“Today I still pinch myself because you sit and think to yourself: has this actually happened?”
For nearly a quarter of a century, Nigel James has been coaching young footballers in south west London. Uniquely among coaches, two of his children, Lauren and Reece James, play football for their country, the first brother and sister to be senior England internationals in the modern era.
“Over and over I say to myself ‘can I believe it?’ And it’s reality, it’s happening. The whole James family is very proud of what the children have achieved,” he says.
“I’m extremely proud. Your children doing what they want to do for a living and now to get to the highest level you could think of in football is a very proud moment.”
‘It was like an enjoyment youth club’
Nigel’s son Reece is expected to start at righ back for England in the World Cup, which begins on Thursday. Speaking at his academy in Wimbledon, Nigel recalled those early days.
“Reece used to train with us on a Friday evening and he was with his friends. He would score goals. It was like an enjoyment youth club, which kids don’t really go to any more. So this compensates for the youth club to play and enjoy.”
Nigel’s academy has also produced Jack Rudoni, soon to be a Premier League player with Coventry City.
“We’ve had two of my young players that progressed into the academy system just graduate from Cambridge and Oxford University,” he adds. “So we don’t just produce players, we produce good human beings and confident young men and women in the game.
“They meet different friends, they grow with confidence, so there’s lots of different things that opens up for them.”
‘Fun first, child first’
Nigel’s academy at Goals in Wimbledon is part of Play Their Way, a coaching campaign backed by Sport England.
“He’s brought up his two kids who both now play for England with exactly this philosophy: fun first, child first,” says Phil Smith, executive director for the sporting system. “If it’s good enough for Reece and Lauren James, it’s good enough for the rest of us.”
Smith highlighted a growing problem in youth sport: “Half of kids in this country don’t play sport enough, and of those who do play, less than half of them say they’re really enjoying it. This is a problem for the activity levels and the health of the nation. It’s a problem for all our future.
“Some of these kids might go on to play for England one day, most of them will not but I hope that the fun they’ve had here will keep them playing, whatever level.”
‘Win. All the way. It’s coming home.’
Nigel is flying out to the US for the knockout stages of the World Cup, harbouring high hopes for England glory.
“I honestly believe that I think we will do very well. That’s why I’m confident that I could miss the group stages and be out for the quarters and the semis.”
Asked for a prediction, he replied: “Win. All the way. It’s coming home.”
The bottom line
A father’s pride. A coach’s philosophy. A family’s legacy.
Nigel James built his academy on fun first, child first. It produced two England internationals, the first brother and sister to achieve that in the modern era.
Now Reece is expected to start at the World Cup. Lauren is already a Lionesses star. And their father is flying out to watch, believing England can go all the way.
“Win. All the way. It’s coming home.”
That’s not just a fan’s hope. That’s a father’s belief. And after everything the James family has achieved, who would bet against them?
