[Albion] Enock Mwepu (Retired 10/10/2022)

[Jimmy Grimble]

Imagine being 10, you'd be gutted,good luck Enock

Imagine being the previous U9 coach!

 

[GT49er]

Neither of the player coaches at under 21 level had retired from PL football as both were named in the PL squad. Obviously neither would have been used unless in an absolute emergency but it’s wrong to say they’d retired.

Effectively they had - I understand that we had to register them as part of the squad purely in order for them to be allowed to play in U21 matches - they had to be registered as players and they were overage to count as U21s (and in practice they didn't 'chase fit young teenagers around' - it was the fit young teenagers who had to do the running for them!)

Ultimately, of course, it is time (and the medical experts, not NSCers!) that will tell exactly what level of physical activity he can safely undertake. Good luck to him anyway, whatever level that might be.

 

[Lever]

Just absolutely delighted with today’s news!

 

[Kosh]

Imagine being the previous U9 coach!

Indeed, but it’s far more likely Enock has been drafted in as the ‘face’ of our near entry level academy level - the other guy(s) will continue I’m sure, with Enock now coming in as a bit of a ‘wow’ factor to attract younger players - or more pertinently their (often) ambitious parents... he’ll coach for sure, but I reckon this is a strategy to attract the best local talent even earlier... it’s win, win.

Delighted for Enock btw, and yet snother wholesome and (potentially) intelligent decision by the club.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Effectively they had - I understand that we had to register them as part of the squad purely in order for them to be allowed to play in U21 matches - they had to be registered as players and they were overage to count as U21s (and in practice they didn't 'chase fit young teenagers around' - it was the fit young teenagers who had to do the running for them!)

Ultimately, of course, it is time (and the medical experts, not NSCers!) that will tell exactly what level of physical activity he can safely undertake. Good luck to him anyway, whatever level that might be.

It's not true that they had to be named in the PL squad to qualify for the U21s as over-age players.

Paul McShane did the same role at Man Utd for the 21-22 season and played in both PL2 and the EFL trophy without being named in the Man Utd Premier League squad.

 

[Swansman]

Ultimately, of course, it is time (and the medical experts, not NSCers!) that will tell exactly what level of physical activity he can safely undertake. Good luck to him anyway, whatever level that might be.

Agree... and unless that level won't be enough to play in the PL, that level also won't be the U21s.

Would be lovely if modern medicine would find a way of getting him safely on the pitch again though - was one of the most entertaining players to watch for the short while it lasted.

 

[Swansman]

Wmepu
Wmepu
Wmepu´s
Wmepu

Kind of...

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I haven’t seen any posts from NSCers determining what our boy is physically able to do, at least that’s not how I read it - just that if Wmepu has been determined by a qualified cardiac team that professional football at PL level is too risky, of course that would include playing U21s also! I agree it is for the medical experts and Wmepu/his family/the Club to ascertain what the level risk is for any given activity and wish him luck too.

It warms me greatly that I support a Club that is clearly compassionate in it’s dealings with it’s players and Wmepu’s financial security and love of pro-football has been obviously helped by the coaching appointment - I can’t help thinking though how tough it will be. Every day, coaching young players for professional football and still being in the BHA eco-system will be a difficult personal challenge for a player that had such a great future ahead of him at the top of the game. It will take a lot of courage and humility to deal with such a gut-wrench while giving 100% to his young protégés but Wmepu seems to have both those qualities in buckets - what a brave lad

Wmepu?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Under 9s coach ?

I don't get why that's funny?

I read somewhere that Mwepu was getting his badges, so he's not going to be able to coach at a 'serious level' yet, plus all the positions at BHAFC are probably filled.

Also, imagine being one of those U9s and you've got THE COMPUTER as your coach! A proper, international footballer who has played in the PL. Talk about learning an immense amount and wanting to try harder than ever to impress...

Top bloke – well played him and well played the club

 

[Eric the meek]

I don't see what the problem is with NSCers providing their opinions on whether Enock can work at a certain level of exertion.

I mean, how hard can it be to match or exceed an expert cardiologist for sound advice on cardiac stuff?

 

[Springal]

I don't get why that's funny?

I read somewhere that Mwepu was getting his badges, so he's not going to be able to coach at a 'serious level' yet, plus all the positions at BHAFC are probably filled.

Also, imagine being one of those U9s and you've got THE COMPUTER as your coach! A proper, international footballer who has played in the PL. Talk about learning an immense amount and wanting to try harder than ever to impress...

Top bloke – well played him and well played the club

Just amused me. I don’t recall players like Dicker, Rosenior, Bruno, Calderon (?) going quite that junior

 

[Springal]

I mean, how hard can it be to match or exceed an expert cardiologist for sound advice on cardiac stuff?

Worth the risk to win the Papa Johns trophy though surely?

 

[Eric the meek]

Worth the risk to win the Papa Johns trophy though surely?

Indeed.

On a serious note, I'm wondering if the appointment to a coaching role also serves to keep him in-house, albeit not on a professional playing contract, and provide the time and space for him to attend medical appointments and explore the possibility for returning to playing at some point.

Edit: to be read in conjunction with comment #1016.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

Didn’t even know we had an under 9’s team.
Is that the lowest age?
Does the club have scouts at under 7 and 8 games in Sussex then to pick out the decent kids ?

We have scouts in every hospital in the country looking to identify the hot prospects as they come shooting out of the womb.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

We have scouts in every hospital in the country looking to identify the hot prospects as they come shooting out of the womb.

No it starts before that. Tony has set up his own genetics hospital in S America, manufacturing our players of the future.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I don't get why that's funny?

I read somewhere that Mwepu was getting his badges, so he's not going to be able to coach at a 'serious level' yet, plus all the positions at BHAFC are probably filled.

Also, imagine being one of those U9s and you've got THE COMPUTER as your coach! A proper, international footballer who has played in the PL. Talk about learning an immense amount and wanting to try harder than ever to impress...

Top bloke – well played him and well played the club

This,

Until he gets his badges (which I assume he hasn’t got yet) he will start at the bottom and won’t take anyone’s existing role.

Of course the under 9’s will be a part time job but he’s not going to be sitting around for 5 days a week he will be developing and I suspect spending quite a bit of time with the other coaches at all levels to develop further.

I’d imagine he’s financially comfortable for life with earnings to date and an insurance payout, this is giving him something to do and stay in the game.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see us open an African academy of excellence in the coming years if this goes to plan, just need someone to head it up though….

 

[Shooting Star]

He's going to change so many young players' lives, perhaps more directly than if he'd been playing. No wonder he believes God's timing is perfect. Delighted for him and well done Albion!

 

[Mancgull]

The u9s role giving him time to do his coaching badges and so gain the qualifications to move up the age brackets in terms of coaching roles.
Great opportunity for him and a great character to have amongst the coaching staff.

 

[Swansman]

This,

Until he gets his badges (which I assume he hasn’t got yet) he will start at the bottom and won’t take anyone’s existing role.

Of course the under 9’s will be a part time job but he’s not going to be sitting around for 5 days a week he will be developing and I suspect spending quite a bit of time with the other coaches at all levels to develop further.

I’d imagine he’s financially comfortable for life with earnings to date and an insurance payout, this is giving him something to do and stay in the game.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see us open an African academy of excellence in the coming years if this goes to plan, just need someone to head it up though….

...maybe.

The best academies have full-time staff for every age group. May or may not be the case in Brighton but certainly not impossible.

 

[lawros left foot]

I guess that if a device such as that fitted to Christian Eriksen and others could have solved Mwepu's problem it would have been done - I'm sure the medical experts would have done that if possible, and know why it wasnt suitable for him.
What we really don't know is just how much 'taking it easy' he has to do. Playing football at the highest level is obviously a no-no - but can he still play sports at a recreational level? Or perhaps as a player coach with the U18s/U21s? That would be good (and we might even get a bit of joy in the bloody Papa John's Trophy!)

I have some experience with implantable cardioverter defribulators (ICD) having had one for 14 years now. The point of my post was that the research into genetic heart conditions is coming along at an extraordinary pace, my own condition was diagnosed 14 years ago, and, at the time there was no cure, and the only way to stop me dying was an ICD, which would fire whenever my heart had an arrthmia episode. Thankfully, it did it’s job( over 60 times) and I’m still here to tell the tale.
8 years after my diagnosis a groundbreaking operation was offered to me, and after a bit of a setback, I now, touch wood, don’t suffer the life threatening symptoms any longer.
So my point, and the reason what I was told may be true, is that when first diagnosed, there was no hope of me living the remainder of my life without an arhythmia,every few weeks, now I’m 5 and a half years clear. My operation was the first time it was done in this country, it is now routine. As I say, the research into heart problems is moving forward amazingly fast.