At Leicester City’s training ground, the first team and Academy players share the same building, occupying one side each of an impressive complex with a shared restaurant area in the middle.
Former Foxes Academy players Eric Odhiambo and Adi Yussuf have been on the journey to become professional footballers and are now both working in coaching roles to help the current youngsters reach their potential.
Eric and Adi have both taken part in the Premier League’s Professional Player to Coach Scheme (PPCS), which is designed to help increase the number of Black, Asian and minority ethnic players who transition into coaching.
The scheme, delivered in partnership with the PFA and EFL, provides individuals with a 23-month workplace placement and learning plan, with the aim of providing opportunities to secure full-time roles.
Eric, who made two cup appearances for Leicester's first team before impressive spells with clubs in Scotland, Turkey and Ireland, was among the first cohort of PPCS participants in 2020. Having completed his placement at Coventry City and Leicester, he is now employed full-time as Lead Coach for the Foxes’ Under-16s.
“To me coaching is helping young people in something that I have experience in” he explains to VERSUS. "Sharing my knowledge with someone who may be at the beginning of their journey whilst I am at the other end of that same journey.
“I had great coaches growing up but I never ever had a black coach. I think I would have maybe had more black coaches should they have had the opportunity. And this is why the Player to Coach Scheme is important. It gives people the opportunity to do these things. It is a very positive first step in taking action.
“Before the scheme, I had never done an interview before. It [the scheme] put me in rooms and put me in front of people I don’t think I would otherwise have been. Each and every single experience has been valuable.”
Adi, who is currently completing his scheme placement at Leicester while continuing to play football for non-league Halesowen Town, adds: “I enjoy helping people. That’s just me. Being in a position to be able to give back is a place of privilege."
He is frank about his own journey, adding: “I have come from poverty. Three bunkbeds in a room on a council estate, yet I became a professional footballer. The biggest thing for me is to give young people from any background the belief, to know that they can do it, too. It’s definitely a people-first approach.
“I feel lucky to be part of the scheme and also to have Eric here to learn from. Everything has been new to me as I had zero experience of coaching. I’d never been in an office or used a laptop for PowerPoint. After 20 years in the game, I get to learn how much goes in behind-the-scenes to plan for a training session.”
Through his international career playing for Tanzania, Adi has faced Mohamed Salah’s Egypt and an Algeria team including Riyad Mahrez. He has scored more than 100 goals in more than 300 professional and semi-professional appearances - and he’s keen to pass on his learnings to the next generation.
“My career took off at 24 years old, when I started giving everything to football. There are mistakes I made," Adi adds. "If I could, I’d go back to being 18 and fix that lifestyle, sleeping late and diet.
"Hard work pays off and sacrifices are worth it in the long run. Now I can impart that on young players. I can relate due to my age and experience.”
