PRUTTS’ PUNDIT PLANS PAY OFF
Midfielder’s carving out a new career
THE fear of hanging up your boots and stepping out into the big wide world is something that grips almost every professional footballer and, for David Prutton, that trepidation was no different. Luckily, he had a plan. Following half a season on loan at Coventry from Sheffield Wednesday in 2014, the former Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Leeds midfielder decided to retire, a decision no-one takes lightly.
But it was the next step which Prutton revealed was the most daunting – moving on and starting a completely new career.
The 36-year-old made the odd appearance as a pundit in his playing days but, after retiring, decided to contact the producers at Sky Sports and, since then, has become a regular voice on all things EFL.
He said: “It’s something I had always taken an interest in. Even in my playing days, I had spoken to different media guys about that side of things.
“I chatted to the likes of Jon Champion and Martin Tyler, who have covered some of the biggest football events.
“When it came to finishing my career, football sort of ran out on me and I didn’t have anywhere concrete to go. I got in touch with a producer at Sky and things snowballed from there.
“When I retired, absolutely I was concerned. Anybody who has come out of a cosy environment they’ve been in since they entered the working world at 16 will admit there’s an element of fear.
Flirting
“You have to get your head round doing something post-football, which allows you to be responsible for people under your care.” Prutton made his first-team debut at Forest in 1999 before playing in the Premier League and Championship for Southampton. Then, in his three years at Leeds between 2007 and 2010, Prutton became a cult hero among the fans – something he hasn’t forgotten. This is the Whites’ 14th successive season outside the top flight, but they have shown promise under new manager Thomas Christiansen, flirting in and around the top six for the majority of the season. The club’s ownership changed hands from Italian Massimo Cellino to compatriot Andrea Radrizzani in May and Prutton claims a manager’s toughest job these days is working with the expectations trickling down from above. He said: “Leeds are in relatively decent shape. They started well, then had a bit of a wobble, and now they’re doing OK again. Inconsistency is just the Championship in a nutshell. “We always said how well (former boss) Garry Monk had done, but it was contextualised. He was doing well, despite having to manage upwards. “Managers across the leagues have told me their biggest challenge is managing upwards. “The football on a Saturday is a release for them. Otherwise, it’s constantly spinning plates, answering phone calls from above about selection and everything else.” Prutton was also quick to pay tribute to the fanbase at Leeds, claiming players will always be inspired by the support at Elland Road. He said: “The way I see it is that I’ve had a great privilege of playing in front of a lot of people. “The energy, when it’s with you, is the most glorious thing. “It’s euphoric in a way – you feel the energy from that crowd and it makes you feel insurmountable. “For Leeds, because of the sheer number of people who follow the club, you have an incredible amount of support. They get to places because of the passion they have. “It was nothing less than a privilege to play for them.”