The Next Big Thing: How Football’s Wonderkids Lose Their Way

by Ryan Baldi

The Next Big Thing tells the stories of 15 footballers who were tipped for the top as youngsters yet were unable to fulfil their potential. With each player exclusively interviewed and insight provided by former team-mates, coaches and expert journalists, Ryan Baldi explores the pitfalls facing young players and what happens when plans go awry. The players featured share much in common, having played for some of the world's biggest clubs - such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Internazionale and Ajax - represented their country at various levels and been tipped for the very top. They all fell desperately short of expectations, but the reasons for their struggles differ greatly. Myriad factors can prevent gifted young footballers from fulfilling their true potential, from catastrophic injuries to issues of addiction and temptation, from managerial misunderstandings to bad advice and bad decisions. The Next Big Thing uncovers what becomes of football's wonderkids when the stars fail to align.

Genres: Football, Sports, Nonfiction

265 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 10, 2019

Reviews

[Piers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting insights of how youthful promise ebbs and flows away to obscurity. Overall though, the different stories felt same-y, and without a reasonably different angle to each player's tale it became quite dull by the end. There's only so many ways you can say "he was good but then he injured his knee" or "he got cocky and fell out with the manager". There's a feeling that there must be some wildly different stories out there that the author either didn't find or the subjects weren't willing to come forward.

[Steve Parcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting account of kids who were billed as the next big thing but it never happened for them.

I know of John Bostock in recent times and Ally Dick at Spurs and it was fascinating to hear what happened to them.

All the stories are indicative of the lack of support clubs give these kids and how easily you can end up in semi-pro non-league football or even worse on the scrapheap.

[Seán B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this one - I follow Ryan Baldi on Twitter as he provides great transfer insight usually and in depth player analysis to players on the radar of the big clubs.
I found the stories from players of past very interesting - at how easy they've slipped out of the professional world for reasons varying from alcohol to lack of interest to injuries.
Would of been nice to have the photos in each chapter of the player just for reference instead of all photos halfway through the book but still enjoyed reading this :)

[Olubunmi Adewumi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Baldi is an excellent author. This book is MUST read for parents of aspiring footballers and also young players at football academies across the globe. It is thought-provoking and also gives clarity on what must be done to secure the future of the next generation of Football's Wonderkids.

[Steve Chilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great insight into how young footballers don’t always follow a path to the top of the game. Well written with a good range of examples. Offers perspective into how a promised career can go drastically wrong, for several reasons actually, but actually often just two - injury and/or attitude. Some parallels with Michael Calvin's 'No hunger in paradise'.