39 min
Dapo Mebude on Coming Through The Ranks The Art and Science Of Winning
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- Soccer
Today on the podcast, I’m joined by K.V. Oostende striker Dapo Mebude.
For as long as he can remember, Dapo had wanted to become a footballer. He had the opportunity to join the Glasgow Rangers Youth Academy at ten years old and turned professional six years later in 2017, when he made his debut at Ibrox.
Dapo acknowledges the numerous mentors that instilled confidence, ambition, and drive in the young player through those early years, from coach Jimmy McNee to Academy Head Craig Mulholland.
To Dapo, having support from his family, peers, and mentors allows him to embrace his fullest potential as a player. “All I ever want,” says Dapo, “is to know that they have my best interests at heart. If I trust them, I know I can become the best version of myself.”
Of course, self-belief is just as important. Dapo believes that mental fortitude and striving to improve day by day are the less obvious but foundational traits of the best in the game.
He recalls training with the under-20s just before signing his professional contract and, instead of allowing himself to be intimidated by the skill of these older players, was driven to be the best performer on his future team. Dapo believes that talent and attitude combined directly determines how successful you become, no matter the field.
Through observing the professionalism of his coach and fellow Rangers teammates, Dapo also learned the powerful lesson that “how quickly you get there is how quickly you can lose it all”. This outlook kept his passion and ambition alive amid the turbulence of moving from club to club as a young footballer.
He attributes his characteristic humility, intense drive, and unfailing optimism to his faith in God, saying:
“I don’t want to leave anything to fate. I want to keep pushing myself until I can’t handle it anymore. Until I get to that point, I want to keep trying to do the best I can, because that’s all I can do.”
TIMESTAMP:
[00:47] Dapo’s life in Belgium
[02:13] Joining the Rangers youth system at the age of ten and becoming a part of K.V. Oostende
[03:50] Why Dapo wanted to become a footballer
[05:22] Who influenced Dapo in the world of sports
[11:54] The importance of having family and peer support as a young football player
[14:49] Maturing as a player
[18:00] What keeps the best players going when most have quit
[23:00] How the confidence and professionalism of his manager and fellow players inspired Dapo to develop himself every day
[30:20] The power of faith
[32:15] How it felt when Dapo made his debut
[35:55] The experience of moving from club to club as a young player
Connect with Dapo Mebude:
· WEBSITE
Connect with Don MacNaughton:
· WEBSITE
· PODCAST
· INSTAGRAM
· TWITTER
· FACEBOOK
· LINKEDIN
Today on the podcast, I’m joined by K.V. Oostende striker Dapo Mebude.
For as long as he can remember, Dapo had wanted to become a footballer. He had the opportunity to join the Glasgow Rangers Youth Academy at ten years old and turned professional six years later in 2017, when he made his debut at Ibrox.
Dapo acknowledges the numerous mentors that instilled confidence, ambition, and drive in the young player through those early years, from coach Jimmy McNee to Academy Head Craig Mulholland.
To Dapo, having support from his family, peers, and mentors allows him to embrace his fullest potential as a player. “All I ever want,” says Dapo, “is to know that they have my best interests at heart. If I trust them, I know I can become the best version of myself.”
Of course, self-belief is just as important. Dapo believes that mental fortitude and striving to improve day by day are the less obvious but foundational traits of the best in the game.
He recalls training with the under-20s just before signing his professional contract and, instead of allowing himself to be intimidated by the skill of these older players, was driven to be the best performer on his future team. Dapo believes that talent and attitude combined directly determines how successful you become, no matter the field.
Through observing the professionalism of his coach and fellow Rangers teammates, Dapo also learned the powerful lesson that “how quickly you get there is how quickly you can lose it all”. This outlook kept his passion and ambition alive amid the turbulence of moving from club to club as a young footballer.
He attributes his characteristic humility, intense drive, and unfailing optimism to his faith in God, saying:
“I don’t want to leave anything to fate. I want to keep pushing myself until I can’t handle it anymore. Until I get to that point, I want to keep trying to do the best I can, because that’s all I can do.”
TIMESTAMP:
[00:47] Dapo’s life in Belgium
[02:13] Joining the Rangers youth system at the age of ten and becoming a part of K.V. Oostende
[03:50] Why Dapo wanted to become a footballer
[05:22] Who influenced Dapo in the world of sports
[11:54] The importance of having family and peer support as a young football player
[14:49] Maturing as a player
[18:00] What keeps the best players going when most have quit
[23:00] How the confidence and professionalism of his manager and fellow players inspired Dapo to develop himself every day
[30:20] The power of faith
[32:15] How it felt when Dapo made his debut
[35:55] The experience of moving from club to club as a young player
Connect with Dapo Mebude:
· WEBSITE
Connect with Don MacNaughton:
· WEBSITE
· PODCAST
· INSTAGRAM
· TWITTER
· FACEBOOK
· LINKEDIN
39 min