An 18-year-old student has recently been named the 'world's youngest senior football manager', and is now employed by European giants Real Madrid to train up young talent over here in the UK.

Jordan Hadaway is a student at Liverpool Hope University by day, but by night he manages men twice his age as the boss of Caerwys FC, a Welsh club with more than 100 years' worth of history.

Perhaps even more impressive, during the summer he will be working as a 'Clinics Coach' for 13-times European Cup/Champions League winners Real Madrid.

Even though he's still a teenager, Jordan has worked to earn his UEFA 'B' coaching badge, the same qualification Séamus Coleman - the captain of Jordan's beloved Everton - recently attained.

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That's because Liverpool Hope University has joined forces with LLS - the scheme Jordan enrolled on - to train the next generation of sports industry leaders across the UK and beyond.



Jordan with his Caerwys FC side. Credit: Liverpool Hope University/Jordan Hadaway

Explaining what it's like to take charge of men much older than him, Jordan explained: "Despite my age, I always felt confident about earning the respect of the lads.

"I said to them, 'If you don't want me here, just tell me'.

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"We've got some senior pros, the oldest of which is 36. But I keep the older guys close to me while the younger ones are left more to their own devices.

"Do they call me gaffer? Yes, they do, and it's still quite strange!

"And I'm not afraid to dish-out a rollicking if necessary - though I haven't had to give one yet as we've been doing so well."

At a coaching session with Real Madrid. Credit: Liverpool Hope University/Jordan Hadaway

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Jordan dreamt of a career playing football himself, but - like so many of us - was told he wasn't up to it at age 16. Since then, he's dedicated himself to coaching, and is now reaping the rewards.

He continued: "I was never going to get paid for playing football so I didn't see the point in doing it. I was like [former Everton full back] Tony Hibbert - steady, six or seven out of ten every week but I never went beyond the halfway line!"

Now, he's worked his way up from coaching kids to Caerwys FC's first team manager.

On top of that, his exploits have attracted the attention of one of the world's biggest clubs.

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Outside the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Credit: Liverpool Hope University/Jordan Hadaway

Real Madrid invited him to their Bernabéu Stadium for a selection of lectures and coaching sessions, and then invited him to become a salaried member of staff leading Real Madrid soccer clinics over here in the UK throughout the summer months.



Jordan explained: "I was recommended to the club, who waited for me to finish my UEFA B licence, and I'm now one of Real Madrid's members of staff.

"It's a pretty privileged position - getting to rub shoulders with the likes of Raul, Álvaro Arbeloa, Roberto Carlos and Santiago Solari - and I'm loving it."

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That's not bad company to be in.

Jordan with former Real Madrid and Liverpool player Álvaro Arbeloa. Credit: Liverpool Hope University/Jordan Hadaway

Regardless of the success he's seen in his early coaching career, Jordan isn't yet sure whether he wants to become a full-time footy manager.