"You're 26 years old," Richard Shaw said. "Some of these players are 18. How will you command respect?"
"By being excellent at my job," I said, my voice unwavering. "Age doesn't matter if you're good. I'll earn their respect through coaching quality, not authority. I'll show them I can make them better. That's all that matters."
Steve Parish leaned forward, his eyes locking onto mine. "We have a player in our U18s squad. Immensely talented, probably the most talented player in his age group in the country. But his application is inconsistent. He has the potential to be a first-team star, but he's not fulfilling it. How would you handle a player like that?"
I met his gaze without flinching.
