Shadowing Practice: Why You Should STOP CARING About Football - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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So, I wanted to talk about a topic that I haven't really seen be discussed anywhere before.
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So, I wanted to talk about a topic that I haven't really seen be discussed anywhere before.
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Before you jump to any conclusions,
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I recommend you watch the video the whole way through.
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But, to make my point,
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I have to go back in time quite a lot.
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So I started playing football when I was 7 years old,
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played for 3 years, And then already at 10 years of age,
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I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in pro football.
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That life seemed incredible.
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And to be able to play at a high level in those big games,
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that was really all I wanted.
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So already at 10 years of age,
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I started to do my own individual training.
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I did bodyweight training.
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I looked up I watched games tried to analyze them
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and this and then I just ramped it up as I got older got into weight training
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and then I switched teams to a better team
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when I was 13 and joined an Academy
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because all I really wanted was to you know reach reach the top level and I did everything I could
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and at 16 I moved away from home from my parents from my hometown three
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and a half hours away to start high school
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and start to play in another team and it was at this point
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that my confidence started to drop
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and I didn't really perform I often tensed up in games
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my ball control my technique everything it didn't work out in the games
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and I couldn't understand
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because I felt like I did everything I worked harder than
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anybody else I went to the gym on my own early
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in the mornings I did my activation I did my own individual weight training I did my own individual
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workouts on the pitch.
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Before training, after training, I was there for an hour, half an hour. Did shooting, dribbling.
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But then as I was 18,
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about to turn 19, I had a chat with my current coach at the time.
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And we had a chat and he said basically that,
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so next season, this was from 2018 to 2019 season.
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from next season I feel like it's going to be hard giving you playing time as it looks right now
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and this was obviously very hard on my confidence
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so he said the alternative is that you stay in this team
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and don't get as much playing time as we want
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or you drop down a level to the under 19s
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so we also had a chat I asked him what do you think
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that I do wrong because in my head I'm doing everything I can to to perform
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and why am I not progressing why am I not performing
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when I counted all these stuff up for him the the way training the analysis the mental training meditation
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individual workouts he said that do you maybe think this could be working against you
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and I was quiet for a moment then I was like no no way
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so my whole identity from when I was 10 years old all the way up to
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when I was 18 19 was based on 100 commitment
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and dedication to what I did and this was nutrition wise
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and with training weights with my training
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and everything as I as I as I said
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and I was like no this is not the issue there has to be something else
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and he he was like okay
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and then he spoke about some other things like yeah your
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your your technical ability in games isn't as functional like in
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isolated situations in training your technique is brilliant it's better than most
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but when you come to the game you don't really function
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he was partly right about that as well i feel now
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but then after the chat i have with him the i dropped down the level
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and my confidence backed up due to multiple different things.
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But then over the years,
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I've started to realize that he was right in a way.
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And I should have listened to him,
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but it was hard at the time just taking that in,
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you know, when your identity is 100% based on working hard and going to the gym and all these stuff.
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And when someone says that maybe this is the issue,
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how would you feel?
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I mean, what would you do?
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Then suddenly it becomes an identity crisis.
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But over the years, as I've played in different teams,
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lower levels, and now as a pro,
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I've started to have a more relaxed approach to the game and to everything around it.
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And you may think that,
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oh, I have slacked off.
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in a way yes but I still do the work
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but in my mind this work isn't directly correlated to how I perform the work I do on the pitch
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or whatever it is going to the to the gym or recovering.
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I know that these are things that I have to do to be able to perform,
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but they're not going to,
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they're not a guarantee that I will perform.
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But what do I mean when I say that you should stop caring about football?
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Well, if you feel stuck in your career and you can identify with a lot of things that I,
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that I've said in this video,
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then what I wanted to do or what
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you do whatever you want of course
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but what you could try is try to have a more relaxed approach to the whole thing
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because when I did I started performing better
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and I started having more fun and I started enjoying being with my teammates
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because before I isolated myself I worked hard I did my things
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and I felt like I don't need to be with them or I don't need to have fun
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And that was the whole point.
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I was missing out on a lot of things
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because I cared too much and I obsessed too much with getting to a place
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that I had wanted to get to for so many years
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that I didn't see another way of getting there than working my ass off until I got there.
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This was a process as well.
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It was not something that happen in one day but
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when I stopped caring or to rephrase it
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when I cared less I started to find more enjoyment in training in games
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and with my teammates I performed better
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and I had an overall healthier relationship with the sport so
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if you feel stuck in your career you feel like you do
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everything that you can but you do not perform in games
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and training or you don't feel like it's as fun as you as maybe once was
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when you when you were younger try
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that try to have a more relaxed approach try for a week a month
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and if that doesn't help in the long run then maybe there's another issue for you
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but for me this was an incredibly important concept to realize and i had to do it
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by myself and and it took a bit of time I mean this wasn't something
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that happened in a week or two this was a process
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that took years and I still think I struggle with it at times
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but yeah I just wanted to get
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that off my chest I haven't really heard about this being talked about in a lot of places
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and I thought I'd just share my experience
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if you appreciate this video please hit the like button consider subscribing
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and i will definitely share more of my experiences as as i move further
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and further into my career i have a lot of things on my mind i think a lot
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so there will be a lot coming up but yeah other than
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that i'll just see in the next one guys take care bye
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Context & Background
In the YouTube video titled "Why You Should STOP CARING About Football," the speaker shares a personal journey that explores the relationship between dedication and performance in sports. Starting from a young age, the speaker devoted themselves to football, training extensively and striving for professional success. This dedication, however, led to unexpected challenges, particularly as they transitioned into competitive environments. The video highlights the emotional and psychological struggles that can accompany intense commitment and raises important questions about the definition of success in sports and life.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- "I wanted to talk about a topic that I haven't really seen discussed." - A useful phrase to introduce unique perspectives.
- "I decided that I wanted to pursue a career." - A strong way to express personal ambitions.
- "My confidence started to drop." - An important expression for discussing feelings and self-perception.
- "I did everything I could." - A phrase that conveys commitment and effort.
- "Do you maybe think this could be working against you?" - A thoughtful question that can spur introspection and discussion.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
If you're looking to enhance your English speaking practice through this video, follow this step-by-step shadowing method:
- Listen Actively: Watch the video once without pausing. Focus on understanding the overall message and emotions conveyed by the speaker.
- Break It Down: Replay the video in segments. Focus on a few sentences at a time, concentrating on the pronunciation and rhythm of the speech.
- Shadowing Exercise: Use a shadowing app or your own recording device. Listen to a segment, then immediately repeat what you heard. Pay close attention to intonation and pacing to improve English pronunciation.
- Compare and Contrast: Record yourself while shadowing. Listen back and compare your pronunciation with that of the speaker. Identify areas for improvement.
- Practice Regularly: Make this a part of your daily routine. Regular practice will enhance your fluency and comfort with English speech.
Utilizing these techniques on a consistent basis, especially within a supportive shadowing site, can significantly improve your English fluency. Consider employing shadow speech techniques to deepen your understanding and enhance your conversational skills.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.
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