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Carl Frampton hits home with powerful message to Larne footballers ahead of big night
Carl Frampton has delivered a rousing speech to Larne's footballers ahead of their massive European clash with Shamrock Rovers.
The Inver Park club wrote its name into the history books earlier this year by becoming the first Northern Ireland club to ever reach the group stages of a European competition.
Thursday will be their first 'home' game in the league phase of the UEFA Conference League, after they lost their opening fixture away to Molde earlier this month.
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And it's a big one, with League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers providing the opposition in what is a huge all-island derby at Windsor Park, where Larne are playing their home games in Europe.
The club held a media day on Monday, with former two-weight world boxing champion Frampton in attendance. He is a pundit for TNT Sports who will show Thursday's game live on TV.
In a clip shared on TNT Sports' social channels, 'The Jackal' delivers a passionate speech about professionalism in modern day sport, and how an athlete's 24/7 approach can be the difference between glory and regret.
Frampton told the Larne players: "You're a professional outfit now. You are professional football players.
"I can try and relay it back to how I thought, and my mindset as a boxer. It doesn't mean you're professional when you're in the gym, training with the boys or on match days. You have to be a professional 24/7, all year round.
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"I got the absolute most out of my career. I wasn't the most naturally talented guy in the world. I had a wee bit of talent, I was okay. But there were kids around nine, 10 and 11 who boxed the head off me. They were much more naturally gifted than I was.
"The difference between them and myself was I wanted it more. And I did everything right.
"As you get a bit older you make mistakes at 16 and 17, and start chasing girls and everything else. But you start to realise for yourself, if you want to get the most out of your career, you need to live like a professional athlete all-year round.
"And I did that. And I over-achieved. I won world titles in two weight divisions. I don't think I was meant to do that, and I genuinely don't think people believed I would do it. But I believed in myself and I wanted to do it, and I lived the life.
"That makes the difference between the people who almost get there, and they're maybe sitting with their grandkids or children at 50-60 and think to themselves, I wish I would have done a wee bit more.
"And there so many people like that, and Northern Ireland is filled with them. You don't want to be one of those people.
"You want to be someone who says they did what they did through hard work and dedication. You are a professional club now and have it all in front of you. You're playing in Europe and have big opportunities to do things.
"I wish you all the best in your European campaign."
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