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Paul Franks – The General’s address
Paul Franks is as passionate an individual
as Nottinghamshire has seen in this
generation. A one-club man through
his entire career, Franks has become
synonymous with the Nottinghamshire
stag, wearing it with a pride and
enthusiasm rarely seen in today’s sporting
landscape.
This summer, the 35-year-old has begun
his transition into the Nottinghamshire
backroom staff. Announced as the Club’s
SecondTeam Captain ahead of the 2014
season, Franks has made his first steps
away from the playing staff and taken
responsibility for a young side. A big step,
challenged further by the loss of his mother
early in the year.
“If all you’ve done for 18 years is worry
about yourself, and being as good as you
can be then all of a sudden you’ve got
fifteen other guys to worry about, it’s not
easy to change your way of thinking,” he
said.
“That has been the toughest thing.The
start of the year was hard for personal
reasons.
“I lost my mother at a time where all I
really wanted to do was immerse myself in
the job.
“That changed the way April and the early
part of May played out, and it has only
been since then that I’ve started to feel my
normal self again.
“With that in mind it was always going
to be important that those around me
gave me a little bit of breathing space,
understood that things like that don’t
happen every day.The transition, coupled
with that, made life tough.”
Before this season, Franks appeared
evergreen. Despite finding opportunities in
Nottinghamshire’s first team hard to come
by through the summer of 2013, he strived
to be part of those efforts, returning to the
LV= County Championship when Notts
were threatened with relegation.
Now, with a further winter of perspective,
Franks has been much more accepting of
the change, citing the influence of Mick
Newell andWayne Noon in easing him
through the process.
Often, the most passionate sportsmen are the most
memorable. Those individuals whose clubs and ideals
are so important to them that it shapes their career,
striving for success and channeling all their energies
into the sport, and team, they love.
The
General’s
address
Notts in his
heart – Paul Franks
in action.