Post by Macmoish on Jul 30, 2010 8:40:29 GMT
This is South Wales
Vital phone call that saved Scott's career
IT'S January 2007 and Scott Donnelly hates football.
Just three years after making his professional debut for Queens Park Rangers, the Londoner's passion for the game has evaporated.
So much so that he is at a major crossroads.
Does he quit football or not?
His release from Loftus Road seemed a hammer blow to a career that got underway with a chat with Ian Holloway on the team bus on its way to Preston.
When Holloway was sacked by the Rangers board, Gary Waddock — a man who would later offer Donnelly a lifeline in his career — had a brief spell in charge before John Gregory's arrival signalled the end for the Hammersmith product at the club.
The end, almost, for his entire career.
"At the time I got released I hated football. I lost my love and enthusiasm for the game," Donnelly admits.
"I fell out of love with football. I didn't stay behind to put extra work in the gym when I should have.
"I just wanted to get in and out as quickly as I could. It cost me — I got released, and that was that.
"I thought about jacking it in. I was considering getting a job, but I had a phone call from a friend and he said he didn't want me to waste my opportunity."
Fortunately for Donnelly, the phone call swayed his mind.
So with a passion for the game re-ignited, Donnelly's career path headed to Grosvenor Vale — home of non-league club Wealdstone.
It was a world away from plying his trade in the Championship, but at least Donnelly was back in football.
After a brief spell at Wealdstone, when he bagged one goal in 14 games, Donnelly's career started again as Waddock — now in charge at Aldershot — offered a ticket back to the Football League.
And Donnelly achieved something of cult-hero status when he scored the goal that carried the Shots back into League Two.
He helped Aldershot settled into their new surroundings well, before last season playing his part in steering them to the play-offs.
A return of 14 goals in 50 games was enough to convince Swansea to move for the 22-year-old, who has seen the man who signed him already move on.
With Paulo Sousa now at Leicester, Donnelly now hopes to impress Brendan Rodgers.
But having seen the managerial merry-go-round first hand at Rangers, he is no stranger to such a scenario.
And he reckons Swansea can learn lessons from one of his former managers.
"The Championship is going to be very tough this season, particularly with the likes of Norwich, Leeds and Millwall having come up," he said.
"But we are looking to go one better than last season. It will be difficult because other clubs in the division have much bigger budgets, but Ian Holloway showed that chequebooks don't automatically win you promotion.
"Blackpool were one of the favourites to go down last season. But it shows that if you have the right squad with a good manager who the players will run through a brick wall for, you can achieve things.
"Even to get them in the play-offs, never mind promoted, was a huge achievement.
"They play very attractive football and even on a small budget they can prove people wrong in the Premier League.
"He loves what he does and is a great manager and person. The enthusiasm he possesses, he instils into the players.
"He gets you really up for the game and makes you want to play football. You see him on TV and in media interviews and he usually cracks you up with some funny quotes, but underneath that he is deadly serious about his job.
"No day with him is boring, but he keeps you on your toes and wanting to work hard for him and the club.
"I was gutted not to get more of an opportunity to play more games under him.
"Maybe we will cross paths next season in the Premier League.
"That would be a dream scenario."
www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport/Vital-phone-saved-Scott-s-career/article-2470878-detail/article.html
Vital phone call that saved Scott's career
IT'S January 2007 and Scott Donnelly hates football.
Just three years after making his professional debut for Queens Park Rangers, the Londoner's passion for the game has evaporated.
So much so that he is at a major crossroads.
Does he quit football or not?
His release from Loftus Road seemed a hammer blow to a career that got underway with a chat with Ian Holloway on the team bus on its way to Preston.
When Holloway was sacked by the Rangers board, Gary Waddock — a man who would later offer Donnelly a lifeline in his career — had a brief spell in charge before John Gregory's arrival signalled the end for the Hammersmith product at the club.
The end, almost, for his entire career.
"At the time I got released I hated football. I lost my love and enthusiasm for the game," Donnelly admits.
"I fell out of love with football. I didn't stay behind to put extra work in the gym when I should have.
"I just wanted to get in and out as quickly as I could. It cost me — I got released, and that was that.
"I thought about jacking it in. I was considering getting a job, but I had a phone call from a friend and he said he didn't want me to waste my opportunity."
Fortunately for Donnelly, the phone call swayed his mind.
So with a passion for the game re-ignited, Donnelly's career path headed to Grosvenor Vale — home of non-league club Wealdstone.
It was a world away from plying his trade in the Championship, but at least Donnelly was back in football.
After a brief spell at Wealdstone, when he bagged one goal in 14 games, Donnelly's career started again as Waddock — now in charge at Aldershot — offered a ticket back to the Football League.
And Donnelly achieved something of cult-hero status when he scored the goal that carried the Shots back into League Two.
He helped Aldershot settled into their new surroundings well, before last season playing his part in steering them to the play-offs.
A return of 14 goals in 50 games was enough to convince Swansea to move for the 22-year-old, who has seen the man who signed him already move on.
With Paulo Sousa now at Leicester, Donnelly now hopes to impress Brendan Rodgers.
But having seen the managerial merry-go-round first hand at Rangers, he is no stranger to such a scenario.
And he reckons Swansea can learn lessons from one of his former managers.
"The Championship is going to be very tough this season, particularly with the likes of Norwich, Leeds and Millwall having come up," he said.
"But we are looking to go one better than last season. It will be difficult because other clubs in the division have much bigger budgets, but Ian Holloway showed that chequebooks don't automatically win you promotion.
"Blackpool were one of the favourites to go down last season. But it shows that if you have the right squad with a good manager who the players will run through a brick wall for, you can achieve things.
"Even to get them in the play-offs, never mind promoted, was a huge achievement.
"They play very attractive football and even on a small budget they can prove people wrong in the Premier League.
"He loves what he does and is a great manager and person. The enthusiasm he possesses, he instils into the players.
"He gets you really up for the game and makes you want to play football. You see him on TV and in media interviews and he usually cracks you up with some funny quotes, but underneath that he is deadly serious about his job.
"No day with him is boring, but he keeps you on your toes and wanting to work hard for him and the club.
"I was gutted not to get more of an opportunity to play more games under him.
"Maybe we will cross paths next season in the Premier League.
"That would be a dream scenario."
www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/sport/Vital-phone-saved-Scott-s-career/article-2470878-detail/article.html