Arsenal defender Calum Chambers has revealed going through lockdown earlier this year has inspired him to do his coaching badges.
Chambers, like the rest of the country, was forced into lockdown earlier this year due to the spread of Covid-19.
The 25-year-old, who was also recovering from a serious knee injury at the time, has now explained that period had an impact on him.
Chambers says it has inspired him to one day become a coach and he is looking into doing his badges once he is fully fit.
“I’ve reached out to [Arsenal’s head of academy] Per Mertesacker for some contacts to get the ball rolling on my coaching badges,” said Chambers.
“And the next step would be to start taking the course. Not just yet, because my rehab is really intense and at an important stage, but once I get into a more normal routine then I’ll be looking to start that.”
Chambers is now back in full training after recovering from the knee injury he suffered in December and working his way towards being match fit.
It was his time away from the game that made him think about life after football and how he’d one day like to be a coach.
“I never really thought about it much before,” he told Arsenal’s match-day programme.
“But to be honest during lockdown, and being injured, it’s made me think more. I had a lot of time to do some deep thinking and one of the things I thought about was just that: “what am I going to do when I retire?”
“Obviously I love football so I thought why wouldn’t I want to stay in the sport. Then I got in contact with a few people to start the process of doing my coaching badges.
“So at this moment in time I’m thinking it could be some coaching somewhere, staying in the game, but I really don’t know where – maybe an academy or something. That’s what I’m thinking at the moment.”
