Former Gills boss Andy Hessenthaler has got a new lease of life after working with the scholars at Soccer Elite FA.

The 48 year old decided he didn’t suit the Director of Football role at Priestfield earlier in the year and stepped away from life in the professional game.

Having looked at all the options available to him, Hessenthaler has spent the past few months working as a scout for Championship side Burnley, but is back on the training ground, doing what he loves best and that’s coaching.

Working alongside former Chelsea and Gillingham midfielder Lee Spiller, Hessenthaler comes in to Soccer Elite to deliver high quality training session for the scholars who are looking to make it into the game.

After spending some weeks with the squad, Hessenthaler told KSN how he is loving being back working with footballers once again:

“I’ve been working with the boys now for quite a few weeks and it’s like me being a big kid all over again.”

“It’s been fantastic for me, got me out of the house, got me out of doing the housework and the gardening. The garden looks great at the moment!”

“I spoke to Spillsy, he asked me to come in and the few weeks I’ve been with them it’s been fantastic and I’ve got to say, they’ve got a great set up.

“Lee and Tony Browne have set up a fantastic academy and have worked very hard over the last eight years and I’d day outside of being a pro club, it’s probably the best I’ve seen.”

Working with teenagers presents its own problems though and Hessenthaler admits they have their challenges, but that’s what spurs him on:

“There’s a few nightmares in there, but you get that at pro clubs as well. That’s down to Lee and myself to manage them as well and it’s been a new lease of life for me.”

“I was pleasantly surprised when I came in to see how well it’s run and for any youngster out there looking to get into football from a real young age, it’s a great set up and these boys can only benefit from the work they are getting during the week with Soccer Elite when they go off and play with their clubs at weekends.”

“The clubs at weekends probably don’t get enough time to work with them, so they are actually reaping the rewards and at the scholar level I’m working with, there’s a real good bunch.”

“A few of them have been released by pro clubs and will have an opportunity to go back in I’m sure at some stage. I’ve said to a lot of them, when you do get rejected at a young age, stay positive, work very hard, as you can get into the game and I reckon a lot of these boys will go on and earn a very good living out of the game.”

Hessenthaler isn’t the only high profile name to be working with Soccer Elite with former Gillingham goalkeeper Jason Brown, former West Ham United defender Julian Dicks and former Charlton Athletic defender Richard Rufus all having been drafted in to help bring on the players.

With all of that experience, the young footballers can only progress and Hessenthaler feels it is important that they get such a high standard of coaching:

“I bumped into Jason the other night and he’s working with helping the goalkeepers. Someone with his experience and where he’s played is great. With the likes of Julian Dicks having come in and Scott Lindsey, who is now the manager of Tamworth, they are getting a really good upbringing and I think that shows what Soccer Elite are all about.”

“They can attract some decent coaches at the academy, these people are enjoying it and want to work for Soccer Elite.”

“I’m certainly one of those and it’s been really good for me. I’m thoroughly enjoying it and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to get back in somehwere.”

Hessenthaler is the perfect role model for someone aspiring to get into the game. He came in to the professional game late, but made the most of his ability and he feels that if he can show that hard work pays off, then he will have done his job:

“I didn’t turn pro until I’d just turned 26. I got rejected by Charlton at eighteen, went and played non league and I think that’s the best thing I could have ever done.”

“I became stronger, fitter and I became a man because semi-pro football gives you that upbringing. It helped me and I had the attitude that I could get into the pro game.”

“Yes you need that little bit of luck, but I think the luck will come if you keep working hard. If you’re not going to show the right attitude and dedication towards training and that’s the key, training.”

“I used to train a lot after first meeting up with Peter Taylor when I was at Dartford.”

“I’d do an extra night on my own somewhere or be in the gym, whereas a lot of my friends were down the pub.”

“My dedication was there and it paid off. I had a fantastic career and I’m envious now as I miss playing massively. I’ll still join in with the boys as I still think of myself as a player.”

“For any youngster out there, never give up, keep working hard in any profession and if you do that, you’ll reap the rewards at the end of it.”

One of the reasons Hessenthaler left his role of Director of Football at Gillingham Football Club was that he missed the day to day training with players and he told KSN that he was so glad to be back doing that with Soccer Elite:

“Without a doubt, that’s what I missed, the coaching side of it, working with the players out on the training ground, having that buzz, that energy to put sessions on, join in when you could and I think it was clear to me after six months doing the job at Gillingham that was what I was missing.”

“Ultimately, that’s why I left the Football Club, but I still had a good time there and obviously it was a promotion season and I hope I contributed in some way, shape or form there.”

Hessenthaler is expected to join up with the Soccer Elite squad as they take a travelling party of hundreds to Milan in 2014.

To find out more about the work that Soccer Elite do, visit their website – www.soccerelitefa.com