ROSS SO GLAD HE JOINED FOREIGN LEGION
‘Moving abroad can make you a better player’
AS THE January transfer window draws closer, players up and down the country will be pondering their future.
Some will be hoping to climb the ladder and move up to a higher division. Others whose contracts are up at the end of December may be praying a new deal is put on the table.
But former Watford and Crawley midfielder Ross Jenkins believes all is not lost even if a deal isn’t forthcoming. He reckons players should keep an open mind about leaving England behind and going to have a crack at playing abroad.
And he should know – because he’s done just that.
A couple of years ago Jenkins took the plunge. After slipping down the divisions, he decided it was time to do something completely different – with a long-term goal to return to England as a better player.
Profile
First came a stop at Romanian side Poli Timisoara. Then it was off to Bulgarian outfit Pirin Blagoevgrad. Now he’s with Norwegian side Viking, though a return to these shores could be in the offing in January.
“When I left Watford, I spoke to a lot of Championship clubs and they wanted me to play again and get my profile back up,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to get back there if I was playing lower league football.
“I felt the way to get back was to play against some of the best teams in Europe. I’ve played against some very good teams in Romania, Bulgaria and Norway.
“I feel like I’m giving myself the best possibility to return to England at a high level, that was my goal. I’m more than happy to stay abroad, but the end goal was always to return and hopefully get back in the Championship.”
If and when he does return home, Jenkins will be a more rounded individual. Adapting to different environments, getting over the language barrier and making new friends is not always easy, but the 27-yearold is glad he dived in at the deep end. “Your career is short and I would have regretted it if I hadn’t given it a try. I wanted to experience something different and I’ve enjoyed it.
“I think that what I’ve learned most is that football is massively to do with your brain, it’s about tactics and technique. It’s not all about the physical aspect of the game. The football is very different to Leagues One and Two in England. It’s a different way of playing, it’s very open, it’s very technical and tactical.”
With the Norwegian season coming to an end and Jenkins’ contract about to expire, he has an open mind about the future. While he would have no qualms about continuing his road trip, he is due to meet up with a Championship club in December.
Yet it’s no great surprise that Jenkins would encourage other players to follow his lead and head overseas for a new challenge, though he does admit it may not be for all.
Strong
“You have to be mentally strong,” he said. “It’s not easy to go to a foreign country and not have anyone to speak to. It’s easy to go abroad and say, ‘I’m not enjoying it and I’m going home’.
“But if you stick with it and adapt to how they want to play, it will only make you a better player.”
SEE the new edition of our sister publication, Late Tackle, out on Thursday, for the full interview. It also includes John Wragg’s look at Wolverhampton Wanderers’ revival and cartoonist Bob Bond on a lifetime following Preston North End.