Ollie Watkins: From Non-League to the Champions League, how I climbed football's most competitive ladder (E265)
The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
4.8 • 4.7K Ratings
🗓️ 10 June 2024
⏱️ 69 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In this episode, Jake and Damian sit down with Premier League footballer Ollie Watkins, discussing his staggering journey from non-league football to reaching the Champions League.
England and Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins joins us on High Performance after a breakthrough season, achieving the most assists in the Premier League. Ollie opens up to Jake and Damian about his route to the top, discussing his rejection from Exeter City at age nine, struggling with concentration, and his determination to prove people wrong.
Reflecting on key mentors and moments throughout his career, Ollie highlights the impact of High Performance culture, emphasising the importance of humility and consistency instilled by coaches such as Unai Emery. He advocates for breaking down the stigma around mental health challenges among athletes.
Ollie also recalls the pressure of scoring his first goal for Aston Villa, highlighting the memorable feeling of a weight being lifted from his shoulders when his aim became a reality. He shares a defining moment against Arsenal, where his goal and celebration asserted his belonging in the Premier League.
This episode uncovers the remarkable journey of one of England's most promising footballing talents; from Ollie’s humble beginnings, to his Premier League success and Champions League aspirations.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I'm not shocked by the season that I've had this year because of all the hard work I've put in previously and |
| 0:06.4 | Yeah, it's only going to get better from from here onwards. |
| 0:09.2 | It's not given to you that on a plate you have to work hard for it. |
| 0:11.9 | They train every day physically in the gym but it takes a lot to change your mindset. |
| 0:16.5 | There's not a better time for me to go into a tournament, you know having a season like I've had this year. |
| 0:23.2 | That is England and Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, |
| 0:29.8 | and this is high performance, the show that unlocks the minds of the most fascinating people on the planet. |
| 0:35.4 | I'm Jake Humphrey and alongside our expert Damien Hughes, we learn from the stories, the struggles and the successes of our guests. |
| 0:43.0 | And today is a rare opportunity to hear the journey of Ollie Watkins that simply has not been told before. |
| 0:49.0 | In this conversation, he's vulnerable, he's humble, he's honest honest but you'll also see his rock solid |
| 0:55.1 | belief shines through he hasn't taken the traditional path to the top of the |
| 0:59.9 | football world and that makes it all the more compelling. |
| 1:03.0 | Let's do it and welcome a rare conversation with Ollie Watkins to high performance. |
| 1:09.0 | But first, let's quickly hear from our partners who allow us to give you this episode, totally free. |
| 1:18.3 | Before we get going just to let you know that you can now enjoy a free trial of High Performance Plus where you can get early access, |
| 1:25.4 | ad free content, exclusive master classes and high performance originals. |
| 1:29.7 | Just download the High Performance app from the app store. |
| 1:33.0 | This week's episode of High Performance is brought to you by AirB&B. |
| 1:38.0 | All right, so Jake, holiday seasons coming up. |
| 1:41.0 | Where are you thinking of whisking the family away to this year? |
| 1:44.2 | Look, there's four of us, okay? |
| 1:45.6 | Sebastian and Florence, the kids will have their say. |
... |
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