It is most young boy’s dream to make it as a professional footballer – and that dream very nearly came true for Kieran McKenna.
Sadly, a potentially fruitful career was cruelly curtailed by injury; a fate that serves as a warning to every youngster with similar ambitions.
Kieran had left his native Northern Ireland and moved to
Spurs at 16 and spent the next seven years at the club, six of them as a professional.
Kieran had captained the under 19s, scored the winner for the first team in a pre-season friendly against Bordeaux and represented Northern Ireland at all levels up to under 21.
He had come through the academy set-up at Spurs and was pushing himself into contention for a regular first team place when he was told to give up with a persistent hip injury.
But despite this setback Kieran has not dwelt too long and is already moving on with his life.
He said: “I was very disappointed as I was training with the first team and was included in the training but the injury kept me out for a long time and it became too painful to carry on.”
John McDermott, the Spurs academy director, said: “Kieran deserves to take a lot of credit. He could have been down and feel sorry for himself but he hasn’t and he has already been active in starting another career.
“He started coaching in the academy here at Spurs, he went to the USA to coach and he is now going to Loughborough University to study for a degree, and also coach for the
Leicester City academy. He has done all this on his own. We have helped open the doors but he has done all the running around and ringing people up to get where he is.”
It has been an eventful period since retiring through injury for Kieran. He said: “The people at Spurs have been great and have been very helpful to me. I have coached one of the young groups and that was really enjoyable and also went to the States in which I saw a different side of things.
“I am going to Loughborough in September to study Sports Science. I have got a grant from the PFA for the course and along with my coaching awards will be able to have a few more strings to my bow. I will also be helping out at the Leicester City academy so I will still be involved.”
Kieran has few regrets about a football career that has ended so young, but looks back fondly on his time as a professional at Spurs.
He said: “I loved training and playing. It was what I wanted to do and people like
Jermaine Defoe and
Robbie Keane were brilliant. They always had time for the young lads and were always giving me advice which was great for someone like me for them to be taking an interest.”
It may be the end of his playing career but just the beginning of another, less precarious one for Kieran. All at the PFA wish him well in whatever career path he chooses.
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