Shropshire Star

My boss has won the Champions League

Not many non-league players can call on a one-club great and Champions League winner as a mentor in their day job.

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But that's the case for AFC Telford United's latest signing Sean Williams.

The 24-year-old Scouser is head coach of the Jamie Carragher Soccer Schools, looking after nine staff who take the Liverpool great's coaching plans on the road worldwide.

It's a full-time task that has kept Williams convinced he has the 'best job in the world.'

The midfielder said: "I run Jamie Carragher's soccer school on a full-time basis as head coach and have been there for four years.

"I didn't know him to start with, because I'd started my own company and was pursuing my coaching career – but Jamie's name sells a lot more than Sean Williams and we crossed paths.

"It's expanded from being our own soccer school to becoming an academy with a college course and we're looking to have over 40 students this year and our own Under-18s team.

"It's all over Merseyside but we also take it to the United States, Wales, Belfast and Dublin and we've been to Norway twice – all over the world, in fact.

"I've got the best two jobs in the world – I play football and I coach football. So if you love what you do – as I do – it's not a job."

But Williams insists his global coaching commitments won't keep him out of action for the Bucks. He said: "No, never – the football (playing) comes first."

Far from being a silent partner, Carragher insists on keeping a close eye on the business carrying his name despite his commitments as a summariser for Sky Sports on their Monday night football show.

Williams said: "It helps having Jamie's name on it but he's very hands-on and sees the kids quite a lot.

"He has his own philosophy on how the game should be played, which he passes on to me and I pass on to the coaches.

"He's on the phone regularly and I see him a couple of times a week and he's spot-on with me and the rest of the staff, the students and the players."

According to Williams, Carragher's soccer school offers football-daft kids the unique chance of a lifetime.

He said: "For him to pop into the schools is fantastic for the kids and their parents as well. Some of the kids weren't born when he won the Champions League in 2005 – it's a 'money-can't-buy-gift.'

"He's even donated his own Champions League trophy to the academy. We get out into the community a lot and everyone wants to be the next Jamie Carragher or the next superstar footballer."

Williams has a close relationship with the former Liverpool and England defender.

He yesterday revealed in the Shropshire Star how Carragher became a mentor to him during the relegation campaign with Hednesford last season.

Williams insists he will be asking 'Carra' to cast an eye over Rob Smith's Bucks next season, even jokingly claiming he will entice the 38-year-old back into playing three years after retirement.

He quipped: "I've had a word with Rob and Jamie's going to play – he buys into Rob's mentality and he can replace Curtis (Tilt)!

"He does a lot of travelling with the Monday night football for Sky, but I will be asking him to pop down and watch us."

Heading the coaching for a global name like Carragher is at odds with Williams' own career.

It has taken a nomadic turn since he was part of Stockport's rise to League One then sad spiral out of the Football League.

He has taken in stints at Vauxhall Motors (twice), Hyde, Colwyn Bay (twice), FC Halifax, Altrincham, Hinckley United and Hednesford.

He said: "When they (Stockport) started spiralling down, I slipped into non-league and had a journeyman career due to different things.

"Sometimes that's been down to work but also down to a couple of promotions which have stopped me travelling.

"I won promotion through the play-offs with Halifax and then won the league with Hyde a couple of years ago.

"A part of my agreeing to stay at this level is the number of big clubs playing in it.

"You're probably looking at some teams who should be playing in League Two. For me it's raw and high on competition – it's going to be dog eat dog."

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