Taff Rahman, left, with Carlton Cole and John Terry

Published: 30 April, 2015
by STEVE BARNETT

PREMIER League youth coach Taff Rahman says he is “more determined than ever” to work his way to the very top of the footballing world after spending a night with the stars on Sunday. 

The 31-year-old, who lives in Hampstead, was among the elite crowd invited to the Professional Footballers’ Assoc­iation Awards, which were held at Grosvenor Hotel in London. 

He got to meet a host of the biggest names in the sport, including Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, who was voted PFA Player-of-the-Year, and Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane, who was named PFA Young Player-of-the-Year. 

“It was an exceptional night, being around my peers was a real pleasure,” said Taff, who is a youth coach at Tottenham and has also coached and played for Arsenal. 

Taff and Young Player-of-the-Year Harry Kane

“I’m dedicated and passionate about my sport, so to spend the evening with the best of the best has made me more determined and focused than ever to manage at the very top of the game.” 

The glitzy evening boasted an endless list of household names, including Chelsea’s John Terry, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who is currently on loan at Manchester City. But it was club-mate Kane who left the biggest imp­ression on Taff. 

“I told him that him winning the award will really inspire the youngsters I coach at Tottenham, because they will all now believe it’s possible to follow in his footsteps. He will be an inspiration to all of them. 

“He just smiled. He was proud, and very humble.” 

Taff, who regularly works with the FA and is one of the few coaches in the country to earn his Uefa ‘A’ licence, is no stranger to spending time with  the biggest name in the sport. 

Last summer we reported how he gained his “On Board” merit – a governance course aimed at helping make football’s boardrooms more diverse – alongside ex-England and Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand.