During the session, the second- and third-year degree students, who are part of the CITC Degree programme, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, were given the chance to ask the City players questions about perseverance and determination that will help them with their studies.
When asked about his goals for the next year, Josko explained: “My next goal is to be the best version of myself, and to try and win every game. ”
He also went on to give some advice to the aspiring students, saying: “Believe in yourself, and all the results will come by themselves and that’s all I can say. Just be focused, stay focused and work hard.”
Another student asked Ortega about the influence he’s received from other people around him at the club.
He said: “Everybody here has the same mentality, it’s all about trying to improve every day.
“In the games it is winning, but not just winning them, winning them in our own way.”
Ortega was later asked what he believes makes a good manager, he explained that: “Pep is the best manager in the world, he’s amazing.”
“If you are a manager, it is important that you don’t just see the player in front of you, you have to see the human as well.”
One second-year student, Mason, commented on the day saying: “A personal highlight was seeing how well the players engaged with us as participants and seemed enthusiastic about the session.”
“I learned about a variety of new theories that I was previously unaware of regarding perseverance, such as grit theory, during the lecture and learned about how some of the players’ experiences helped them, such as Gvardiol persevering during his difficult period in Dinamo Zagreb’s academy before making his first team debut, during the period we were able to ask players questions.”
Pilkwan, another second-year student, also said: “The experiences shared by players gave me a better understanding of hard work in the professional football environment and the importance of recognising the difference in individuals.”
City in the Community’s degree programme brings together CITC’s community football coaching knowledge with MMU’s academic expertise, to offer the best of both worlds and an integrated path to rewarding career goals.
Last year, there were 55 sessions delivered to the courses’ 102 students.
With work-based learning in elite, professional, sporting surroundings, this BSc course provides students with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to find success as a coach or sports programme leader.
For more information about the CITC degree programme visit: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/bsc-manchester-city-community-football-coaching
City in the Community empowers healthier lives with city youth through football.
To find out more, visit www.mancity.com/citc or follow @citcmancity.
