“CALVIN BASSEY”(No Gree For Anybody!!!)

Calvin Bassey was only 6 years old when his father abandoned his mum and his 3 other brothers in Italy where he was born.

His mother had to move to the Uk with her 4 sons settling in one of the roughest parts of London called “Newham”, a place Bassey said at the time was like a “War Zone”.

Kids were being stabbed and killed due to gang violence and Bassey lost 2 of his mates that period with one shot dead, it was “deadly” area at the time.

There was only two ways to survival, either you end up in a gang or you play football, and Calvin Bassey chose to play the beautiful game, football but things only got worse.

“EVERYTHING YOU ARE COMES FROM YOUR CHOICES”

As a teenager, no club wanted him, he went to trials at Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Wolves, Leyton Orient, Charlton Athletic and Barnet, and all these clubs said NO to him.

Leyton Orient and Charlton Athletic rejected him twice but the rejection of Charlton was the one that hit him the most as he spent time doing trials at the club not just once but twice and both times the club rejected him.

He felt if a club can reject me twice, it meant he wasn’t really good enough.

“REJECTION IS NOT FATAL; IT’S MERELY SOMEONE’S OPINION.”

He thought of giving up on his dream of playing football professionally but decided to give it one final push.

He said to himself, “I’m going all out, and if I don’t get a club, I’m quitting” and that was when he got a “Do-or-die” trial at Leicester City.

He was playing as a LeftBack and 13 left-backs had already done trials before him and got rejected, so he felt he stood no chance at all.

“WHEN THE WORLD SAYS, ‘GIVE UP’, HOPE WHISPERS, ‘TRY IT ONE MORE TIME.”

Due to he felt he stood no chance, he just played with freedom and had fun and that was what got him signed to Leicester City at the age of 15 years.

Now imagine the mental strength of a teenager that got rejected by 6 clubs and yet kept going, that’s an elite mentality.

He couldn’t believe he was signed and went late to school that morning. His teachers got angry asking him why he was late, he told them he was getting signed by Leicester, they doubted him until he showed them pictures and they started clapping for him.

“THE MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T GIVE UP”
He moved from Leicester City’s Under 18 to the Under 23’s but couldn’t break into the first team but Steven Gerrard signed him for Rangers in 2020.

Within 5 months of signing his first professional contract, he moved his mum and brothers out of Newham.

His Rangers career didn’t start off well as he wasn’t a regular under Gerard but like always he kept working hard.

“NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS, KEEP GOING, YOU ONLY FAIL WHEN YOU QUIT.”
When Gerrard left for Aston Villa and Giovani took over, he started playing Bassey moving him from left back to Centre back and he became one of the best young defenders in Europe.

He became Rangers most expensive sale when they sold him to European giants, Ajax for a club record fee of £20 million in 2022 just after 2 years.

“GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU, JUST TRUST HIM!!!”

He got to Ajax and in his first match got a direct red card after coming on for just 15 minutes.

He didn’t have the best of time in Ajax as he played 25 games for the club and they still managed to sell him to Fulham for the same amount they bought him, £20 million.

In Fulham, he has become one of the key players and defenders for Silva and he’s proving why he’s elite every single game.

“IT’S NOT FAILURE, IT’S UNFINISHED SUCCESS”

And yesterday against Ivory Coast, playing first as the left sided Centre Back in a back 3 and later played as the left fullback, he was Nigeria’s best defender alongside Ola Aina earning him the nickname “Minister Of Defence”

If there’s one thing Calvin Bassey’s story has taught is “No Gree For Anybody” when it comes to your destiny!!!

Kwechiri, refuse to give up because the truth remains, everyday you see a new day, it means God’s plans for you are still very valid!!!!

I don’t know what you’re going through at the moment, I know you’re about giving up but I want you to see this as a sign, just try ONE MORE TIME!!!!

Restart and try again and even if it fails, TRY AGAIN!!!!

As far as you have breath in you, you have a purpose!!!!

NEVER QUIT