We value your privacy

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. Cookie Policy

Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

ADVERTISEMENT
Africanian
  • News
  • News 24/7
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • World
    • US
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • America
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
Africanian
No Result
View All Result
Home Sports

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey — Roque Nchaso

RN has clearly shown he is ready for the demands necessary, in some cases, to get to the top and his journey is one to keep an eye on. 

in Sports
Reading Time: 5 mins read
2 0
0
IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso
2
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Whatsapp

Get the attention of scouts while playing for your local team, receive a scholarship from a top division side, get into the academy and hope or pray to make the cut! For many young footballers looking to go professional, one of the most crucial day of their career could be the day academy graduates are promoted and released.

Over the years, more former youth players have gone public to discuss the mental toll being released has had on them with some having to suffer bouts of depression and even contemplate suicide. According to Roque Nchaso, a former academy player and first team prospect at West Ham, he was one of the players dropped by the Hammers in 2018 and his world came crashing down.

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso

‘’I got depressed after West Ham released me and I got the news via my agent. I did not leave the house for about two, three weeks and in that time, thought of suicide,’’ he said. Roque joined West Ham at the age of 16. A centre back by trade, he can also deputise in a right back role. While at local club, Cleethorpes Town FC, a scout from the Premier League side spotted his talents and immediately recommended him to the club. With such an opportunity presented to him, and like any kid I know, he took it, and straight into the U-18s, he went. Despite him being new to that level of football, the youngster held his own, excelled and after a while was moved up to the development squad, and was part of the trip the U-23s made to Hong Kong for a tournament in May of 2017.

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso

More

Kenya inspires NBA Africa: the rise of youth talent drives an ambitious continental plan

World boxing arrives in Equatorial Guinea: Sissoko vs. Kavaliauskas in Sipopo

Africa: The Youth Charter advocates sport as a transformation tool

With the holidays looming and roster of players who will be given first team contracts, promoted, set to be announced, Roque, was filled with high spirits. However, all that changed that summer with the news from his Agent. He did not make the cut. He had been released. Soul crushing.

While his Agent looked for other opportunities for him in the football pyramid, Roque was battling depression in his home and it took the intervention of the agent to save him from himself. Seeing that his client was not making any progress mentally, he eventually sought the help of a Therapist and together, they were able to bring Roque out of that space. Until this day, he says one of the things that helped in bringing him back was something his Agent said – “only West Ham told you no, there are other clubs in the world.”

That summer, the search for a new club commenced. From the top of English football to bottom, Roque and his Agent went in search of a club. The boy who came to England for education and then found football was not going to give up on his dreams so easily.

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso

Having spent months in search of a new team, he eventually found one but many levels below where he was coming from Bowers and Pitsea  FC. At the new club, Roque enjoyed a new lease of life. He was signed to the U-23 team but after a series of starring performances, he was promoted to the senior in March of 2019 and much to his delight, Bowers and Pitsea  FC emerged as one of the promoted teams in the division.  That was not the only success he enjoyed that season as the U-23s, where he had been an important member for most of the season, won their league.

It had been a great first year there but not long after, Roque picked an injury. His first, since he started playing and that just proved to cost him more. Not knowing the gravity of the injury, he kept on playing, trudging on and heaping more exertions on the injured left knee. He was out for eight months, between May 2019 and January 2020.

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso

With the injury and eventually the covid-19 pandemic, Roque had to move on from Bowers and Pitsea as his contract had expired. Despite that, he was full of praise for the Coach, John Guyton, who he said, “he looked after me as if he was my father.”

After recovering from the injury, he went on trials at Dover Athletic, but the effects of the injury and long-term absence from the game prevented him from performing at the level he knew he could. One not to give up, Roque, who at this point had a new Agent, decided to look for opportunities outside of England and off to Croatia he went.

On arriving Croatia in July of 2020, he’d hoped to impress and he did just that, was offered a deal, but at the end of the day, did not sign. He went on to Gloria Bistrita FC in Romania. Just like Croatia, same thing occurred. Asked why he didn’t sign, he mentioned an experience with the Agent who turned out to be a bad experience for him.

He went back to England.

Roque eventually signed for Carshalton Athletic in September of 2020 and in the summer of 2021, he moved on to Biggleswade Town FC in the Southern Central Division, having signed a one-year deal.

New adventure!! Happy for the opportunity given💚🤍 @Biggleswade1874

Preseason flow🦍☑️ pic.twitter.com/a78UgEiBpJ

— Roke Nchaso (@roke_nchaso) August 5, 2021

Still only 21, Roque Nchaso, has had quite the ride. Enjoyed ups, had downs, but more importantly, he has held on to the belief that he has what it takes to cut it at the top and will continue to work hard and seek opportunities that will take him there. One of the best moments of his career thus far was while at West Ham. Having always wanted to play for his national team, the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea, he was called up to the national team. A delight to him and his family. He had grown up admiring a jacket of the national team his grandfather had and longed for the day he would wear the colours of his country.

IN PURSUIT OF GLORY: The Journey -- Roque Nchaso

“I have learnt that you have to work really hard. You have to honour every step of the journey, going step-by-step. As a young player, you want results quickly but sometimes that could take just a little bit longer” he says.

On what his short-term goals are, Roque just wants to play as many minutes as he can, learn, improve and enjoy football once again. Another goal of his is to earn a recall back to the national side and move up the ladder in the game.

africanian

africanian

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Weather in South Africa: Climate and Seasons

Weather in South Africa: Climate and Seasons

August 25, 2020
Weather in Kenya: Climate, Seasons, and Average Temperature

Weather in Kenya: Climate, Seasons and Average Temperature

August 26, 2020
Weather in Morocco: Climate, Seasons and Average Temperature

Weather in Morocco: Climate, Seasons and Average Temperature

August 25, 2020
Uganda achieves a 47% increase in customs revenue thanks to digitalization

Uganda achieves a 47% increase in customs revenue thanks to digitalization

July 14, 2025
Madagascar increases Polio surveillance capacity by 60% in the region

Madagascar increases Polio surveillance capacity by 60% in the region

July 14, 2025
In Tanzania, the Kibuka community has improved their household economy by more than 50%.

In Tanzania, the Kibuka community has improved their household economy by more than 50%.

July 11, 2025
Twitter Instagram Youtube Facebook
No Result
View All Result

Africanian News

Is a dedicated project aimed at amplifying the voices of the African Ecosystem and Diaspora. We actively collaborate with initiatives to improve access to education and digital inclusion, both in traditional schools and through digital platforms, for African children.

It’s crucial to emphasize that none of the articles or images featured on our platform are intended for copyright infringement, neither now nor in the future. If you believe that any information, text, image, etc., may be subject to copyright and should be removed, please notify us by sending an email to info@africanian.com

Your dreams matter; your stories matter.

Feel free to explore collaboration opportunities with us. Share your articles, thoughts, interviews, experiments, or no-comment videos by reaching out to info@africanian.com. You can also subscribe to our mailing list to receive the latest updates from Africanian News.

© 2024 Africanian News: From Africa, by Africans, for Africa, and friends of Africa.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Tech
  • Travel
  • World

© 2024 Africanian News: From Africa, by Africans, for Africa, and friends of Africa.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Log In

Sign In

Forgot password?

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot password?

Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password.

Back to Login

Your password reset link appears to be invalid or expired.

Log in

Privacy Policy

Accept

Add to Collection

  • Public collection title

  • Private collection title

No Collections

Here you'll find all collections you've created before.