Former MK Dons apprentice Delsin Ackom recently took advantage of League Football Education’s Erasmus+ Player Placement, by spending time with Spanish club CD Almuñecar City.
Ackom, who progressed through the Club’s youth ranks before departing in 2019, was offered the opportunity to join the Malaga-based fifth tier outfit, as part of a three-month programme aimed at providing Apprentices with an opportunity to experience European training facilities and techniques with a club in Europe.
Ackom told LFE.org.uk: “Coming back to full-time football has been a great experience and the set-up has been amazing.
“You have your own room and the accommodation provides breakfast. For lunch and dinner, you’re with the boys at the club’s restaurant, so you integrate with them really quickly while having good quality meals.
“We train almost every day and you’ve also got a lot of free time to relax, do gym work, enjoy the scenery and travel. The weekly money allowance helps you to explore the city and you can also use it to eat elsewhere if you’re not a fan of what’s been provided by the restaurant.
“Everyone comes from different cultures and backgrounds and I’ve learned a lot from watching the different playing styles that they have. It also makes you appreciate where you come from because some of the players are from deprived areas, so it just highlights that you can’t take this opportunity for granted.
“The Academy team provide plenty of opportunities to play some of the big clubs and then the first team play some strong teams as well. I played 90 minutes against Salar CF, who were top of the league and we drew 1-1, so that was a great experience. Knowing that the manager has trust in me to start and play a full game is a real confidence boost after being released last summer.
“It is a great opportunity to come out here. It’s got me back into enjoying football and appreciating aspects of life that I was probably taking for granted. I’ve become more independent and the different coaching methods have brought new aspects to my game, so I feel like I’ve really improved as a player and a person.”
For more information on the LFE’s Erasmus+ Player Placement: https://www.lfe.org.uk/erasmus-player-placements/
