Daniel Carr, a non-league striker for Dulwich Hamlet, is the living proof that if you work hard, enjoy your game and score plenty of goals then even the top sides will give you a chance at glory.
Carr has a brilliant record for his non-league club this season with a ratio of 23 goals in 23 matches, which sparked the interest of several professional clubs including the one he eventually got a trial with, Liverpool.
Carr earned himself a trial with Liverpool and made it into their Development Squad for a recent Under-21 match against West Ham United. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to hit the back of the football net in impressive style, which may have earned him some extra time in Merseyside.
There are plenty of young and exciting players out there who will want to get into a similar situation and this is proof that it’s possible.
All Carr did to get the attention of several professional clubs is get his head down and concentrate on performing for the side he represents and doing what he does best, which is scoring goals frequently.
For anyone in a similar situation, there is value in listening to your coaches, working hard away from the pitch and the giving everything possible in any match situation because the possibilities are endless.
Consistency is everything because if you think about the ratio of players who apply for Premier League trials every week, you need to have something that sets you apart from the rest and in Carr’s case, that was to consistently score goals.
It will be harder to get noticed if you’re a defender or a midfield player because that instant commodity of goals is not as easily accessible to you. However, doing the basics well and consistently means that sooner or later a professional club, possibly a Premier League side, will take a look at you.
It’s all about a hard work ethic because that is something that money can’t buy in football and if it’s a core skill you possess, which leads to consistency in your position then the possibilities are endless.
You need to be well represented in order to get the best possible trial and that doesn’t mean paying agents or third parties thousands of pounds, it’s something else which can come from a very basic level.
If you are well represented by a parent, a coach or a close friend, it makes you an easily approachable person for any club that wants to give you a trial. In Carr’s case, he was well represented by his manager, who has been key in several trials he’s already had.
It’s also about the attitude of how you approach each trial. Carr spent time at several clubs before he got a chance to impress at Liverpool including Leeds United and Charlton Athletic.
It’s not a knock back if you don’t get signed by the first club that takes a look at you, it’s all about experience and using that to become a better player than you already are.
