McWilliam swaps DW for Dubai – News

This has been another successful season for Wigan Athletic in 2021/22.

Callum Lang was a key contributor to the club’s Sky Bet League One title success, while the likes of Thelo Aasgaard, Luke Robinson and Divin Baningime were instrumental in their run to the semi-finals of the Papa Johns Trophy.

Elsewhere, graduate Joe Gellhart made waves in the Premier League with a string of impressive performances for Leeds, while Alfie Devine (now Totner) Hotspur) hit the international stage this summer, helping England win the European Under-19 Championship.

Not just on the field, the Latics are developing thriving youngsters.

After completing his apprenticeship in 2020, Joe McWilliam swapped DW Stadium for the glittering city of Dubai, where he worked as a real estate agent handling multi-million dollar properties for LUXFolio Real Estate LLC.

“My job is to facilitate transactions between buyers and sellers in the Dubai property market,” he explained. “Essentially, I bring buyers to sellers and close the deal.

“My specific title is off-plan investment, so I deal with properties that haven’t been built yet. I basically provide investors with the projects and investments they need.

“I may not be on TV or performing in front of thousands of people, but I’ve used my experience at the academy and I’ve been talking about it. It shows you can be a footballer, but you can also transfer those skills Take it elsewhere.

“I’m a great example of where anyone in the academy can go and do whatever they want. I’ve always wanted to travel and do things differently, so it was a no-brainer to have the opportunity to do so, thankfully I don’t regret the decision.”

Despite being in the academy system since the age of seven, the Liverpool native’s willingness to pursue his entrepreneurial interests in his spare time has eased his transition from football.

“I’m sure there are other lads in the academy who have ambitions outside of football,” McWilliam said. “It’s not necessarily a business – Thelo has always been passionate about his music and a lot of his family is involved in the business.

“I think everyone has other traits and interests and it’s perfectly fine to pursue those next to football. I think it’s really important because you can probably come out of a loss and if you have nothing else to focus on, it It can be incredibly overwhelming emotionally.

“We and LFE (League Football Education) About the player doing different things. I am very impressed with the interior design business of Tyrone Mings. I just think if they can do that in the Premier League schedule and deal with all the pressure that comes with it, then there’s no reason why I shouldn’t.

“The road to becoming a professional is tough and not everyone can do it, so it’s always positive to have alternatives. Wigan have been very supportive of me and over time it became clear that I was more suited to the route away from football. “

At the age of 13, McWilliam’s first venture was painting shoes, while he also experimented with gardening before building and selling a clothing brand called Wolf.

Then, during his time as an academic, he founded five online clothing companies with over 200,000 followers on Instagram, with “The Uneek Hub” and “The Bootcycle” becoming particularly popular.

McWilliam, 20, profited from the sale of these businesses and now lives a luxurious life in the lucrative Middle Eastern market.

“Leaving the UK is a make-or-break opportunity,” he admitted. “My business started to go down a bit and people told me I was going to college, but I’ve been able to learn and explore the world here.

“Dubai has a lot of opportunities. It’s tax-free on personal income, so there’s no reason I can’t be financially comfortable anytime soon. By the age of 25, I want to own 10 properties in the area, and I want to be able to choose a destination and Being able to go directly there without having to save money for an extended time.

“However, I realize it’s not just about financial goals, as it’s crucial to make sure I stay happy and motivated. Socially, I’ve had a lot of new experiences, I’ve met a lot of people from different cultures, and I’m trying to learn some different languages.”

Ambitious Scouser isn’t the only EFL academy graduate to start a new life in Dubai, with former Tranmere Rovers youngster Joe Blackham working for the same company on the rental team.

McWilliam, who won his sales agent of the month shortly after moving abroad, welcomed the impact of the experience and transferable skills he gained during his football journey.

“For me, the apprenticeship put me in a very good position today,” he added. “I probably wouldn’t be here now without it because it has trained me in so many ways to handle uncomfortable situations and have enough confidence to take risks and believe in myself.

“It’s great to be able to play on the pitch, but if you don’t know how to communicate with people, or you don’t have the ability to adapt to different situations, then life becomes difficult for you.

“The main thing when thinking about the next step after leaving football is to make sure it’s your decision and do what you think is best for you; don’t feel forced to follow a particular path.

“If someone offered me the chance to play professionally, I would probably take it, but I’m realistic about my choices and I’ve paved the way to excel in other areas of my life.”