualifications but lack the application to see the process through. An initial interest will fizzle out, plans will be shelved and I've lost count of the times I've heard a player claim "I'll do it next year." More often than not nothing happens, their career flashes by in an instant and the same individual arrives at the trapdoor of retirement with no clue where their next step will take them.

The more worrying trend of my fellow professionals is the fear of committing themselves to something other than playing football. I don't just mean what is involved in the process of a person taking themselves out of their comfort zone and acquiring a new skill. Because that feeling of vulnerability and risk of failure will no doubt stop some individuals go beyond the imagination stage. What I'm talking about is players that I've spoken to who feel that if they were to explore their options outside of the game then they will be viewed very differently by those within it.

As a professional athletes we are drilled into living the life 24/7, 365. Eat, think and breathe the job that you love. It's therefore natural to question oneself; Is there time for outside distractions if I want to be the best I can be? Will my boss think I'm losing focus if I do so? Am I as fully committed as I used to be? I understand players that think and feel this way because I've asked myself the very same questions. Wrestling with these dilemmas and wondering whether this could be seen as a sign of weakness or a chink in my armour.

Through my own educational experiences I now fully understand how taking control of your future can empower yourself in the present moment. In the two years I studied for my degree in sports journalism I enjoyed back to back promotions as Stevenage captain. When I began my coaching badges I led Fleetwood to play-off glory. I was not distracted or disengaged. The complete opposite in fact. I was energised and stimulated. By developing myself off the pitch I helped myself enormously towards success on it.

I have the upmost respect for ex professionals, like Steven Gerrard, who want to inspire the next generation through their wisdom and knowledge. But coaching and management may not be the calling for every player out there. That's why I would encourage those individuals to explore the endless opportunities that education does provide. It doesn't matter if it's a skill, a trade or a degree there is a course or qualification to satisfy every appetite.

So don't put it off and don't be afraid to discover a new passion. Leave your regrets on the wave behind and be proud to be different. It could well be the start of the new and improved you.

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