--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're a footballer there will be…" description: "\"If you're a footballer there will be certain silly people in the world who try to set you down. But just focus on your football.\" — Shaun Wright-Phillips" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/shaun-wright-phillips-6156_focus_if-you-re-a-footballer-there-will-be-cer_866910.png" --- # If you're a footballer there will be certain silly people… ![“If you're a footballer there will be certain silly people in the world who try to set you down. But just focus on your football.” quote by Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/shaun-wright-phillips-6156_focus_if-you-re-a-footballer-there-will-be-cer_866910.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/shaun-wright-phillips-6156_focus_if-you-re-a-footballer-there-will-be-cer_866910.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b8d/shaun-wright-phillips-6156_focus_if-you-re-a-footballer-there-will-be-cer_866910.png) > “If you're a footballer there will be certain silly people in the world who try to set you down. But just focus on your football.” [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. External critics try to diminish you, but staying focused on your craft protects you from distraction. **In simple terms:** Ignore naysayers, concentrate on your sport. Key Takeaway Focus on your game. Themes resilience focus confidence Mood determined calm Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - team training - personal setbacks - media criticism - career development Key Concepts psychology performance self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain focus when criticism rises? - What strategies keep you grounded? A Different Perspective Even focused athletes can be shaken by persistent negativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Footballer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/footballer/) [Silly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly/) [Silly people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silly-people/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone has got a perception of what a footballer is and, because I am a certain size, that I can only play one way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adebayo-akinfenwa/everyone-has-got-a-perception-of-what-a-footballer-is-and-because-i/) [Adebayo Akinfenwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adebayo-akinfenwa/) > [To be a footballer you have to be a certain type, you have to walk that tightrope near the addictive gene to make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-adams/to-be-a-footballer-you-have-to-be-a-certain-type-you-have-to-walk/) [Tony Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-adams/) > [I'm childish and silly. Most people tease me because I'm a bit daft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/i-m-childish-and-silly-most-people-tease-me-because-i-m-a-bit-daft/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) > [People in Los Angeles are more used to acting silly than other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hakuta/people-in-los-angeles-are-more-used-to-acting-silly-than-other-people/) [Ken Hakuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hakuta/) > [I focus on football. I'm not interested in gossip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-enrique/i-focus-on-football-i-m-not-interested-in-gossip/) [Luis Enrique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-enrique/) > [I want to focus on football and just go on the pitch to do my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-janssen/i-want-to-focus-on-football-and-just-go-on-the-pitch-to-do-my-thing/) [Vincent Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-janssen/) > [Doing something for others helped to not put that focus too much on football and to put things into perspective of how fortunate we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/per-mertesacker/doing-something-for-others-helped-to-not-put-that-focus-too-much-on/) [Per Mertesacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/per-mertesacker/) > [Some guys lose their focus. They get caught up in the business deals or the endorsements, and they lose their focus. For me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-manning/some-guys-lose-their-focus-they-get-caught-up-in-the-business-deals/) [Peyton Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-manning/) > [I am trying to focus on football and trying to play my best football here in Chelsea and not put pressure on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kai-havertz/i-am-trying-to-focus-on-football-and-trying-to-play-my-best-football/) [Kai Havertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kai-havertz/) > [I think Tom Coughlin is an amazing motivator. When you look at his personality, you say, 'Oh, I don't know about that.' But there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/i-think-tom-coughlin-is-an-amazing-motivator-when-you-look-at-his/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [I knew I had to get my grades so that I could focus on football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-abraham/i-knew-i-had-to-get-my-grades-so-that-i-could-focus-on-football/) [Tammy Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-abraham/) > [If you want to be successful when you play, you have to be free in your mind, and that happens if you know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadio-mane/if-you-want-to-be-successful-when-you-play-you-have-to-be-free-in/) [Sadio Mane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadio-mane/) > [My number one focus is and will always be football. I wanted to make sure that companies I partner with not only respect that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-luck/my-number-one-focus-is-and-will-always-be-football-i-wanted-to-make/) [Andrew Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-luck/) > [The World Cup focus is football. Team U.S.A. is more than football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-krieger/the-world-cup-focus-is-football-team-u-s-a-is-more-than-football/) [Ali Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-krieger/) > [People who troll you want a reaction, and there's no point in doing that. I just try to focus on my football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-rice/people-who-troll-you-want-a-reaction-and-there-s-no-point-in-doing/) [Declan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-rice/) ## More by Shaun Wright-Phillips > [City is a very family-oriented club. Chelsea is in the centre of London, there is a different crowd following them, maybe more business people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/city-is-a-very-family-oriented-club-chelsea-is-in-the-centre-of/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I think my best spell in terms of personal performance was in 2004 - but the best team was under Mark Hughes with Elano.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-think-my-best-spell-in-terms-of-personal-performance-was-in-2004/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [If you are hurting inside, you can't really show it because you want the team to do well because that's part of football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/if-you-are-hurting-inside-you-can-t-really-show-it-because-you-want/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [For Man City, and the teams up the top or even the teams at the bottom, if you're getting into your stride at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/for-man-city-and-the-teams-up-the-top-or-even-the-teams-at-the-bottom/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I never try to prove anybody wrong. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-never-try-to-prove-anybody-wrong-everyone-is-entitled-to-their/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [All Premier League fixtures are tricky, you always need your wits about you whether you are playing top or bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/all-premier-league-fixtures-are-tricky-you-always-need-your-wits/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I first learnt to play football as a striker and it was only when I joined City that I learnt how to become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-first-learnt-to-play-football-as-a-striker-and-it-was-only-when-i/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I have no regrets whatsoever about coming back to City.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-have-no-regrets-whatsoever-about-coming-back-to-city/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I just thought as a kid, I'm just going to play for City forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-just-thought-as-a-kid-i-m-just-going-to-play-for-city-forever/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [It's really great to see all the people who've become involved in building up the Premier League, especially in the States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/it-s-really-great-to-see-all-the-people-who-ve-become-involved-in/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I think, as a fan, when you are sitting there in the stadium you want to be on the edge of your seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-think-as-a-fan-when-you-are-sitting-there-in-the-stadium-you-want/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [I don't want to bring my kid to a stadium and sit next to somebody who is shouting racist chants, because it's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/i-don-t-want-to-bring-my-kid-to-a-stadium-and-sit-next-to-somebody/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [Ideally, you want a defender with Premier League experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/ideally-you-want-a-defender-with-premier-league-experience/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [Express yourself in any way possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/express-yourself-in-any-way-possible/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) > [Even when I was growing up and playing with friends I used to get kicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-wright-phillips/even-when-i-was-growing-up-and-playing-with-friends-i-used-to-get/) [Shaun Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) [Explore all 99 Shaun Wright-Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-wright-phillips/) ## More Focus quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > [“If you're focused, you can't get bored.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alin-sav/if-you-re-focused-you-can-t-get-bored/) [Alin Sav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alin-sav/) > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“This is Galileo,” said Aristotle. “He advocates understanding the world through observation and experiment. He is an unimaginative thinker, but his results demand our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-cixin/this-is-galileo-said-aristotle-he-advocates-understanding-the-world/) [Liu Cixin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-cixin/) > [Too many times we flitter our energy into too many goals and in the process don't achieve much. Focus is very important in life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaishali-kasture/too-many-times-we-flitter-our-energy-into-too-many-goals-and-in-the/) [Vaishali Kasture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaishali-kasture/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [All I'm focused on is playing my game. Everything else will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/all-i-m-focused-on-is-playing-my-game-everything-else-will-take-care/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) [Browse all 11,734 Focus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're a footballer there will be certain silly people in the world who try to set you down. 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