NEXTWAVE Magazine - Issue One

NEXTWAVE

NEXTWAVE T H E M AG A Z I N E FO R A N E W G E N E R AT I O N O F E L I T E AT H L E T E S

WITH I S SUE

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE

O N E J U N E

BETHAN ROBERTS

2 0 2 1

RIO ROSENBERG ODIN BAILEY JEREMY DOKU

TODD CANTWELL

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THE RISING STARS OF PL2

E D U C A T I O N FA S H I O N P R O P E R T Y T R A V E L E N T E R T A I N M E N T B U S I N E S S F I N A N C E

Editor Kai McKechnie Contributors Jake Wilkin Amy Ward Scott Stewart Lee Constable Sam Uwins Razzak Mirjan Talia Cecchele Gordon Ramsay Advertising To enquire about advertising please contact: enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com Design Neil Shand – Shand Media Published by Premier Sports Network To send feedback or articles for publication contact Premier Sports Network at: enquiries@premiersportsnetwork.com

NextWave Magazine is published by Premier Sports Agency Ltd. ©2021. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced without permission.

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Welcome to NextWave Magazine Welcome to the first edition of NextWave Magazine, a new media space shining a spotlight on the next generation of professional athletes coming through the Academy.

This bi-monthly publication will serve as a vehicle for cutting edge interviews engaging with young ballers and various lifestyle features, from education and fashion to business and entertainment.

If you are a young athlete and would like to be featured in a future edition of the magazine, please feel free to get in touch by emailing kai@premiersports.agency Likewise, if you enjoy any of the stories and features, please share them via social media, adding the hashtag #nextwave and tag @nextwaveofficial.

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COV E R F E AT U R E

TODD CANTWELL “I don’t think I was destined for anything else”

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CONTENTS

ISSU E O N E J U N E 2 0 2 1

Interviews

6

TODD CANTWELL

10

RIO ROSENBERG

20

JEREMY DOKU

26

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE

34

BETHAN ROBERTS

40

ODIN BAILEY

Norwich City FC, 23

Crystal Palace FC Women, 18

Stade Rennais FC, 18 Everton FC, 18

Reading FC Women, 17

Birmingham City FC, 21

Features 16

NAVIGATING THE UK TAX LANDSCAPE How much tax should you pay?

38

18

WHAT IS DOGECOIN? The rise of the meme cryptocurrency

44

SIX STYLE TIPS Looking sharp and sophisticated

24

RISING STARS OF PL2 Top scorers, most assists, and clean sheets

46

THE HOTTEST SNEAKERS Our favourite on-trend sneakers of 2021

29

ATHLETES USING TIKTOK The top sportsmen and women utilising the dance platform

48

KIT Products to support your performance

30

SOCIAL MEDIA THREATS Assessing the threat posed by social media

50

ENTERTAINMENT Our picks: Music, Events, Podcast, Movie, Book…

52

BUILD YOUR POTENTIAL Transferable skills in the property industry

54

STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME The five-star experience of Edwardian Hotels

54 36

WILD HYBRID HYPERCAR COMING 2023 Switzerland’s Morand Cars plans the first hybrid hypercar CANELO ÁLVAREZ’S DIET How the Mexican Champion trains and fuels

FROM BEDER’S KITCHEN Simple, tasty recipes from top chefs

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NORWICH CITY FC

TODD CANTWELL

Todd Cantwell “The Premier League is where we belong.”

Todd Cantwell was in the thick of Norwich City’s promotion celebrations. The achievement of returning to the Premier League hadn’t quite hit home for the local lad. A product of the Canaries’ Academy, Todd has played a crucial part in the club’s recent success to enjoy a second Championship promotion at just 23-years-old. The global stage of the Premier League now awaits.

“

It’s amazing. It probably won’t hit me as much until I finish my football because it’s a bit surreal,” starts Todd, following Norwich City’s promotion confirmation back to the Premier League.

“Obviously it’s surreal that the fans aren’t here as well, it’s been a strange season, but we’ve brought a lot of joy to the county. We’re glad we could do what we wanted to do and go back up to the Premier League. The Premier League is where Norwich belong.

“A lot of the players that had been relegated were keen to get promoted again. They felt like they owed that to the club, and we obviously want to prove ourselves at that level. The club has really big ambitions of staying there and that can be matched in the dressing room.”

Todd joined the Norwich City Academy at under-10 level. Under the direction of Sporting Director Stuart Webber, players starting from age seven up to 21-years-old are instructed

to play a progressive, passing style, with the club committing to using data as opposed to subjective analysis.

The club’s starlets have thrived under the new system, with five Academy players making their first-team debuts this year. In the last twelve years, 82 per cent of the minutes played by the club’s Academy players have come in the last four years.

Todd himself has grown to become a forceful midfielder who uses the ball effectively across the pitch, applying skills in tight situations and unselfishly creating chances for his fellow teammates. He’s also capable of making life extremely difficult for his opponents through his movement and ability to ride challenges, interchanging across a dynamic and fluid Norwich City team.

“I’ve had some incredible coaches over my Academy career. There is no doubt about it,” Todd asserts. “There was some really good football coaches and other coaches who were ⬊

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TODD CANTWELL

“I remember getting called in from warming up on the touchline and it was overwhelming because everything I’ve ever worked on and dreamed of was just about to be handed to me.”

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aimed at supporting Norwich City’s long-term strategy to produce more home-grown players, building a sustainable future for the club, while continuing to develop a first-team squad capable of being promoted to, and then remaining in, the Premier League.

The improved training, sport science and education facilities are key to helping the club to be seen as a genuine leader in developing young players and a provider of pathways and opportunities. The club hopes that the new home will also help them attract you and the best developers of talent behind the scenes.

The investment has certainly paid off. Aged just 19-years-old, with only a couple of appearances on the bench in the Championship to his name, Todd made his debut on one of the biggest stages in English football.

“Before my debut, I knew I had been training well and showing the manager what I can do but there’s showing the manager your ability and then there’s playing against some of the best players in the world as it was an FA Cup tie against Chelsea.

“I remember being 1-0 down with ten minutes left and I didn’t think I had a chance of getting onto the pitch.

“All of a sudden, I was getting called in from warming up on the touchline and it was overwhelming because everything I’ve ever worked on and dreamed of was just about to be handed to me.

With five minutes left to play, I was finally given that opportunity.

“The game was on the BBC, so my family were able to watch it on the TV. “Towards the end of the game, the ball came in and Jamal Lewis headed it in and as much as I was over the moon that he had just scored, I was also excited that there would be 30 minutes added on for extra-time and I would get more of a chance to play.

“It felt so surreal being on the pitch with players like Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante and David Luiz.”

Todd may only have four professional seasons under his belt, but those campaigns have certainly been action-packed, having been ⬊

NORWICH CITY FC

really good for developing my personality, my character and giving me life lessons as well. I’ve had the perfect balance.

“There were some who always encouraged me to show off my skills and character and some who were a lot more serious and gave me a lot more detail about football and maturity. I would say I’ve had that perfect balance.

“When I first joined the Academy at under-10s, I had Matt Wright, who was all about me showing off my skills. With the under-13s and 14s, I worked under Neil Adams, who was a lot more serious and paid attention to my football and maturity.

At under-15 and 16s, I worked with Jimmy Unwin who focused on my personality and how to conduct myself off of the pitch, as well as being a good footballer.

“From there, I worked with Darren Huckerby and Dmitri Halajko, and they went up with me throughout the rest of my Academy journey.

They were great for me and always gave me the confidence to be who I am.

“When I reflect on it now, I think I’ve had some brilliant coaches over the years.”

Norwich City’s success is the envy of many with talent on the pitch and transformation off it following the refurbishment of youth and senior training facilities, The Lotus Academy, named in partnership with performance car brand Lotus.

The training ground’s makeover took place after more than 700 supporters and investors contributed to a Canaries Bond

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TODD CANTWELL

“In terms of experience, I’ve been able to gobble up quite a lot of something that a lot of players have to wait a long time for.

Although I’m only 23, I’m sure I still have a lot to learn.”

Todd has been pivotal in Norwich City’s return to the Premier League, scoring six times and recording eight assists in 34 appearances across all competitions.

NORWICH CITY FC

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a part of a promotion campaign whilst out on loan at Fortuna Sittard and two promotions with Norwich City to the Premier League, bringing many different learning opportunities that could prove to be significant for his development and for the rest of his career.

“I think the experience that I’ve gained from such a young age is impeccable really. To go through promotion from the Championship, to having some personal successes in the Premier League and to now be in a position where we’ve been promoted again.

“In terms of experience, I’ve been able to gobble up quite a lot of something that a lot of players have to wait a long time for. Although I’m only 23, I’m sure I still have a lot to learn, and I have experience in other ways and it’s really important for me to hit the levels I’ve wanted to for a while and prove myself again.”

The appeal for young players of Europe’s other leagues is the realisation that youth players often play regularly in the first team and are given the chance to gain valuable experience. Norwich are known for encouraging their players to further their football education abroad, as well as playing with a range of other talented players.

When asked about the best player he’s played with, Todd named Borussia Dortmund star “Jude Bellingham”, who he played alongside with at youth international level.

“You don’t need me to say it, some of the best coaches in the world have been saying it recently. The guy plays like he’s been playing for 30 years but with the athleticism of a 17-year-old.

“Played against? How long is a piece of string? I’ve played against some unbelievable players, especially last year in the Premier League. Bruno Fernandes is definitely one, Kevin De Bruyne as well…I’d probably go for De Bruyne though because I remember the game at the Etihad where he was unplayable. It felt like it was a video game for him, and he put the difficulty on easy. There’s obviously been some unbelievable players I’ve been up against, but Kevin De Bruyne has been the best.”

Todd is also capable of expressing himself away from football with his interest in fashion and music, which he can be seen wearing and listening to around the training ground and on matchdays.

“I would say I’m quite a risky dresser,” Todd explained.

“You can get across your personality and it’s doing something for yourself.”

With an extensive list of different brands in his wardrobe, the same can be applied to his comprehensive playlists, which do a wonderful job of showcasing the array of talent on show in today’s music industry.

“I’ve got quite a wide-ranging taste of music that you might not think to put together,” Todd laughs. “I would say I have different categories; a playlist that I have for a gameday and another for sitting at home for example.”

Todd is now looking forward to a summer of rest and watching Euro 2020 following a dominant campaign in the Championship.

In his last run out in the Premier League, Todd took with him a number of plaudits from the footballing community and this time, he wants to fight to do the same once again and prove that he has what it takes to drive Norwich City forward and keep them in the top flight, whilst holding onto his own wider ambitions.

“I think any player wants to play at the best level they can and that includes Champions League football or Europa League football.

“I’d be surprised if any player said that they would be happy to sit and rest on their laurels. I think everyone wants to be the best they can be and that’s in any line of work and for me personally, I want to prove myself.

“I don’t think I was destined for anything else.” ◆

The go-to guys in sports media, brand and image

www.amg-global.co.uk

info@amg-global.co.uk

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RIO ROSENBERG

Rio Rosenberg “I’ve got loads of different avenues off the pitch.”

18-year-old Crystal Palace under-23 captain, Rio Rosenberg, speaks about being scouted for Palace, barriers to participation, being part of BT Sport’s Ultimate Goal and development away from the pitch.

W

here did your journey in football begin?

It really started when I was 5 years old; Mum had me down at the park and I fell in love with the game as soon as the ball was at my feet.

I was in a grassroots team for about ten years called Camden Youth FC and loved the environment. I was really fortunate to have a female role model called Kirsty Peeling, who was captain for Arsenal before that and a pretty big figure in the women’s game at the time.

I then moved on to Alexander Park, another grassroots team and I had a lot of friends and family telling me to push on because they

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all knew that I had the talent to get into an academy, but it was more down to believing in myself.

Have you had any barriers to participation?

There were a lot when I was younger: I think for me there are three big ones within the grassroots game. The first one is the financial aspect.

Because of registration fees at the beginning of the season, players might not always be able to afford that [registration fees] and of course the cost of kit that comes with it. I’m quite glad that I stayed at one team for a long period of time because if you are changing every season those costs add up.

Also, accessibility. For me, I don’t have a car and my

parents don’t have a car, so I was travelling about two hours to get to games or trials and that was really difficult for me to be travelling on public transport late at night as a young teenager. My mum is also disabled so it was very difficult when I was younger, so I really want to put a spotlight on accessibility and how we can start helping the younger generation just to get to the football pitch.

When it all started, I was at summer camps before I joined an all-girls team. I remember walking into one of the summer camps there was a room full of about 100 plus boys and I was the only girl there and a lot of the time that was the case. At school growing up I was always playing football with the boys

at the lunchtime. You would probably see me in the A&E office at school because I always hurt myself, but I was literally just playing Wembley with the boys every single day!

I think I stood out as soon as I come in because I was wearing a Barcelona top, Arsenal shorts and it was all mismatch of kit! You’ve got 80 plus boys just staring at you and I was tiny walking in. I remember at first none of them passed to me or anything, so I ended up tackling people on my team just to get the ball - then I started scoring goals and ended up top goal scorer so that got me respect straight away.

I don’t think playing with boys ever intimidated me as at such a young age I thought it was just football ⬊

“I don’t think playing with boys ever intimidated me as at such a young age I thought it was just football and normal.”

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RIO ROSENBERG

and normal and not something that I didn’t always realise until I got introduced to the all-girls team, I didn’t know there were girls’ teams out there, so that’s a challenge for a lot of girls getting into the game, but it’s definitely changing now there are more girls’ teams out there. I was really fortunate to get into an all-girls team at such a young age.

Do you think playing with boys improved your game?

I think it did help as I remember going into the first training sessions, I was a lot more physical [than the other girls], and I think I picked up a lot of my skills from street football at a young age. So, when I went into that environment, I was like ‘OK I’m one of the better more skilful players I may have something here.’

“One of my main goals is to inspire younger girls to get involved in football and sport at a grassroots level. I’ve just started my coaching journey and recently qualified FA Level 1, so I’m getting into the coaching game too.”

You captain the U23 Crystal Palace Women’s team. How did that come about?

With the lockdown during 2020, I used the time to work hard knowing that a lot of people would lose their motivation so came out of it [the first UK lockdown in June], went to the trial day with Palace and was really confident and vocal on the pitch which I think the coaches spotted. I got an email the next week to say I was accepted. I couldn’t believe it because I was waiting so long to reach that level.

In my first game against Charlton, our coach was naming the captain and I was looking around as I had just joined the team… I ended up taking the armband which was an honour as I love that leadership role. It was a shock because I was new: I had only been there a month and then to be named captain in a derby game as well!

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How did you find the lockdown periods throughout the season?

It’s been difficult because the season has been so stop and start you can’t really get into a rhythm with consistent training, so that was definitely difficult. I think the social side of things as well with the social distancing you can’t really celebrate together, and I feel like that’s what brings a team together.

But I have been keeping myself busy, I’ve got loads of different avenues off the pitch. One of my main goals is to inspire younger girls to get involved in football and sport at a grassroots level.

I’ve also just started my coaching journey and recently qualified FA Level 1, so I’m getting into the coaching game too. Definitely the on the pitch stuff is most important, but I like to keep myself busy.

You were selected for the Ultimate Goal on BT Sport, what was the experience like?

It was probably the best experience of my life.

I applied for the show not really thinking that I was going to get any sort of response because thousands of people applied for it. I then got a call from the

producers saying that I got picked and going to St Georges Park.

Next thing I knew I was in a chauffeur, on the train and getting dropped off at St Georges with hotel and everything paid for – I was thinking this is brilliant!

It was really great to see all the different women and learn about their different journeys within football as for some of them it was kind of their last chance to make it pro.

Everyone was telling me after the training session ‘you’re so young, you’ve got bags of potential so you can really use this show as an experience and really push on after’, and I feel like that’s what I’ve done.

What was the biggest takeaway from the experience?

Dedication. You can have all the talent in the world but if you don’t have the commitment, if you don’t work hard, if you don’t turn up to training, if you don’t eat the right food and sacrifice all of those things, you’re not going to push on.

On the show we had people like Fara Williams, Rio Ferdinand, Eniola Aluko, Molly and Rosie Kmita, the list goes on. When Rio and Fara especially walked out

it was really exciting because I am a big Man U fan and obviously my names Rio as well - I got to ask him a lot of questions around leadership so it was really interesting to hear from one of the best in the game and Fara Williams too, learning from her story.

They were giving me tips on how to break into the first team because that where I am and they said you’re always going to learn always ask your coach questions and I think that was the biggest takeaway so at training now I’m always asking questions. I got so much confidence form that show and really started believing in my own talent and if I apply that with a good work ethic then I have the potential to go a long way.

When they were training us too, the little tips they gave were incredible.

How has Crystal Palace supported you while you are still in education?

I’m really lucky I’m involved in Level 7 College Football Academy and my coach is actually first team at Crystal Palace, so my coaches at the club know exactly what my schedule is with the football programme and vice-versa; they know if I need to do my coursework, which means I need to get it done if I’m going to Palace training after.

I currently train around four hours a day and it’s really

good to have that level of communication because they both know my workload which means they are recognise if I have to have an easier day at college and then go harder at Palace to prepare for the weekend game.

Level 7 academy provides a platform that creates a professional football and learning experience for boys and girls that want to progress to the next level both on and off the pitch, aiming to create a level playing field. Their programmes offer experiences, opportunities and insight into a variety of industries helping to shape the futures of athletes between 16 and 19 years old.

The biggest thing is that they have a lot of emphasis on player care, so we all do workshops with mental health professionals, for example, something that really important as a lot of athletes get lost in their identity and if you get injured, they don’t really know who they are off the pitch.

What are your thoughts on the development of the women’s game?

I’m a big advocate for women’s participation. The first thing is to create a level playing field so equal opportunities at a grassroots level. That could be more clubs, more female coaches and just having more opportunities for girls to start playing football regardless

of whether they are going to go down the professional pathway, eliminating those barriers that we previously spoke about.

That will then help the elite, because if we get more girls playing at a grassroots level that will create a bigger talent pool to pick for the England squad. Visibility and exposure: the more we can get on TV and social media, in particular, I think that’s going how to grow the big game.

I am also a clothing brand ambassador for Miss Kick, a community of young female footballers across the world supporting the grassroots game with profits going into the Miss Kick foundation it provides a chance to connect with other girls across the world.

Who have been your role models?

I think in terms of my own role models, my mum because of all the sacrifices she’s made for me to help me get where I am.

In terms of footballers, I love Gill Scott. She’s just hit 150 caps for England and also a central midfielder too. I love her work ethic and what she does off the pitch.

Having those role models, they weren’t really on TV, in magazines or on social media so there wasn’t a lot of people that you say I could

be like that person. I was on a zoom call with a group of girls recently and they were saying ‘I want to be Steph Haughton, I want to be Ellen White and they were doing their celebrations and I’m really glad that they have those role models, it’s good to see and it’s not going to stop growing so I’m really glad that the girls coming through have got those role models and representation at the highest level.

What are your goals for the future?

The main thing for the future is to become professional.

This season we have a fresh young look and at 18 I’m one of the oldest. But for me it’s definitely trying to push into the first team, and I love playing U23’s because its challenging but I really want to push on and start breaking into that first team.

I would love to go through that pathway through Palace so that would be breaking into the first team, getting promoted into the Women’s Super League and getting into the England set-up.

I’ve got the separate stuff: the media work and also the coaching as well as just sharing my story to inspire as many people as I can off the pitch. I know that if I perform on the pitch, I’m going to get more opportunities off it. ◆

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FINANCE

Navigating the UK tax landscape What seems like a very high income may not be when amortised over time.

WORDS: SAM UWINS, PARTNER AT CARPENTER BOX

A

s you focus your time and energy on achieving your sporting goals, it is easy to ignore your financial affairs once you sign that professional contract. The type of income you receive and expenses you can claim are unique to the sporting profession, and therefore require specific advice.

The UK has a notoriously complex tax regime and we always recommend that you watch your position very carefully.

WHAT IS TAX?

SOURCES OF INCOME Dealing with various sources of income that you might receive as a professional athlete can be more complex than overseeing the finances of other high-income individuals. Sports professionals often have a number of sources of income in addition to their normal salary.

If proper consideration is not given to their affair, it can result in an unexpected tax bill at the end of the year.

Potential sources of income can include: 1. Sponsorship and endorsement fees 2. Performance bonuses 3. Appearance and performance fees 4. Additional activities not related to sport Each potential source of income is subject to its own particular tax rules and the amount of tax payable can depend on how you structure your business and financial affairs so it’s essential you get advice to avoid paying too much tax.

Tax is a compulsory contribution to state revenue, levied by the government on workers’ income and business profits, or added to the cost of some goods, services, and transactions. Examples include: Income tax, national insurance, VAT, corporation tax, fuel duties, council tax, stamp duty land tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, alcohol and tobacco duties, and many more.

HOW MUCH TAX DO I HAVE TO PAY? Annual Salary

Effective Tax Rate

National Insurance

Total

£0 - £12,500

0%

0%

0%

£12,501 £50,000

20%

12%

32%

£50,001 £100,000

40%

2%

42%

£100,001 £125,000

And if you have already incurred these costs, you could be entitled to a tax rebate. These expenses can include:

60%

2%

62%

£125,001 £150,000

40%

2%

42%

£150,000+

45%

2%

47%

• Travel and accommodation for training, matches or medical treatment • Management and agent commissions • Cost and upkeep of professional clothing and kit • Sports coaching

For every £1 earnt you pay 47p in tax!

National Insurance thresholds vary slightly – this is for representation only.

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EXPENSES Whether you are earning a salary in the course of an employment or carrying on some other business, you are entitled to deduct certain expenses in computing your taxable income.

It is essential to keep a proper record of all your income and expenditure, including copies of any invoices and there are a number of easy to use apps that can help you do this.

For more information on navigating your financial position, get in touch with Carpenter Box’s friendly team of tax and business advisers by contacting Sam on +44 (0)19 0323 4094 or visit: www.carpenterbox.com/psn

STRUCTURING ASSETS TAX EFFICIENTLY – 2020/2021 TAX YEAR Tax-free allowances

Tax-efficient investments

£12,570

£20,000

Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs) 30% income tax reduction

£1,000

Offshore Investment Bonds

Maximum investment

Personal allowance

£200,000

Into ISA’s, £9000 into JISA’s

5% pa

or £500 savings allowance

Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) 30% income tax reduction

Capital tax deferred

£2,000

£1 million

£40,000

Dividend allowance

Maximum investment, CGT deferral

Into pensions (subject to allowance)

£12,300

Seed EIS

50%

Capital Gains Tax Allowance

Income tax reduction, £1000 maximum investment and 14% capital gains reductions

RESIDENCY If you are a UK resident, you will generally pay UK income tax on your earnings, whether earned in the UK or abroad. If you earn income abroad, foreign tax paid can normally be offset against any UK tax due.

For non-UK residents, it can be a bit trickier.

You will normally pay a UK tax, which can differ between team or individual sports.

HMRC have a Foreign Entertainers Unit which can offer advice on your UK tax liability.

As your profile grows, your image can form an integral part of your branding and identity. As a result, you have a right to determine how your pictures and images are used.

You can earn money by selling or licensing your image rights. However, your accountant or adviser will need to play key role in structuring an image rights company to hold commercial contracts in a way that meets HMRC requirements. This can save a substantial sum of tax if structured correctly.

HOW MUCH TAX DOES KEVIN DE BRUYNE PAY? Kevin De Bruyne became the Premier League’s best-paid player when signing a £385,000-a-week contract extension with Manchester City – a contract he negotiated with the club on his own by compiling a list of statistics to demonstrate his importance to the team. For illustration purposes, assuming this is all received by way of salary, how much of this does he take home after tax?

COMPOUND INTEREST EXAMPLE: Investing £1k a month over 20 years could generate an annual income of £30k to £50k.

£800k Total Deposits

Total Interest

£600k £400k £200k £0k

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You can start saving for your retirement through a combination of pensions, investments, business ventures or a property portfolio.

Once again, you should be able to offset any UK income tax paid against your tax liability at home. However, foreign players coming to the UK need to be careful to ensure they meet their UK tax obligations.

IMAGE RIGHTS

Initial Balance

LONG TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING

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With an income of £20,020,000 in 2021/2022, he will take home £10,621,761. This means £204,265 in his pocket a week, paying £172,921 a week in income tax and £7,775 a week in National Insurance. Altogether, over the year, De Bruyne will pay £8,993,960 income tax and £404,279 in National Insurance.

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CRYPTOCURRENCY

The Cryptocurrency Dogecoin began as a joke, and now it’s worth more than Ford Dogecoin on the rise: What’s behind the meme coin’s surge? How far could it go?

T

he crypto asset Dogecoin has been on a meteoric trajectory with retail investors from all corners of the internet ploughing into the digital currency in 2021.

Dogecoin started as a joke. It was founded in 2013 to poke fun at other alternative coins vying to challenge Bitcoin’s dominance but is now being viewed by many as a legitimate investment, pushed by Redditors and crypto fiends alike. Its name is in reference to a meme (Def. An element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another by imitation or other non-genetic means) which portrays a talking Shiba Inu dog alongside nonsensical phrases – such as “much wow”, “very concern” and “such doge” – in multi-coloured, Comic Sans-font text.

The joke cryptocurrency has exploded into plain view on Wall Street, with a surge in Dogecoin sending 2021 returns above 8,100% so far which grew its market 18 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

capital to more than US$50 billion. This valuation makes it the fifth most valuable cryptocurrency in the world, behind Bitcoin, Ether, Binance coin and XRP, according to CoinMarketCap. Dogecoin’s gain is more than double the gain on the S&P 500 SPX, -0.08%, including dividends, since 1988. But is in no way recommended as an investment alternative.

Dogecoin’s rise from a quirky meme into a widely traded asset hitting the US$50 billion mark – more than Marriott International Inc. (MAR) or Ford Motor Co. (F) – is the latest act of financial alchemy by rapidly moving individual investors who have used access to no-fee trading platforms and a wave of American’s using government stimulus money to transform markets over the past year.

The cryptocurrency’s rise is reminiscent of GameStop Corp.’s (GME) stunning advance earlier this year, an episode in which traders congregating on Reddit and other social media platforms made a past-prime mall

retailer into a stock-market superpower that peaked at US$325 on January 29, 2021, having started the month at US$17.69 on January 8, 2021. By February 19, 2021 it had fallen to US$40.59. Following another rise and fall it currently trades at around the US$140 mark (as of May 13, 2021).

This mania spread to other unlikely assets, including outclassed comms firms Nokia and Blackberry, and movie theatre chain AMC, who have struggled throughout the pandemic with the closure of its venues, as amateur investors put the squeeze on billion-dollar Wall Street hedge funds.

Why is this happening?

Momentum first started appearing behind Dogecoin at the beginning of January 2021, before sharply climbing to its peak in April 2021 as traders, eager to find the next big hit after the excitement around GameStop and other meme stocks, gathered on online discussion forum Reddit and other social media platforms.

Reddit recently lifted its ban on discussing cryptocurrencies, while

The fast rise and even faster fall: The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned digital currency investors that they should ‘prepare to lose all their money’ due to the volatility of the market.

celebrities including Tesla boss Elon Musk, rapper Snoop Dogg and billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban, have voiced their support for the meme coin. Cuban declared at the end of March 2021 that the Dallas Mavericks franchise now accept all forms of cryptocurrency payments.

In a similar fashion to the way in which the GameStop turmoil was pitched as battle-play of Wall Street against ‘The Little Guy’, Dogecoin is being pitched as a battle-play against the well-established crypto giants like Bitcoin.

But a revolutionary effort against the dominance of Bitcoin isn’t the only reason behind Dogecoin’s rise. Many punters also see Dogecoin as a way to get in on the ground level, having missed out on buying Bitcoin in its infancy and becoming millionaires today.

Reddit has also shown the strength of its community before with Dogecoin, raising thousands to sponsor a race car for the Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR race in 2014 and to send a Jamaican bobsled team to the Winter Olympics that same year.

Many buyers of Dogecoin are not buying because they believe it has any real value, but more that they hope that others will get ‘FOMO’ due to the returns many

Dogecoin lost more than a third of its price in May 2021 after Elon Musk called it a ‘hustle’ during his guests-host spot on the ‘Saturday Night Live’ comedy sketch TV show. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX has been a key proponent in the surge of interest in dogecoin, according to analysts, as he consistently tweets about the cryptocurrency and even labelled himself as The Dogefather.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX

for crypto heads to tip their favourite creators on social media platforms.

Essentially, cryptocurrency can be used to reward posts on platforms such as Reddit and Facebook in a very real sense, rather than merely giving a standard ‘like’ As of May 13, 2021, dogecoin’s market value is now larger than the market capitalisations of Kraft Heinz (KHC –

Predicting these trends are incredibly difficult if not impossible and investors are at risk of getting their fingers seriously burnt. have seen from the likes of Bitcoin, in turn shooting the price up and meaning they can sell off to make a quick buck.

How can we compare Dogecoin?

Dogecoin’s market capitalisation has been soaring, even though the asset’s per-coin value is relatively miniscule in comparison to Bitcoin’s recent US$64,000 high.

Unlike Bitcoin, Dogecoin has no supply limit on how many coins can be created, while it also runs on a more efficient network meaning that coins are being produced much faster. An estimated 900 Bitcoin can be mined per day and only 21 million Bitcoins can ever be mined.

Once Bitcoin miners have unlocked all the Bitcoins, the planet’s supply will essentially be tapped out. In part, that reasoning is why Dogecoin began to take off as a currency, as it became way easier

US$50.1bn), Ford Motors (F – US$48.3bn), eBay (EBAY – US$43.4bn) and Credit Suisse (CSGN – US$25.2bn).

Bill Markus, software engineer and one of Dogecoin’s founders, recently elucidated that he had left the project in 2015 and did not own any of the cryptocurrency expect for what he had been tipped with on social media.

Speaking with Bloomberg in February, Markus said that “it’s weird that something I made in a few hours is now part of internet culture. It’s amusing to see Elon Musk tweet about it. It feels silly, but there’s this huge upwelling behind it.”

How much further can it go?

Dogecoin has investing experts split on its potential, with some viewing it to have major potential as a cryptocurrency while others see it as a passing fad.

Dogecoin is the new GameStop and is not typically the way reasoned, savvy investors should strategise if they are looking to create and build their portfolios in order to reach their financial goals.

Investors should be wary of the ‘herd’ mentality. Dogecoin is purely a speculative bet whose valuation is precarious.

Essentially, demand has been driven by traders trying to ‘cheat’ the system in a volatile market and hoping to benefit from future price rises rather than using the coins as a means of exchange for products or services. Predicting these trends are incredibly difficult, if not impossible and investors are at risk of getting their fingers seriously burnt.

Both episodes underscore the sheer scale and potency of the current retail-trading environment, in which organised efforts in online communities can make a surprisingly large impact on market prices. They also reflect expectations that prices will continue rising, and as such they embody risks that these sudden fortunes will be wiped out when the winds of the market shift.

Where else is Dogecoin cropping up?

Due to its status as a meme coin, Dogecoin is often not even available for purchase on some of the larger cryptocurrency exchanges such as Coinbase. This has led rival exchanges such as Kraken to capitalise on the movement.

However, thanks to the recent rally for Bitcoin, some companies are eager not to be left on back foot again and jumped on the trend to announce they will accept the currency in exchange for their products or services. ◆ JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 19

JEREMY DOKU

Jeremy Doku This type of flair cannot be taught The young Belgian has emerged as one of Europe’s most intriguing young talents with the explosive winger regularly demonstrating he is ready to take the next step up.

B

orn in Antwerp to Ghanaian parents, Doku has been on much of world football’s radar almost since the start. However, it wasn’t in Belgium that he first discovered his love and passion for the game, but his parents place of birth.

“I saw my brother playing football in Ghana and I desprerately wanted to play with him, but I was always told that I was too young to play,” begins Jeremy. “So, I told my father that when we go

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back to Belgium I want to play football too and that’s how it started.”

Back in Belgium, Doku started his career in Antwerp and made the move to the Academy of Belgium giants Anderlecht at the age of 10, an Academy credited for producing the likes of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku, Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans and Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany. “It felt good to be a part of that Academy. I knew I was in good hands. There were a lot of very talented players who all wanted to

become professional, so it was an honour to be at Anderlecht,” Jeremy said with a smile.

Capable of playing on either wing, Doku has proven to be a handful in the final third and is constantly looking to progress the ball forward, so it comes as no surprise that his good form caught the eye of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp who identified him three years ago a natural fit for his side. However, he took then-Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku’s advice and stayed at the club which ultimately ⬊

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 21

JEREMY DOKU

gave both their senior debuts.

The decision to remain in Belgium proved to be the right one, as the winger kicked into another gear and established himself as a starter under Kompany, taking the Jupiler Pro League by storm and making 21 appearances.

Doku was just 16 when he was given his firstteam appearance and recalls that it came as a surprise. “I honestly didn’t know it was going to happen.

“I had to train with the team two days before the game and it went well so the manager brought me

“It felt good to be a part of that Academy.

I knew I was in good hands. There were a lot of very talented players who all wanted to become professional, so it was an honour to be at Anderlecht.”

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into the selection for the bench.

He told me to warm up and then I came on.

“I didn’t expect to play but I was really happy about it and my performance was also good.”

Powerfully built, Doku has incredibly quick feet and dribbling skills that can’t be taught. He may have taken Lukaku’s advice earlier in his career, but it is another prolific Belgium, Eden Hazard, whom Doku most aspires to play like, and the similartities are obvious.

In order to develop as a player, Doku took the decision to leave his native country to further his football education. A reported £20 million transfer to Stade Rennais, ensued, with the French Ligue 1 outfit being one of a number of clubs to come calling for the in-demand winger who has since gained a reputation for flying past his marker in the division.

Nevertheless, making a big move away from the comforts of home is not always easy, especially

at a young age and Jeremy had to quickly acclimatise to life in France.

“In the beginning, it was difficult to leave everything behind because I had played for eight years in Anderlecht, but I adapted quickly and my family helped me with that.

“I think this is the right step for me to progress and develop my style of play and to get more experience against the top players that play in Ligue 1.”

Doku is always looking to take on his man, tormenting defenses this season, resulting in him being rewarded for his solid performances at Rennes with a spot in Belgiums Euro roster, his speed and technique making him an excellent candidate alongside stalwarts of the country’s ‘Golden Generation.’

“For the team I hope that we go as far as possible because I believe that we can achieve great things with the team that we have.”

Doku has turned out for the under-21s since he was 17 but after

“I want to go as far as possible and be the best Jeremy Doku that I can be.” impressing domestically, national team manager Roberto Martinez first saw it fit to call upon Jeremy for last September’s UEFA Nation League games. Jeremy went on to scorein his full-debut appearance as Belgium overcome Iceland 5-1 - an experience he will never forget: “I worked hard to prove in training that I deserved to be with them, which is why the coach let me start the game against Iceland and I was really happy that I could score a nice goal in my first game as a starter.”

Jeremy’s passion for the game eclipses most, even when it comes to considering what he might have done if he wasn’t a football player.

“I think I would have been a manager or something within the football world because that’s what I love,” Jeremy says thoughtly.

Nonetheless, he finds the time away and imposes his flair away from football.

“I am on social media a lot,” he admits. “I like to dance; I like fashion and I like video games as well. I often listen to Afro music, Dutch and French music too.”

Following an incredible start to his career, Doku continues to be hungry and ready to push-on to fulfil his potential, stressing that he is confident he can become a great player if he continues to keep his focus.

“I want to go as far as possible and be the best Jeremy Doku that I can be.

“You will never achieve your goals without working hard to get there. Believe in yourself and your abilities, otherwise nobody else will.”

Doku will be raring to go ahead of the re-scheduled Euros providing the perfect opportunity for him to make a name for himself. ◆

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 23

PREMIER LEAGUE TWO

TOP SCORERS

Cole Palmer

Manchester City England 13 Goals

Connor McBride

Nathan Broadhead

Blackburn Rovers Scotland 12 Goals

Everton FC Wales 11 goals

NEW NAMES MAKING A WAVE THIS SEASON The Premier League’s under-23 competition caught the eye this season, with Manchester City becoming champions for the first time in their history to follow in the footsteps of the dominant senior team. Here we look at some of the players to have shone at that level this term, the top scorers, most assists and clean sheets.

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Liam Delap

Manchester City England 24 goals

Cameron Cresswell

Derby County FC England 11 goals

ASSISTS Marcel Lewis

Chelsea FC England 7 assists

James McAtee Manchester City England 11 assists

Thomas Doyle

Rhys Hughes

Manchester City England 9 assists

Everton FC Wales 8 assists

CLEAN SHEETS

Anthony Patterson

Sunderland AFC England 7 clean sheets

Elia Caprile

Leeds United Italy 5 clean sheets

Jon McCracken

Norwich City FC Scotland 4 clean sheets

Andreas Söndergaard Wolverhampton Wanderers Denmark 7 clean sheets

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 25

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE

Jarrad Branthwaite England’s future centre-back solution?

Being so young Jarrad Branthwaite doesn’t have a great deal of senior team experience, but with wonderful defensive qualities as well as great versatility in position there are high expectations he will be the next great Everton defender.

A

t only 18-yearsold Branthwaite is clearly trending upward with age. Having made his debut for hometown club Carlisle United Blues in 2019, before signing with Premier League side Everton FC and making his debut in the top tier of English football. Most recently, the defender has been gaining a valuable experience out on loan at Blackburn Rovers.

Jarrad is one of English footballs most promising young talents and begins by reflecting on his time at Carlisle, who were intitally hesitant to offer him the all-important scholarship that would keep him at the club.

“When you’re 15 years old, you get told whether you’re going to be kept on or get released and at the time, they were dangling the carrot of a scholarship but not really giving me one,” begins Jarrad.

“I had six weeks to prove that I was good enough to get it and then after the six weeks, we had a meeting and they decided to give

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me one. I was thankful for that and ever since then, I’ve been able to push on.”

Having been a part of the Academy from a young age, Jarrad was determined to make his footballing dream come true and the hard work eventually paid off.

“I joined Carlisle under-9s and I think from then, being in the Academy made me want to be a professional footballer and that was always my aspiration through school.

“My focus was obviously on school work, but I was training three times a week and working towards being a professional footballer. Luckily, I am one now and it was a good journey.”

Jarrad’s childhood dreams were soon to come true at 17, making his debut for his boyhood club against Plymouth Argyle.

“It was a 3pm game and I found out in the morning in the team meeting that I was playing.

“When the team came up on the board, I was shocked, and I rang my Mum and Dad to tell them that I was playing. Obviously, because it was an away game, I didn’t think

that I was going to be playing so they couldn’t come and see it.

“It was a proud moment for me because I’ve been a Carlisle fan since I was young and it was a dream for me, coming through the academy there.”

Later, in an EFL Trophy game against Morecambe, Jarrad would have one of his proudest moments of his career thus far when he scored his first professional goal, making him the youngest player in Carlisle United’s history to do so.

Having only played 14 games for the League Two side, he was quickly drawing attention to himself.

“I had a few team scouts coming to watch me,” Jarrad explains. “My agent didn’t tell me too much, just to keep focusing on my game and then it all happened quite quickly. I think it was all done within a week and a half to two weeks. I went down and signed, and I think that process was done within a couple of days in itself.”

The onset of Covid-19 across the world forced the football season into a sudden halt, throwing up new challenges for ⬊

EVERTON FC

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 27

JARRAD BRANTHWAITE

EVERTON FC

“There are lots of things I’ve learnt from playing at Blackburn. Playing reguarly, you have to reach your body how to deal with it and handle things after games.”

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time looking over my games with the analysis team as well. The head of performance at Everton stays in contact with myself and Blackburn and he’ll send me protein and food that needs to be eaten to help me out.”

Jarrad’s impressive performances also saw him achieve another huge milestone as part of his journey through football – earning a youth international call-up for the England under-19 squad.

“Getting called up to the England under-19’s squad was a massive achievement and I’m so proud to have been named in that squad for the training camp. As I said before, I think it’s everybody’s dream to play in the Premier League and to represent your country, so it’s been good to do those things. It was only a training camp in the end because of Covid, but still a good experience.

“It was very different because everyone there is your age and you all get along and get on with each other, , you can talk to everyone and everyone is welcomed and it’s an unbelievable set-up there. It’s good to get more vital experience around good coaches and players too.”

Despite having a high-potential and ambitions to achieve a lot in the game, Jarrad is only focusing on the present and knocking down the challenges he is still yet to face in the short-term.

Branthwaite unfortunately suffered an ankle injury in training ruling him out for what remained of the season.

Returning to Finch Farm this summer, and looking to potentially forge a place in Ancelotti’s side next season where Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray believes he can compete. ◆

EVERTON FC

players and clubs. However, some positives did come out from the lockdown, in the eyes of Jarrad.

“I think team bonding was a big positive. When we were off, we were set different running challenges and we could keep up with each other and challenge one another.

“Through not being able to be social outside of football, I’ve been able to get closer to other people in different ways, like with Anthony Gordon at Everton over Xbox. In that sense, it’s been good.

“I also tried to learn to cook. I live on my own now, so I have to look after myself. I can do the basics, but I wouldn’t say I’m especially good at it.

I also did a lot of fitness work at home and trying to find new ways to keep fit. That was quite a challenge actually because it got a bit tedious running every day, so I had to find new things to do, like skipping for example.”

Before long, with the season soon back underway, Jarrad was in and amongst the first team squad at Everton and he eventually made his debut as a substitute, coming on for long-time club servant Leighton Baines. Following other spells of substitute appearances, Branthwaite was called upon to start for the Toffees against Sheffield United, in which he was

named Man of the Match in the 1-0 victory.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti was quick to praise Branthwaite and his attitude to the game.

“He’s such a great manager and for him to be at Everton is just a massive bonus for us as players,” Jarrad says of his boss.

“For me, it’s his man-management and the way he talks to everyone and every player. He lets you express yourself and just go out onto the pitch and do it. He has a winning mentality that helps to drive everyone on.”

After making four Premier League appearances at the end of last season, Branthwaite was loaned out to Championship side Blackburn Rovers in January for more regular game time.

“There are lots of things I’ve learnt from playing at Blackburn. Playing regularly, you have to teach your body how to deal with it and handle things after games.

“Other things like making sure to eat the right food and getting your recovery in and keeping hydrated. In terms of the games, the Championship is very physical, and I would say it’s quicker than the Premier League. When playing out of the back for instance, you get very little time on the ball.

“As a centre-back, you’re playing up against bigger strikers, which you don’t always see in the Premier League either. I’ve also been able to learn how to use my body more to try and get the better of attackers.

“After every game, Everton give me a call and ask me how I’m getting on and they might give me some feedback. I have actually spent some

TIK-TOK

How athletes are using TikTok to build their brand You might pass TikTok off as a silly new app for teens to post trending dance routines to whatever tune is currently popular, but the reality is that the video-sharing social platform has cemented itself as a viral game changer for sport in the social media market.

T

ikTok has become the home sport and brings people together to find moments of joy and inspiration. In football, it’s where fans play and find their favourite teams, players and creators. #football has a mammoth 111 billion views on the platform and #footballtiktok is growing with 2.5 billion views to date.

TikTok offers athletes the opportunity to grow, communicate and leverage their brand in a whole new – and more purposeful than you might imagine – way.

Many athletes have been quick to discover that it can be used as a great tool for building their brand, while teenagers across the globe have built themselves large

Follow NextWave on TikTok!

MOST FOLLOWED MALE PLAYERS

MOST FOLLOWED FEMALE PLAYERS

Marcelo Vieira

Celine Dept

Sergio Ramos

harrietfreestyle

Robert Lewandowski

livcookefs

Alphonso Davies Vinicius Junior James Rodriquez Toni Kroos Sergio Reguilion

Yoannafreestyle Lia Lewis Alisha Lehmann Liz Zimouche Denya Castellanos

Phil Foden

Evdokia Popoadinova

Joaquin Sánchez

Melody Donchet

MOST FOLLOWED EUROPEAN TEAMS

HASHTAGS

FC Barcelona

#ciajuve 606m

PSG

#TikTokFootballAcademy 361.1m

Real Madrid FC Bayern Liverpool FC Spurs Man City Juventus

#football 114.5bn

#backinthegame 304.5m #matchoftheday 267.2m #EsElClasico 71.3m #LeggendeDelCalcio 61.4m #askfoden 58.2m #footballdrip 41.3m

Borussia Dortmund

PUNDITS Adri Contreras

social media followings throughout COVID to the point where it has now become a full-time occupation.

With an exciting summer of sport ahead, TikTok has published its own Football League Table from throughout Europe to celebrate some of the most popular football creators on the platform, across a number of highly competitive categories. From the most followed teams and players, to newcomers and punditry, you can find it all on TikTok!

Ian Wright John Farnworth Mateo Páramo Javier Escrivà FutbolcanTemo Laura Vizcaino kreisligalegende Caelon Raiston Fabio Cannavaro

NEWCOMERS Callum HudsonOdoi Jack Grealish Euro 2020 Fulham FC France National Team Olympique Marsielle Sampdoria Brentford FC Wilfred Zaha Fabio Cannavaro

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 29

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EDUCATION

Understanding and Defending Against Social Media Threats In assessing the threats posed by social media apps, it is first important to understand these apps are inherently neutral – just like every other tool or weapon.

WORDS: SCOTT STEWART, VICE PRESIDENT OF TORCHSTONE GLOBAL

A

n actor can use a social media app to attack or defend a person or organisation, just as a soldier can wield a sword to either attack or parry. As with any weapon, however, one must understand the offensive capabilities of a weapon, and its limitations, before one can design a way to defend against it.

In terms of social media, that means that anyone seeking to understand the threats posed by those using the applications must first become familiar with what the applications are and how they work.

Sadly, some people who are attempting to direct efforts to monitor social media have never used the platforms themselves.

Social media apps (and the deep and dark web, for that matter) remain a mystery to many people, and this leaves them vulnerable to “snake oil” salesmen who will make impossible claims while selling social media monitoring solutions or information removal services. Don’t get me wrong; there are some excellent tools available for social media monitoring, but they all have limitations and none of them is a “silver bullet” that can serve all functions across all platforms. Efforts to de-platform extremists from popular social media apps such as Twitter and their subsequent migration to lesserknown apps such as Parler and Gab, also complicates monitoring efforts. Be skeptical of anyone who promises to monitor or remove everything.

An Expanding Attack Surface The rapid expansion of social media apps has combined with the wide adoption of the internet to dramatically expanded the attack surface, or the physical and virtual points where an organisation or individual

is vulnerable to either a cyber or physical attack.

We have seen cyber criminals and statesponsored advanced persistent threats conduct their entire cyber attack cycle through social media, using tools such as virtual honey traps or catfishing. They can also crack the passwords of personal or organisational social media accounts and use the contents of the accounts against their owners. Attackers have also used information gleaned from social media posts against people to assist in spear phishing attacks, or even to help facilitate physical attacks, such as the Oct. 2016 armed robbery of Kim Kardashian West who had some ten million dollars’ worth of jewelry stolen by armed criminals dressed as police officers who invaded her suite in an exclusive Paris hotel.

The attack surface has also increased considerably to include smartphones, watches, tablets, computers, cars, smart speakers and other devices. The emergence of new social media apps also creates more vulnerabilities and as a result, it has become progressively more difficult to protect all these points of vulnerability.

Also Expanding Early Warning But the rapid expansion of vulnerable information can also prove useful for defensive purposes. By monitoring social media, companies and organisations can become aware of people who make threats or otherwise pose a physical or reputational threat. This provides an opportunity to alert law enforcement, security personnel and the impacted employees. And these potential threats don’t just come from an external source.

By monitoring social media, organizations can become aware of their own employees

who make threats or provide clues that they are becoming mentally unstable and could pose a threat.

Other threats to business continuity, safety and reputation such as activist protests are also frequently organised on social media apps. Because of this, identifying and monitoring the social media accounts of key individuals and organisations can often provide a great deal of actionable intelligence. Social media monitoring tools are helpful in this defensive role, because they can comb through massive amounts of data and highlight items of interest for analysts to review. It is important to note, however, that these tools ultimately require a human to direct them to the most relevant sources, sort through the results they provide, and place the information the tools yield into proper context.

Going back to my weapon analogy, even a fine sword will be ineffective in the hand of an untrained person. The same is true for social monitoring tools; even a good tool can only ever be as effective as the analysts using them.

Social media has become an integral part of the daily lives of many people across the globe. I’ve seen impoverished people in small villages in Africa and Latin America who do not have running water in their homes, but who do have smartphones and who use social media applications on a daily basis. Social media applications are only going to become more pervasive, and those seeking to protect their organisations and the people withing them against criminal, physical or reputational threats must understand social media apps and learn how to properly use social media monitoring -- or find a partner who can provide this capability. ◆ JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 31

CARS

Once upon a time, if you wanted a wild supercar your choices were limited and usually sourced from Italy. These days the opposite holds true, as niche companies are emerging from the shadows on almost a weekly basis with jaw-dropping renderings that grab your attention. Most ideas die as unrealised vaporwar, but Swiss firm Morand cars is on track to launch a new hypercar in 2023, with a choice of hybrid and full EV powertrains, both with an anticipated top speed of 250mph.

The First-Ever Hybrid Hypercar coming from Switzerland in 2023 Predicted top speed of 250mph for £1.7m Morand hybrid with electric model to follow.

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Switzerland is well known for craftmanship precision engineering and technological innovation, while it is also home to one of the world’s most prestigious events on the automotive calendar. Despite this we have yet to see a thoroughbred, Swiss-made Hypercar.

Morand is working with another Swiss-based company called Bcomp, which specialises in composites and sustainable materials. The idea is to build a rigid hypercar that is lightweight and environmentally friendly, utilising ‘natural fibre composites’ for the body and the interior. Reportedly, Bcomp

horsepower (859 kW). The fully electric version will be the real showstopper, packing four electric motors to deliver a combined 2,000 horsepower (1,491 kW).

As for charging times, the EV is said to full charge in less than 10 minutes depending on the charging connection.

The target for the battery charge is *C (eight times the capacity of the battery).

previously worked with a Formula 1 team to create a natural fibre composite racing seat. Meanwhile, the executive staff at Morand Cars have racing and engineering experience, so there is some automotive know-how at work behind the scenes.

The plan for this as-yet-unnamed machine is to offer it both as a plug-in hybrid and a full EV, each with a tonne of power going to all four wheels. In hybrid configuration, a V10 engine will pair with three electric motors to generate approximately 1,200

Weight for the hybrid is targeted at 3,020 lb (1,370 kg) while the EV will be a smidge lighter at 2,755 lb (1,250 kg). As such, both cars are listed with a top speed over 250 mph (400 km/h), though we currently only know the acceleration stats for the hybrid model: Put yout foot down and it will reach 124 mph (200 km/h) in approximately 6.4 seconds – although this is theoretical at this point.

The fully electric version will be the real showstopper, packing four electric motors to deliver a combined 2,000 horsepower (1,491 kW).

A prototype of the hybrid is due to run this year followed by the EV in 2022. The price of the Hybrid will set you back around £1,786.000 (2,300,000 Swiss Francs) with the EV costing a similar amount. Only 73 cars will be built but the split between hybrid and EV has not yet been decided.◆

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 33

“When I was 9/10, there was no way I would’ve seen a career in football, but now I think younger girls can see a clear pathway and aspire to be someone within the game.”

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Q&A

BETHAN ROBERTS

Reading and Wales’

Bethan Roberts

A women’s Academy standout of Reading FC, we caught up with 18-year-old Bethan Roberts following her first call up for the Welsh national team.

W

here did your journey begin?

I started out as a 5-year-old in a local boys team.

At the age of 9 I started exploring different options – at that time girls could only play in boys teams up until under-14 so I needed other options. There were trials for Reading under-12’s and I took the opportunity and haven’t really looked back.

How have Reading supported your development on the pitch and transition through the academy to first team?

Reading have really helped me in terms of my development. The coaching team has been consistent throughout my time at Reading and always go beyond to help me develop my game.

The transition from younger age groups to the first team was made easier through being able to go and train with the team once a week which meant that by the time I went full time, I knew a lot of the girls and I knew the standard I needed to be at.

How about off the pitch, how have the club supported you with your education?

I’m currently doing my A-Levels and the club have definitely made balancing education and training easier. They set aside time for me to work and during this exam period allowing me time to do what I need to do. They fully support that I’m in full time education as well as full time training and will do anything they can to support it.

What are your thoughts on the development of the women’s game?

Even since I was a bit younger, I’ve seen the development of the women’s game. When I was

9/10, there was no way I would’ve seen a career in football, but now I think younger girls can see a clear pathway and aspire to be someone within the game. The media coverage and the recognition the game is getting is really making a difference to the game.

How did you stay motivated during the lockdown periods?

Staying motivated was hard during lockdown I think everyone had their moments, but for me the fact we could still exercise and go on runs or walks really helped me. We stayed in contact as a club and teammates the whole way through it and that definitely made it easier.

Who have been your role models?

I think the two I instantly jump to are Fara [Williams] and Jess Fishlock for me. I’ve seen them play and do such incredible things for club and country, and this season I’ve been so so lucky to play alongside them both which has been great for my development, but two legends of the game for sure.

What are your goals for the future?

The main one is holding down a place in the team and making sure I’m consistent. It’s been great getting minutes this season and hopefully that’s something to build upon, and also within the national team making that step up and hopefully earning a few caps in the future!

Do you have any personal interests that you would be interested in exploring outside of football?

I enjoy my cooking! Football and education keep me pretty busy but from time to time a bit of cooking is enjoyable.◆

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FITNESS

Champ Canelo Álvarez’s Diet Skipping, tacos and 6am starts: How the Mexican Champion trains and fuels.

S

aul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez won his world supermiddleweight title unification fight after beating Billy Joe Saunders in Texas at the beginning of May with an eighth-round uppercut, which has left no doubt in anyone’s mind on who is the current best boxer alive, right?

Canelo is also one of the fittest, strongest and most defined athletes in the world and one of four boxers in history to win the light heavyweight title as a former light middleweight champion, joining legendary names like Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Mike McCallum; but how does the Mexican stay in top-notch condition?

The Abs As you will see from his Instagram, Canelo’s abs are solid. A strong core not only allows him to absorb his opponents’ body shots with ease but facilitates a stable base for him to get his own punches off. Unsurprisingly, the work that goes into that eight-pack isn’t easy.

Canelo takes on the classic leg raise, often doing three sets of 15 reps. Then, while standing side-on to a wall and twisting his upper body, he does medicine ball oblique throws, chucking a weighted ball 36 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

against a wall repeatedly. To finish off he does planks while balancing on stability balls.

The Arms Having racked up 38 knockouts to his name it’s no secret Canelo possesses some brutal punching power and ridiculously powerful arms.

Clearly, punching without being punch is the name of the game in boxing. Looking at his exercises it seems straightforward how Canelo continues to build and maintain the strength in his arms.

In addition to planking on stability balls, he also does push-ups on them to strengthen his shoulders.

Simple as it may seem, pushups appear to be a favourite of Canelos, and he also likes to practise them on ring pulls to strengthen his chest and perform them with narrow hands for his triceps. Then, wide-grip pull-ups are used to target the biceps, triceps, and pectorals. The combination of these exercises provides him a great base to strengthen his upper body.

The Cardio Probably the most applicable to most other sports, being able to build up your cardio is vital. Like being an engine for 90 minutes on a football pitch, the fitness required to last 12 rounds in the ring is simply remarkable. We can see from

looking at the fitness routines of heavyweight Brits Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, running is a pivotal part of any boxer’s routine.

Every morning, apart from his day of rest on a Sunday, Canelo is up and out at 6am to hit the streets and get his miles in – the perfect start to any morning unless is tipping it down.

However, it isn’t all about running as the Mexican also spends hours with a skipping rope between his fists when in the gym, allowing him to work on his footwork and timing as well as building cardiovascular endurance. He is simply a machine when it comes to going the distance, although not many opponents have lasted that in the ring with him to find out.

The Boxing The most important bit as a boxer, I guess. It comes as no surprise that Canelo spends a lot of time in the boxing – every afternoon, six days a week (again, Sunday is his day of rest). He uses the time from around 2.30pm until 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to work on his fitness and skills, which involves rope jumping, strategy and punching bags and balls.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays he is in the ring, either sparring an opponent, working with pads or on his

movement around the ring with his trainer. Without those serious hours of commitment, you don’t get to the top of your game in boxing, or any sport for that matter.

The Diet During regular training, Canelo must eat a hefty amount. However, to make weight in the build-up to a fight, Canelo is very strict with his food intake.

“I do two months of strict dieting so after fight night I go for whatever my body is craving. I indulge in a lot of tacos and usually sushi.”

Canelo Álvarez The Mexican only eats food that is high in starch once a week, usually that means tortillas, bread or rice, stating that “feeling full can be a disadvantage. You can have the best training but just feeling full can make you sluggish and you can lose.” After fight night, Canelo usually celebrates by going home and indulging in his two favourite foods, tacos and sushi, before he has to start getting in shape again. ◆

Breakfast Egg whites with ham and orange juice Lunch Chicken with carrots, squash, broccoli and cauliflower Snacks Apples, cucumbers, grapes, jicama Dinner Protein shake, no carbs.

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 37

Food

FROM

FROM BEDER’S KITCHEN

BEDER’S KITCHEN RECIPES AND REFLECTIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION FROM FOODIES ALL OVER THE WORLD

SIMPLE, TASTY RECIPES We get it – between training, work, education, making time for friends and family and other activities – your time is limited. We’ve gathered two recipes from Beder’s new cookbook that aims to raise awareness around mental health and suicide prevention bringing together a collection of foodies all over the world.

Coconut & Vanilla Granola

By Talia Cecchele

I always struggled to find a store-bought granola that wasn’t loaded with unwanted ingredients like sugar or preservatives and still tasted delicious, so I created my own! I like to eat this sprinkled on Greek yoghurt for an after-dinner snack.

Preparation time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 10 minutes | Serves 10 METHOD Preheat the oven to 180°c fan while you chop the almonds, pecans and macadamias. Add all the ingredients except the berries to a large bowl and mix to combine so that all the dry ingredients are evenly coated with the syrup or honey and oil.

INGREDIENTS

Pour the mixture onto two lined baking trays.

Make sure the mixture is relatively flat but sticking together. It is really important not to overcrowd the granola otherwise the air can’t circulate and it won’t get crunchy. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

30g macadamia nuts

Set the granola aside to cool on the trays, then scatter over the goji berries or cranberries (if using) and transfer the granola to an airtight container.

TO SERVE I like this with sliced apple and Greek yoghurt. Your granola should keep well in the airtight container, stored in a dark cupboard, for 2 to 3 weeks. ◆

250g rolled oats 30g almonds 30g pecan nuts 30g sunflower seeds 30g pumpkin seeds 25g coconut flakes 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted 1 tsp vanilla extract 20g dried goji berries or cranberries (optional)

I always say that baking is therapeutic and will get in the kitchen, put on some music and cook when I am feeling stressed or a little down. Food brings people together and the social element of sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and family can’t be beaten. As a dietitian, I enjoy seeing my clients progress from only seeing the nutritional benefits of food, and the catalyst it can be for social connection and emotional wellbeing.

Talia Cecchele (@tcnutrition) 38 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

Gordon’s Tip: These can be quite hot and spicy, so for a tamer dish, go easy on the jalapeños, or leave them out altogether. Making the salsa from scratch might seem like an added hassle but is definitely worth it.

Mexican Beef & Jalapeño Quesadillas

By Gordon Ramsay

These quesadillas are always quick off the table and great with my kids. They are very filling and perfect for when you’re feeding a crowd.

Preparation time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes | Serves 4 METHOD Preheat the oven to 220°c or 200°c fan. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.

Place a large, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Add the oil and onion to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic and cook INGREDIENTS for 2 minutes, then crumble in the 2 tbsp olive oil minced beef. Cook over a high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the mince 1 onion, peeled and is lightly browned. diced Stir in the paprika and cumin then cook for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes. Cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the kidney beans and season to taste with salt and pepper.

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

Lightly brush one side of two tortillas with oil and place them on the prepared trays, oiled side down. Sprinkle both with a little of the cheeses and spread half the beef mixture over each one. Scatter the jalapeños, spring onions and remaining cheese on top.

1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Brush one side of the two remaining tortillas with oil and place them on top of the beef filling, oiled side up.

Press them down firmly and place the quesadillas on the two highest shelves of the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the quesadillas are cooking, mix all the salsa ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste.

Remove the quesadillas from the oven and cut into wedges before serving with a dollop of sour cream and your salsa on the side. ◆

500g minced beef 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 x 25cm tortillas 1-2 tbsp olive oil, for brushing 200g mixture of grated mozzarella and cheddar cheese 80g pickled jalapeño chillies 4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced Sour cream, to serve For the salsa 4 tomatoes, diced 1 red onion, peeled and finely diced Large handful of coriander, roughly chopped 1 lime, juiced JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 39

ODIN BAILEY

Odin Bailey Returning as a better player, with a greener diet A graduate of Birmingham City’s Academy, Odin Bailey has spent this season on loan at Forest Green Rovers in pursuit of first-team football and gaining some valuable experience.

H

aving been at the Academy since the age of 7, Birmingham City were keen not to lose one of the most technically gifted starlets at the Blues’ training ground.

As is true of many, Odin was shown the sport from a young age by his Dad and ever since, has only had tunnel vision for a career in the game.

“My first ever word was actually ‘goal’. I think that just shows how much I was into football from such a young age,” Odin begins.

“I started watching videos of Diego Maradona, who I would say is my all-time favourite player.

From there, that’s how I fell in love with the game.”

With the love of football flowing through his veins Odin was desperate to play the game himself

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and so joined his local Sunday league side Cadbury Athletic.

However, it wasn’t long until he caught the eye of those from Birmingham City.

“In my first ever game for Cadbury, a Birmingham City scout approached me and my Dad and told me to come down to trials.

“At first, I was proper shy and kept to myself. I spent a lot of time just fiddling with the string on my shorts. After a few weeks, I started to come out of my shell, and I started to play how I was in Sunday League and from there I never looked back.”

Odin has climbed through the ranks at the Blues impressing with good close control and finishing as a forward player that can play down the middle or off the side.

This season, Birmingham sent Odin on loan to give him experience of competitive first-team football;

firstly to Gloucester City last season, and to Forest Green Rovers this season.

“The club has done absolute wonders for me, as a player and as a person,” Odin says of the move.

“I would say the biggest thing that I’ve learnt is probably improving my all-around game defending, heading, one-on-ones.

“I did a bit of research on the club before I joined, and I loved everything they stood for. I think everyone knows they are a vegan club as well and they only give us vegan food so that was all new to me too.

“The club has very good chefs that do very good food which made that adjustment easier. The club is going in the right direction and I’m just happy to be a part of that this season.”

Thousands of young, aspiring footballers pass through the ⬊

“The club has done absolute wonders for me, as a player and as a person.”

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 41

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ODIN BAILEY

Academy systems each year, many of whom have the door to a professional career closed on them, their dreams of turning professional do not always come to fruition. A players education is of upmost importance alongside their developmental years in the academy and Odin knows this himself from his own experience.

“At Birmingham City, as soon as you leave school, you have college and you do a scholarship, which you have to attend pretty much every day. Only a small percentage of academy lads make it and as a player, you have to have a plan B and its definitely something that Birmingham City push,” Odin explains.

“I think sometimes clubs can find it difficult to encourage Academy players to do that though because when you’re at college, doing your scholarship and playing football, it’s difficult to think about whether it could all go wrong. It’s only really when you get a bit older that you understand why that was so important.

“I have friends who weren’t offered professional contracts and now aren’t doing too much with themselves now. It’s a massive shock to the system when you’ve been a part of the academy for so long and to suddenly have that taken away from you, a lot of people don’t know what to do, even with the education they have behind them or good GCSE’s.

“It doesn’t really mean anything to them because their mentality and pride has been knocked and often players aren’t in the right headspace to think about what else they could do with their lives. That is definitely a huge thing that needs to improve, especially during the period between finishing your scholar and turning professional. I think more can done to help that transition.”

Another important part of success and is something fundamental in almost any walk of life, is having the ability to switch off from your working environment and that is certainly true of the football industry. Odin described how he fills his spare time by engaging with other sports and video-gaming, as well as his passion for music and fashion.

“Any sport I can get my hands on, I will give it a go. I’m a big fan of playing golf and tennis, which to be fair, I haven’t played in a while because of the lockdowns and when the weathers colder, I tend to stay indoors. Now things are starting to get back to normal and summer’s coming up, I will be getting myself back onto the golf course and on the tennis court.

“As a young player, there is nothing more important than getting games under your belt. Going out on loan for a season or two allows you to come back with more experience and gives you the chance to grow and develop as a player.”

“I’m big into my gaming!” admits Odin. “I used to play FIFA quite a lot, but I realised that the game isn’t too good for your mental health.”

“I’ve got a 60 rated card, which I’ll take to be honest. I think they’ve been quite generous with my pace, but some stats are a bit below par, especially my shooting – I can’t score from six-yards on the game.

It’s nice to be on the game though, from playing it as a kid and dreaming of being on it one day.

“I’m also big into my music. I’d say the three main people I listen to the most are Drake, Lil Baby and Millions, who is a local artist in Birmingham.

“I love fashion too. I take pride in how I dress and how my appearance comes across to other people.

I always try to look as good as I can. I think how a person dresses can tell a lot about their personality and I like to show my personality through the way that I dress.

“I very much vary in the types of brands that I like to wear. I’m really into my designer clothing especially, including my Off-White trainers and similar brands to them like Louis Vuitton. I also like to shop at places like Zara and I get a few t-shirts from Primark every now and then as well.”

The 21-year-old was keen to share his advice for the next generation of academy prospects coming through.

“The best bit of advice I can give to the next generation is making sure that you go out on loan. I think a lot of players get fixated on worrying about going out on loan lower down the leagues. As a young player, there is nothing more important than getting games under your belt. Going out on loan for a season or two allows you to come back with more experience and gives you the chance to grow and develop as a player.

“I want to get to the very top. Playing at World Cups, playing in Champions League finals, playing in the Premier League. I want to achieve everything there is to achieve in football. I think it’s so important to set your standards that high. That’s where I want to go, that’s where I believe I can go, I just need to make sure I work hard towards it.” ◆

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 43

FASHION

Six style tips to stand out in the First-Team How to master the most important item in any stylish man’s wardrobe: the suit.

WORDS: LEE CONSTABLE, HEAD TAILOR AT NICHOLAS & HARDING

E

very man should own a great suit. Zero exceptions.

While a suit will make you feel (and most importantly look) sharp and sophisticated, a poorly fitted one can make you look like someone who still gets dressed by his mother, so it helps to know a thing or two about wearing and caring for the suit you choose.

Every guy – even Ralph Lauren himself – started as a suit virgin, and we know that your first time standing in a tailor can be overwhelming.

Of course, every man or women that has an opinion on such things speaks from personal experience – and no doubt what works for one doesn’t always work for another; or what works for one is considered too pedestrian or too avantgarde by another. So, when it comes to dressing, they always have to be taken at face value. They’re solid suggestions rather than the last word on style.

44 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

But good advice is not to be sniffed at, and, as menswear becomes ever richer and more varied, ever more experimental and abundant, ever more trend-aware, in moments of confusion and self-doubt, it can help to have a valuable fall-back position that cuts through the clutter.

The athletic build is seen as the pinnacle of what a man’s body should look like. Whether you are naturally built like a Roman God or, more likely, spent a sizeable amount of effort to look so fit at the training ground, dressing to your form always presents a bit of a challenge and will vary from your teammates. For one thing, because most men don’t have super cut figures, most men’s clothing is not made for a super cut man. The good news is that you already have your most important fashion checklist item under control: your silhouette.

These tips will help you pick suits that emphasise the peaks shape of your body and help you look your best. ◆

BYRON CREATIVE CO.

1. BEFRIEND A TAILOR For me a relationship with a tailor, is like having a relationship with a doctor or hairdresser. It’s someone you trust and has your best interests in your health or looking good. They are putting their name to you. So having a tailor making garments that fit you perfectly, gives you that extra boost in confidence.

2. SUIT SHAPES There are a number of different shapes or fits available from brands that offer an ‘Off the Peg’ suit but having a made to measure suit is the best way to create the silhouette of your body and your shape. Buying an Off the Peg allows you to change or alter a small number of areas of the suit,

4. COLOURS & TEXTURES Fabrics are a very important part of a suit and it’s important to wear the current fabric in certain times of the year. You wouldn’t wear linen in winter because it’s light weight and breathable, so you would feel the cold and you wouldn’t wear flannel in the height of summer as its heavy. So, selecting the right fabric is very important and also the purpose of the suit.

If you’re looking for a suit that you will be wearing to an office five days a week, then something with a cashmere blend is too soft and fine, which will only damage the fabric if it’s continuously worn.

Colours are also important: greys and navy are perfect for every occasion, but the main focus is let the shape of the suit be centre of attention.

5. DETAILS without it having an effect on other parts of the jacket or trouser.

But with Made to Measure, we see those areas from the first fitting, so if you have one shoulder lower than the other, we can correct that on your block or if you’re squared shoulders, we can correct that.

There are so many different factors that go into creating the perfect garment from Made to Measure which creates your fit.

3. AVOID SKINNY FIT Wearing something that is too tight for the body, isn’t the best of looks.

It’s uncomfortable but also, it’s only a matter of time before the seams open up and you have a hole in your shirt or even worse the seat of the trousers, which can be a bit embarrassing.

Another added advantage in having a Made to Measure suit is that you can add small details, such as the size of the lapel, the style of lapel, type of buttons, pockets, linings etc. All the details to create your own suit and the chances of someone else picking all the same details are very slim.

6. ACCESSORIES Personally, shoes are the most important accessory when wearing a suit and they must be polished.

Wearing the correct colour shoe is also very important, but not as important then a polished pair of shoes.

Also, a belt should never be worn with a 3-piece suit, only a 2-piece. if you have side adjusters on the waistband then there’s no need for a belt. A tie and pocket square are always a nice final touch as well.

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 45

STYLE

AMIRI Trainer – SkelTop Colour Block Leather Sneakers

The Hottest Sneakers in 2021

Nike Dunk Low Retro Black White

Nike Air Jordan 1 Zoom Air CMFT London

We handpick some of our favourite ontrend sneakers so far this year.

Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Yecheil

Product (RED) x Louis Vuitton Trainer

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Adidas Gazelle Hazy Blue / Core Black / Cloud White

Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% Blue

Nike Dunk High Ambush Deep Royal

Nike Waffle One “Active Fuchsia”

Off-White Out Of Office low-top sneakers

Nike Dunk Low Michigan

Dior B22 Sneakers In Blue-White

Filling Pieces Rease Runner Wind Teal

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 47

Kit

Products to support your performance

WITHINGS BODY+ SMART SCALE Connected scales have been around for a while, but Withings ups the ante performing a full-body composition analysis and offering support to track up to eight different users, There’s an easy-to-use app to analyse your metrics and the scales will even display the weather to promptly prep you for the day ahead. £74.95 withings.com

MYOPUMP COMPRESSION LEG MASSAGE FOR ADVANCED RECOVERY Powerful deep muscle treatment. MyoPump works to increase blood flow and reduces lymphatic wastage to melt away tension and release soreness, empowering you to master your recovery and improve your performance. £699 myomaster.com

POWERDOT DUO GEN 2 MUSCLE STIMULATOR Designed to take your recovery to the next level and controlled via your mobile phone, an app walks you through the process. Blood flow is increased by activating muscle fibres through electrical stimulation. This improves your circulation, which in turn promotes recovery in muscle fibres to increase strength and endurance. Recovering from an injury? The Duo Gen 2 can enhance your recovery, helping you to feel at your best by assisting both the warm-up, cool-down and relieving muscle soreness. £325 stigmasports.com

SCOTT ADDICT 20 DISC CARBON ENDURANCE ROAD BIKE (2021) The Scott Addict 20 Disc 2021 Carbon Endurance Road Bike is perfect for your road biking needs. With geometry that is less focused on racing and more on enduring, the Addict 20 Disc will be your go-to when you’re looking to put the miles in, but at a fraction of the cost. £2,429 scott-sports.com

NURVV RUN NURVV’s smart insoles are a powerful tool for both new and seasoned running pros. Pop them in your trainers and their built-in GPS and pressure sensors will record your route, in addition to providing stats on your cadence, step length, foot strike, pronation and balance, helping you run faster and further, while minimising injury risks in the process. £249.99 nurvv.com

Entertainment Our picks of the latest music, podcast, game and film, upcoming events and a recommended book to help you unlock your greatness...

MUSIC

EVENTS 22 MAY - 22 JULY BASKETBALL: 2021 NBA Playoffs USA/ Canada 30 MAY - 13 JUNE TENNIS: French Open Paris, France

J. COLE THE OFF-SEASON It’s been three years since J. Cole released KOD, and though the rapper featured on the Grammy-nominated compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers III in 2019 and released three singles in 2020, it’s fair to say his latest album – The Off-Season – has been eagerly awaited by fans.

On the refreshing and lively new album, the rapper relaxes his grip around the mic and thrives when he’s collaborating, not when he’s making deadly serious legacy raps.

While Cole’s verses are heart-wrenching and emotional at points, The Off-Season isn’t saying anything new or thought-provoking in the rap landscape. But it does sound like he’s having fun for once with more punchlines and wordplay.

2 JUNE - 14 JUNE CRICKET: England v New Zealand Test London/ Birmingham, UK 6 JUNE BOXING: Floyd Mayweather v Logan Paul Miami, USA 11 JUNE - 10 JULY FOOTBALL: 2021 Copa América Argentina, Columbia 11 JUNE - 11 JULY FOOTBALL: Euro 2020 Various countries (Final at Wembley Stadium, UK) 28 JUNE – 11 JULY TENNIS: 2021 Wimbledon London, UK

GAME

RESIDENT EVIL VILLAGE DEVELOPER: CAPCOM RELEASE DATE: AVAILABLE NOW

Picking up where Resident Evil 7 biohazard left off, Resident Evil Village is the eighth major instalment of the flagship series.

Set a few years after the events of its predecessor, the game sees the reunited Ethan and Mia Winters living happily together and putting their shared nightmares of the Baker’s plantation behind them… until their life is upended, and Ethan becomes the focal point of a new nightmare as he searches for answers after a visit from franchisefavourite Chris Redfield. The search leads Ethan to a mysterious Village in Europe where he unearths more than he expected. £59.99 game.co.uk

FILM

A QUIET PLACE PART II (2021) DIRECTED BY: JOHN KRASINSKI STARRING: EMILY BLUNT, NOAH JUPE, MILLICENT SIMMONDS, CILLIAN MURPHY, DJIMON HOUNSOU OPENING ON: MAY 28, 2021 (FORMERLY SEPTEMBER 17, 2021)

Director John Krasinski returns to helm this sequel, which he also wrote, starring his real-life wife Emily Blunt, as it follows up with the Abbott family after the events of the first film. Judging from the first trailer, we’ll also get some flashbacks to the beginning of the… invasion? Infestation?

Whatever you want to call it, it looks like Krasinski has done a bang-up job ratcheting up the tension, and audiences should be in for another great ride.

BOOK

GOOD VIBES, GOOD LIFE: HOW SELF-LOVE IS THE KEY TO UNLOCKING YOUR GREATNESS

BY VEX KING

PODCAST

BARRY HEARN ON EDDIE HEARN: NO PASSION, NO POINT RELEASED ON: 28 APRIL 2021

One of the world’s best-known sports promoters Eddie Hearn chats to some of the biggest names in sport, entertainment and business, including Rio Ferdinand, Canelo Alvarez and Amelia Dimoldenberg. He’ll learn about their passions, what gets them up in the morning, and how they built their successful careers.

Eddie’s first in-person interview since series one is with his dad, Barry Hearn.

Barry has been chairman of Matchroom Sports since its foundation, and has recently announced his retirement, with Eddie taking the reins. They talk about how Barry turned a small chain of snooker halls into a sporting empire, how his passion has kept him working up to the age of 73, and how he will spend his retirement.

No Passion, No Point is produced by Gwyn Rhys Davies, and is a BBC Studios Production for BBC Radio 5 Live. Listen now on BBC Sounds.

How can you learn to truly love yourself? How can you transform negative emotions into positive ones? Is it possible to find lasting happiness?

In this book, Instagram guru Vex King answers all of these questions and more. Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you. £7.99 paperback amazon.com

JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 49

PROPERTY

ALBERT EMBANKMENT, LONDON, SE1 GUIDE PRICE: £3,750,000

Real estate: Build your potential Explore an unparalleled breath of opportunities to help you find the best home, investment, or commercial property.

A

fter signing that first professional contact, athletes come into their wealth at an early age but may not be prepared to manage such a sudden, large influx of earnings.

Connecting athletes with trusted advisors is imperative to ensure that these individuals are able to make their wealth last throughout their lifetimes – not just at the peak of their careers.

Whether it be buying or leasing homes, your real estate needs tend to be career specific and benefit from having the expertise of a broker with a sports and entertainment client base.

Knight Frank is one of the few estate agents with a dedicated sports desk, led by Alexander McLean, facilitating 50 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

an extensive research department which provides leading market knowledge and forecasts, enabling them to give clear and concise advice to a client when they are searching for a property.

Common challenges Finance is often an issue as lenders cannot provide athletes with a traditional form of mortgage due to the length of their careers. A specialist sports team is able to assist clients with bespoke mortgage facilities ensuring you get the most competitive rates.

At a moment’s notice, you may be required to move quickly, therefore break clauses are imperative; these are often tenant only which provides greater security within the tenancy as well as flexibility in case you need to relocate.

Due to the nature of the

sports industry, having teams that can assist with a quick turnaround whether it is management or progressing a tenancy agreement is essential.

“An example of this was in the last transfer window a player viewed a property late on Friday and moved in on the Monday. This usually takes five working days to ensure the property is prepared and paperwork can be completed,” Alex explains. “We were also introduced to a player when they first relocated to a club, so we found them a property to rent for a year. Once they had settled, we sourced a property for them to purchase and they are now looking to buy a home abroad – an example of our 360 service.”

With a Home Solutions team made up of Move Consultants, Knight Frank work with clients to ensure your move

is as smooth and stress-free as possible allowing you to concentrate on what matters most – your sporting career.

Knight Frank are the largest privately owned property firm in the world, with 488 office in 57 territories and more than 22,000+ people.

“We operate in locations where our clients need us to be, we provide a worldwide service that’s locally expert and globally informed,” emphasises Alex. “In regard to professional athletes we offer a single point of contact for all property requirements. We do not charge for our sales or rental search services, this is complimentary.”

Transferable skills You don’t need to have a degree in property to build your future with Knight Frank, who seek curious and

CLINK WHARF, CLINK STREET, LONDON, SE1 GUIDE PRICE: AVAILABLE ON REQUEST To learn more about opportunities in real estate with Knight Frank contact Alexander McLean, Head of Sports Desk at alexander.mclean@knightfrank. com or Kate Doyle, Graduate and Early Careers Manager at kate.doyle@knightfrank.com

driven people to transform the industry. Professional sport equips people with a variety of skills necessary for a promising career in property: drive, determination, and ambition, often coupled with an ability to work alongside a team of diverse individuals.

There’s a human element in the world of property that is too easily overlooked and taking a personal approach is

crucial when interacting with clients, as it gives a detailed understanding of connecting them with the perfect property, be it residential or commercial.

Communication skills honed both on and off the field, pitch, or court, potentially in front of the media provides a foundation for exceptional customer and client service.

Entry Points and Work Experience Opportunities Knight Frank’s Life Skills programme is designed to provide athletes with everything you need to confidently launch a dual career in real estate and is unique in its structure that unifies both residential and commercial rotations. This gives you an unparalleled breadth of opportunities and allows the

exploration of a diverse range of projects.

Knight Frank review a variety of entry points into real estate and careers at the Firm: Options from apprenticeships through to fully funded degrees, leading to qualification as a Chartered Surveyor and have hosted several players in their Head Office for a period of formal work shadowing, providing a first-hand insight to the world of real estate.

The training helps to improve general knowledge of the property industry and broad aspects of real estate, exploring common industry terminology and highlight key factors to consider increasing awareness as well as understanding of the property market to enable you to make more informed decisions.◆ JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 51

TRAVEL

STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME Nothing is more important than keeping athletes healthy, comfortable, and safe when travelling. Edwardian’s Sports Approved hotels offer a dedicated, premium experience where all the unique needs of professional athletes are seen to in one place.

Nurturing a winning mentality begins long before the win itself. The fivestar experience at The May Fair and The Edwardian Manchester provides athletes with the best possible opportunity to perform, with easy access to some of the most important stadiums and sporting venues in London and Manchester.

Dedicated space & security Whether staying in Manchester or London’s Mayfair, athletes and teams enjoy an exceptional level of service from the moment of arrival. After unloading all equipment at the on-site coach car park, a dedicated host team offers a warm welcome at an exclusive, private entrance.

For the duration of the stay, anything from private floors and high-tech meeting rooms to 24-hour security can be arranged.

Unrivalled comfort The May Fair and The Edwardian Manchester are partnered with market-

leading brands to provide the best experience. State-of-the-art gyms are fitted with the latest Technogym equipment, whilst a range of ESPA treatments can be arranged in our tranquil spas to address specific needs.

Balanced dining Edwardian Hotels pride themselves in offering nutritional and varied dining menus from morning to night, served in secluded dining rooms with TV facilities.

Prepared using fresh produce only, their menus are flexible and can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

The premium life From the iconic Free Trade Hall in Manchester to the exclusive mews of Mayfair, discover inspiring places to rest and relax, featuring five-star facilities, supremely comfortable bedrooms, and award-winning restaurants. ◆

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE PLAYER CARE AND TEAM OPERATIONS NOVEMBER 2021

52 NEXTWAVE JUNE 2021

THE MAY FAIR HOTEL, LONDON

MORE INFO TO FOLLOW

THE EDWARDIAN HOTEL, MANCHESTER Following a recent multi-million pound redesign, the hotel has been transformed into a lifestyle destination that introduces a new standard of service, with spacious rooms and stunning suites featuring sweeping city views, entertaining areas and outdoor space.

Discover award-winning contemporary Japanese and Mexican small plates at Peter Street Kitchen

and a Parisian-inspired menu at The Library curated by Assouline, state-of-the-art Spa & Gym with a pool and meeting spaces for up to 500.

Located in Manchester’s city centre, the hotel provides unparalleled access to Spinningfields business district and the shopping and nightlife at Deansgate, redefining your staycation in the North of England.

THE MAY FAIR HOTEL, LONDON There are five-star hotels, and then there is The May Fair: an individual London hotel of true pedigree set in the heart of one of the most sought-after addresses in the world.

The May Fair enjoys some of the largest bedrooms in London, including an iconic collection of suites, world-class food and drink in Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, May Fair Kitchen, a vibrant bar, secluded terrace, stunning event spaces and tranquil spa.

Perfectly located close to Buckingham Palace, Bond Street’s exclusive boutiques and Berkley Street’s famous restaurants, the hotel is moments from Green Park tube station, providing easy access to Canary Wharf and the ideal hospitality for a break in the capital city.

INDIVIDUAL RESERVATIONS T +44 (0)207 764 0523 E VIP@edwardian.com TEAM/GROUP RESERVATIONS James Ince, Account Director- Sport T +44 (0)7867143535 E incej@edwardian.com JUNE 2021 NEXTWAVE 53

LI FE SKILLS

LOOKING FOR A DUAL CAREER? Life Skills is an extension of PSN’s Player Care Network, that engages directly with young professional athletes through the delivery of educational workshops and employability opportunities, across a range of topics, to support athletes off-the-pitch.

With the primary focus of athletes to forge a professional career in their sport, Life Skills is a tailored programme which complements athletes’ existing education curriculums. The initiative guides young athletes through their

LIFE SKILLS

personal and professional journey ensuring they are developing the skills, knowledge and confidence they require for dual-career opportunities.

Life Skills is complementary, so there is no financial commitment, and we will take care of the operational side. Simply choose the topics you would like to engage with, get in contact with us and provide some dates and times which are convenient for you.

Get in touch with Amy Ward, Head of Education at Premier Sports Network: amy@premiersports.agency

Supporting the #nextwave of athletes POWERED BY @premiersportsnetwork

Follow us on Instagram @nextwaveofficial

Stay ahead of the game

A collection of four & five-star boutique hotels in the heart of London and Manchester.

For more information please contact our Account Director, James Ince on +44 (0)7867143535 or email incej@edwardian.com Mayfair . Kensington . Oxford Street . Covent Garden . Soho . Leicester Square Heathrow . Canary Wharf . Fitzrovia . Bloomsbury . Marble Arch . Manchester edwardian.com