At21,Dom’s primary goal is to turn our kidsintoclass footballers...
TALKING MOTHERWELL
DOM THOMAS says he is looking forward to going back to school. To the uneducated eye, you may be forgiven for thinking the fresh-faced young footballer will be doing it with a backpack and a lunch box under his arm.
Instead, it will be the former Trinity High School pupil, now in the first-team at Motherwell, who is keen to offer the class of the next generation a chance at making the grade in Scottish football.
Despite only being 21 and with a year still left on his deal at Fir Park, the Scotland Under-21 internationalist has just launched his own soccer school.
Set up in the last few days, the Motherwell forward has already been inundated with queries about the programme, aimed at supplementing academy and boys club football with non-competitive coaching and advice from a player who, filled with the vigour of youth, still has the vast majority of his career in front of him.
“We’ve had a lot of messages with people wanting to book their kids in, which is really good. So far we’ve had a great response,” said Thomas, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Queen of the South.
“It’s based in the South Lanarkshire Lifestyles Centre next to Trinity High School. That was my school so it will be good to get back there as a coach and help the kids out.”
“For me to give a couple of hours at night will be brilliant.
“I’ve not spoken to the boys about it a lot at Motherwell, it was when I was away at Queens it was in the back of my mind that I wanted to go forward with it. At Motherwell though there are a lot of the first-team players who coach the different age groups, which is great.
“If I could have had that at youth level to have a pro player taking one of the teams would have been great. Without me get- ting right into the youth football, I want to give a bit back locally.”
THERE is a maturity and level-headedness about Thomas that goes beyond his years.
While many of his contemporaries may suffer from swelled egos as they settle down for a post-training evening on the couch, the Cambuslang youngster admits a night of Netflix and Playstation just doesn’t appeal.
Motherwell team-mate Louis Moult went down a similar route before a route back into professional football opened back up for him.
It is a work ethic that served him well, and Thomas is hoping for the same. He said: “I came from a rough area and I’m lucky to have a good job now. It would be brilliant to help others.
“In youth teams and boys clubs there can be a lot of pressure on kids, but for an hour or two hours a week this will be a chance for them to play, get touches of the ball, develop them and for me to give them advice. At that age they should enjoy their football.”
Thomas is naturally hopeful his soccer school will go from strength to strength, but it does not mean the end for him in terms of his playing career. In- deed, the 21-year-old will report to Motherwell this morning for pre-season training as he aims to fight his way into Stephen Robinson’s plans.
He said. “The main aim for me will be to do well at Motherwell. After I finished with Queens I went back into t raining at Motherwell where I managed to speak to the gaffer. He was brand new.
“He said if I work hard there is a place there for me in the team. I’m looking forward to getting back in and seeing where the season goes.”
For more information visit www.facebook.com/ domthomassoccerschool