DAILY RECORD

UNCLE SAM CAN SAVE YOU FROM THE SOCCER SCRAPHEAP

Out-of-work kids urged to give USA a go

CHRIS EWING has bold advice for Scotland's out-of-work footballers - Uncle Sam wants you.
The former Motherwell kid is living proof there is life after the game here and wants to help others broaden their horizons.
When his playing career was cut short he set up his own scholarship programme which sends youngsters to the USA and is advising the hundreds of kids without a club to do a David Beckham and give America a go.
He said: "At this time of year there are so many players facing an uncertain future after being released by their clubs and I know that feeling well.
"I found myself being told I wasn't getting an extension to my contract at Motherwell and from there I tried my luck at Dumbarton and Stranraer. It wasn't a nice reality to accept that a career in football wasn't working out for me but I came across the opportunity to take up a scholarship in America.
"I know there are loads of players who have found themselves in the same predicament I was in. I've just received a list of 191 Scottish players who have just been released.

"I studied in New York on an athletic scholarship and my experience of college life was nothing but positive. I'd urge others to give it a go.
"When I returned home with my degree I set up my own scholarship recruitment program called EDUSPORTUSA to help players who were in my position give it a go.
"America has been growing as a football nation since hosting the World Cup in 1994 and now David Beckham has agreed to join LA Galaxy the game will get another huge boost so it's the right time to make the move."
Despite admitting his ambitions to make a name for himself in football were his primary goal for heading to America, Ewing insists those dreams can still be fulfilled alongside an education for any prospective students. He said: "Nobody should underestimate the standard of college football in the States. It's improving all the time and facilities are second to none.
"Most games are played in front of more than 3000 fans and players get the chance to travel as they are flown from state to state for games against other college teams.
"It's regarded as a stepping stone to Major League Soccer so players who excel can still enjoy a lucrative professional playing career and still have an education to fall back on."
Former Rangers star Claudio Reyna is one example of a scholarship success story and he's backed Ewing's initiative.   
He said: "Before becoming a professional and captaining the US national team, I came through the US scholarship programme at the University of Virginia, so I understand the opportunities available through those avenues.
"Professional football is a very uncertain career and the benefits of a full-time education cannot be underestimated. The option of becoming a professional after completing your degree is still a realistic one."
Ewing is hoping to send another batch of players Stateside in the next few months and has urged anyone unsure of what the future holds to consider his option.  
He said: "The bottom line is there are fewer and fewer opportunities for young players in Scottish football.
"Out of the list who've been released, around 80 per cent of those are under 21. What we offer is a fresh challenge." 
Scotland boss Alex McLeish has endorsed the initiative.
He said: "The opportunity for young players to use their sporting talents to gain a valuable education in the USA is something that should be taken very seriously."