.jpg?width=1400&height=800)
Reza, a football fanatic from the Seychelles, always dreamed of being a footballer.
“Like any other teenage player I always wanted to be a professional," he told tottenhamhotspur.com. "But I came to realise that on a small tiny island in the ocean it is impossible so I decided to try education and coaching instead."
So he made the 5,000-mile journey to north London after applying for a degree course run by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.
The Foundation Degree offers a choice of three courses developed in consultation with employers, helping to ensure students gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to progress straight into employment and at costs that are more affordable than those at university.
“What makes the course unique is that it is in a Premier League club environment; you wouldn’t get a course anywhere else like this," Reza says.
“Being at White Hart Lane a few days of the week - it just gives that extra vibe, that extra bit of confidence to push towards goals and achieve great success.
“I’ve only ever known Premier League football on TV back home. To be part of the environment, let alone the stadium, almost every day of the week was fantastic."
After successfully completing the course Reza is now hopeful of managing the Seychelles one day; a dream that is a step closer to coming true thanks to the help of Tottenham Hotspur.
“I’ve learned a lot and I’d like to transfer that back to the Seychelles. Football has a long way to go back home and if I can make an influence to the greater good of it I’ll definitely be helping my old friends.”
See: 'Spurs gave me strength I didn't have before'
