It’s going to be interesting following Heze’s career over the next few years. I’m not clear on how good a footballer he actually is, lol know he’s with a pro juniors club, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that as he gets into his teenage years that he will still be able to compete at that level. He’s been coached since the age of 3 or maybe even earlier to be playing with a football for 8 hours a day, that’s not what normal people do with their children, the football normally develops through a club or school and is extra curricular, not the sole focus of their education. I’m not sure if Heze has natural talent, or if its simply been drummed into him through excessive practice and coaching…and if it’s that then as he gets into his teen he may find that naturally talented boys, who are now at an age where they themselves are able to dedicate much more time to training, are overtaking him in rankings.
The Nike sponsorship is supposed to make us believe that he has special football skills, but I am not convinced that would be the main reason for their choosing him. Aside from the football there is the fact that he is on YouTube and Instagram with a family who already have a following, meaning that wearing Nike in the videos gives their brand regular exposure, which the other boys at his club, even if they are better players, would not be able to achieve. He’s also known to be comfortable in front of the camera and has parents who are also happy to be filmed or photographed, and have no jobs meaning they are available at the call of whenever Nike need them. Add to that they are a mixed race family, which with all the racism in football issues is probably an added bonus. None of these reasons indicate that he will be the next david beckham, but they do indicate that in the here and now, Heze and his family are in a good position to push the Nike brand via YouTube and instagram.
I do actually feel a little worried for Heze’s future. If he becomes a successful pro footballer then it’s all paid off, but if he doesn’t , then it could really break him, his family have put the expectation on him and haven’t shown him any other career options or told him it’s ok to switch to something else if it doesn’t work out. They aren’t preparing him with a rounded education for if that is later needed for him to choose a new path. They are also broadcasting, to what must feel like to a young lad like Heze, to be the entire world that he will be following a pro football career path. He possibly doesn’t feel much pressure as things are going well, but how will he cope in camera if for example he got dropped from his club? Could be a major breakdown waiting to happen in his late teens.