Former Premier League star Jermaine Jenas has admitted he felt worthless after he retired from active football and had to take up an entrepreneurial activities to shed the lonely moments.
Narrating how he overcame a gloomy after-football life, Jenas said he co-founded the Aquinas Education to help meet the goal of both personal fulfilment and community engagement.
In his words, he felt worthless, lazying at home after retirement and had to do something.
‘I felt like I was just worthless in the house. I’d gone from being Jermaine Jenas the footballer, walking in every day with your chest out, to nothing,’ he said.
Jermaine Jenas started Aquinas Education to reduce truancy among the less privileged in disadvantaged schools offering them free tickets to watch matches live in stadiums if they could attain a 100% attendance record in their schools.
The step was aimed at providing incentives to students to increase attendance in schools while reducing truancy.
Jenas started Aquinas Education in his hometown Nottingham but was beginning to record some progress as the initiative began to spread to other parts of London.
Apart from Aquinas Education, Jenas also said he has rediscovered his purpose and found fulfillment in his media duties after football.
‘I feel quite calm in my life and quite peaceful now with my role in Aquinas Education and media work’, he said.
Jermaine Jenas
Born on 18 February, 1983 in Nottingham, England, Jermaine is a former Premier League player and English pundit.
He played as a midfielder during his football career and had nursed his football skills in Nottingham Forest Academy between 1991 and 2001.
Jermaine Jenas made his first senior club appearance for Nottingham Forest in 2001. He spent only one season with the club, making 29 appearances and scoring 4 goals.
He joined Newcastle in 2002 where he spent three seasons with the club, making 110 appearances with 9 goals.
In 2005, Jermaine Jenas joined Tottenham Hotspur and made 155 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring 21 goals.
His career at the North London club began to nosedive before he was loaned to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. He then ended his club career with Queens Park Rangers from 2013 to 2014. He scored 4 goals for QPR in his 38 appearances.
Jenas played for all levels of England youth national team before making his debut for the Three Lions in 2003. He played for 6 years for England before calling time on his international career in 2009.
Jenas won 21 caps for the team, scoring just one goal.
He won the EFL Cup with Tottenham in 2008 and the PFA 2003 Player of the year award.
Life Outside football
After two years of struggling with injury, Jermaine Jenas announced his retirement from football in 2016.
After calling time on his career, Jenas have taken up media duties on football. He is a freelance football pundit and has worked with popular media organizations such as ITV and BT Sport. He conducted the draws for 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Personal life
Jermaine Jenas is married to a beautiful English model, Ellie. The duo reportedly met in 2008.
Jenas engaged Ellie in 2009 and got married to her in 2011. They have two children together Geneva and Olivia, all female.
Jenas also has a daughter with a former lover who he reportedly had a relationship with before marrying Ellie.
Jermaine Jenas networth
Jermaine Jenas amassed a fortune during his football career and has stayed glued and close to football through freelance punditry and other media duties. His estimated networth is £14million.
