Jack’s got to serve his Costa Coffee notice period before flying off to turn professional!
Fareham Town midfielder Breed is returning to Gibraltar, the country of his birth, to sign for their reigning National League champions
Jack Breed has finally realised his dream of making it as a professional footballer but first he must serve out his Costa Coffee notice period!
The 21-year-old has swapped Wessex League Premier Division Fareham Town for Gibraltan National League side Europa FC.
For Breed, who's signed a two-and-a-half pro contract with the club, it provides him with his first-ever opportunity to focus on football fulltime.
But he's being made to wait just that little bit longer before he can join his new team-mates.
The former Bridgemary School pupil is currently counting down the days as he serves out his month-long notice period at the Gosport Costa Coffee branch and he can fly out to Gibraltar to begin his professional football adventure later this month.
‘I work at Costa, I’ve been there for five years, and I’ve basically had to give a month’s notice before I could go out,' said Breed.
‘It was meant to be five weeks (his notice period) but they allowed me to go after four weeks, but I wouldn’t have been able to go any earlier then I have done.
‘It’s an absolute nightmare.'
Breed, who also had spells at Gosport Borough, Whitchurch United - he was on loan to the then Wessex Premier club in 2016/17 - and AFC Portchester, explained how the move even came as a 'shock' to him.
The former Lee Rangers, Gosport FC and Gosport Falcons youth player, who was born in Gibraltar, started every game of his country's under-21s Euro 2021 Championship qualifying campaign.
It was from watching him in some of those international matches where reigning national champions Europa FC registered their interest and eventually made their move.
Breed admitted to being quite 'daunted' by the switch initially before realising it was an opportunity he just could not turn down.
'I’ve got to take the risk. Everyone kept telling me to do it and I was the only one putting it off at some point,’ he admitted.
‘I was quite concerned whether it was the right thing to do because it was a big move for me moving countries.
‘It’s quite a daunting thing, really, but everyone has been very supportive and it’s made me realise that it is a good opportunity and something if I was younger I would snap up, 100 per cent.
‘I’ve always wanted to play football full-time and the fact I’ve been given the opportunity to do so, I definitely couldn’t turn it down.
‘When I was younger, obviously, who doesn’t want to be a pro footballer? That was always my goal and aspiration. ‘As I got older I didn’t see it going too far anymore. I knew I was always going to be at an alright level and maybe I could play a couple of leagues higher than I was in the Wessex.
‘The move to Gibraltar is something that came as a shock, I didn’t know it was going to come about, but it’s definitely an experience I’m going to make the most of.
‘I know it’s a great opportunity for me because it is a professional contract at the end of the day.'
Breed is due to fly out on March 12 and is planning on getting up to speed as quickly as he can with the Gibraltar National League season still ongoing.
Europa FC are six points clear at the top of the table after 10 matches and have won both fixtures since the league restarted last month.
He is hoping he can play his part in helping his new team secure a second straight title and be part of the Champions League or Europa League qualification next season.
But Breed might need a few weeks in order to adapt to his new surroundings and get his fitness levels up, having not played in a competitive match since December because of the non-elite football stoppage.
He said: 'The fact they get to go into Champions League or Europa League qualifying at the end of the season if they’re in the top two, and the fact they’re going to be winning games consistently, is something that’s quite nice to be involved in as well.
‘I’ve been doing as much as I can (fitness-wise) but I’ve been limited in terms of what
The move came as a shock, but it’s an experience I’m going to make the most of Jack Breed
I can do and it’s definitely not the same as getting football fitness and playing matches.
‘I’ve been doing as much as I can and my dad’s been helping me with my fitness as he used to be a PTI so he knows about his fitness.
‘I’ve been keeping myself as fit as I can so hopefully - I know it’ll be a bit of a shock to the system when I get out there to begin with, especially training five days a week which I’ve never done - I feel like after I adapt I should be back to normal.
‘I’m naturally quite fit anyway so I feel it shouldn’t affect me too much because I’ve been keeping myself as busy and fit as possible.'
Breed had played nine times for Fareham in 2020/21 after making 16 appearances in his first term at Cams Alders the previous season.
Prior to that, he had made 38 appearances - including 35 starts - for AFC Portchester in 2018/19.
■ Jack Breed has already come up against Premier League stars Pedro Neto and Ruben Vinagre, AC Milan’s Manchester United loanee
Diogo Dalot and Barcelona’s Trincao in his international career.
He has been heavily involved with his country’s under-21 side since being handed his debut in a European Championship 2019 qualifier in Armenia in October 2017.
Breed started all eight of Gibraltar under-21s’ European Championship 2021 qualifying matches. Drawn in a group that included both Portugal and Holland, it saw him face Wolves regular Neto, Trincao - who sealed a multi-million pound move to the Nou Camp from Braga just weeks after facing Gibraltar - and Dutch legend Patrick Kluivert’s son, Justin.
His international exploits have provided Breed with plenty of pinch yourself moments but it’s also given him a thirst for wanting to experience more - only this time at senior level.
Breed said: ‘My last two games (for the under-21s) were against Netherlands and Portugal.
‘That was a real test but real fun playing against some unbelievable players and players that have played in the Premier League and La Liga.
‘Pedro Neto and Ruben Vinagre played in the first game I played against Portugal.
‘There was a player who plays for Valencia, Thierry Correia, he played in the first game and I was playing left midfield at the time so I was against him.
‘Trincao, who signed for Barcelona for like £30m after we faced them as well, he was an unbelievable player.
‘When we saw the draw and we knew we were coming up against Netherlands and Portugal, we knew it was going to be tough.
‘It was obviously an unbelievable experience to play against those players and an opportunity that not a lot of people my age get.
‘I knew it was going to be really tough but, again, a fantastic opportunity.’
Breed believes his move to Europa FC could increase his chances of receiving a maiden senior call-up from national team manager Julio César Rebas.
Gibraltar begin their Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign later this month with a triple header against Norway, Montenegro and the Netherlands.
Those games will almost certainly come too early, but Breed hopes his dream of winning a senior call-up will arrive at some point.
‘It’s definitely the aim for me (senior international callup); even though Fareham was going really well, the only way I was going to break through and be seen by the first team manager out in Gibraltar was to play for a team in Gibraltar.
‘It just so happens the top team has come in for me, so if there is any opportunity then that is going to be the opportunity.’