Tamika Mkandawire on West Brom education, flourishing after release and helping NFL's next generation
Talented footballers are almost always picked up by a professional club at an early age, if they show glimpses of potentially being able to make it as a player.
But sometimes, there are players who slip through the net early on, before going on to flourish and have successful professional careers. That was the case for former Albion academy graduate Tamika Mkandawire.
The Malawi born defender, raised in Rugby, was in his late teens when he wrote to scores of professional clubs in search of a trial, having been inspired to chase the football dream after watching a documentary on Chelsea's youth academy involving ex-Albion defender Neil Clement.
It would be West Brom who handed him his big chance following a top drawer performance in a match for his local team.
That match almost never went ahead after the referee failed to turn up. The defender's coach was keen for it to take place, knowing an Albion scout had turned up to watch Mkandawire.
The defender was handed a professional contract at The Hawthorns and was in and around the first team at the turn of the millennium under as Gary Megson turned around the club's fortunes, but failed to make an appearance.
Rather than slip out of the professional game like so many others do, Mkandawire pressed on and played 350 times in the Football League, at clubs such as Millwall, Leyton Orient, and Hereford.
Speaking on the latest guest episode of the Baggies Broadcast, the 40-year-old, who now works as a strength trainer in California after finishing his career with Tampa Bay Rowdies, believes his professional career post Albion was down to the fact he came into the game late.
He said: "I was frustrated at not getting a chance at West Brom, but it was one of the best times, and the friends I'm still close with now are the Albion boys.
"I was given such an education at the club, they taught me my core values, but when I look back, getting into the game late helped me in terms of my drive.
"You see kids go to academies at like seven, eight, nine, and by 16 they are done, they've been in it for so long and they are bored and worn out with no motivation.
"Some players have their path written for them at 13, and it doesn't work out.
"With me, I was thinking, I've got a chance here, I'm not at the level of others but I have a chance to grow while some may already be tapped out, and I know I can go further than them.
"It probably gave me that extra ten per cent, and I had more desire to succeed as I had to wait for it."
After beginning his career at Albion, his coaching career almost began on the other side of the Black Country.
After leaving Shrewsbury Town in 2014, he was offered a coaching role by his former manager Kenny Jackett, then in charge of Wolves.
But after initially deciding to explore the opportunity, he moved to the USA to end his playing days.
Now, alongside football coaching, he is helping young and upcoming stars in other sports in their bids to make it in the big time.
He added: "I work as a performance trainer and strength coach, and help NFL athletes, NBA players and a few Major League Baseball players.
"Guys come to us before they go into the NFL draft, and we work with them, and a lot of NBA college players.
"It is something I have always been passionate about, and I've always been intrigued by other sports."
Mkandawire's full interview on the Baggies Broadcast will be available from Wednesday, on Spotify, Apple, and Soundcloud.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.