Simon Greatwich: From the Pitch to A Life of Purpose
Former Philippine Azkal-turned-football coach Simon Greatwich opens up about heartbreak, healing, and hope
For most of his adult life, Simon Greatwich was known for his skills on the pitch as a professional footballer. But today, the man who once lived for the spotlight as a professional football player has become a husband, stepfather, business owner, football coach, and spiritual mentor—living a life grounded in purpose, family, and faith.
“I want people to think of me as someone they can trust, who’s honest, a God-fearing man, and someone they are happy to have their children under my care,” Simon shares. “Everything I do now is guided by faith.”
A Journey to Faith
Simon’s path to God and Christianity was not marked by a single moment, but actually a few low and tumultuous points, followed by gentle, divine nudges in the right direction. “It happened during mid-year prayer and fasting week in 2023. I found myself going twice a day—service at 12 noon and then again at 7 p.m. Even the pastors were joking, saying, ‘wow—perfect attendance!’” he laughs. “But it’s here my eyes were really opened. There was one business I was praying about that I’d invested in, and to that point, it hadn’t yet returned a single centavo. I was praying about it and then, during that week, out of nowhere–we received our first payment from our client.”
After prayer and fasting, Simon decided to finally do one-on-one discipleship with Kuya Kim Atienza and started walking more closely with Christ. He also grew more committed to Tet, then his girlfriend. “In January 2024, I went to prayer and fasting week again—and that’s when it hit me really hard. During the Friday worship, I found myself in a pool of tears and the lyrics were on the screen: ‘The old is gone, the new has come,’” he recalls, growing emotional.
That same night, he joined his pastor’s family for dinner and shared his testimony for the first time. “Again, I found myself in a pool of tears, but I felt no judgment. I felt so much love from them—and that was really the first time I shared my story with people. I found people there for me.”
In February 2024, he decided to publicly declare his faith with the water baptism—and proposed to Tet within the same month. “I received a phone call from Neil Etheridge [former Azkals goalkeeper], my friend in the UK. This was out of the blue—four o’clock in the morning. He said, ‘I need to talk to you.’ And he shared that he had a vision while putting his child to sleep that I was going to propose to Tet. And I said, ‘That’s strange because yeah, I am going to propose.’ And I don’t think he has the gift of prophecy, from what I know,” Simon laughs. “We don’t normally talk about God and faith. But it was incredible timing.”
From Bachelor To Family Man
Marriage to Tet brought with it a new and beautiful challenge: becoming a stepfather to her three children. “There’s a 13-year-old boy, a 10-year-old girl, and a four-year-old boy. To be honest, I didn’t think I was ready for that. But I got to know the kids, and I fell in love with them, and I treat them as if they’re my own. I never thought I could say that,” he candidly confides.
Their IVF journey so far has been marked by prayer, patience, and divine provision. “We’d done two rounds in the Philippines that didn’t work. But the Lord provided financially for us to try again abroad.”
As of this writing, their most recent cycle has resulted in four fertilized embryos. “We’ve been on this journey, and every day, we pray about it. Again, whatever is God’s will—if it doesn’t happen on the third IVF. We trust Him.”
Learning to Father
Simon has embraced the call to fatherhood with humility and love. “I have so much respect for my wife. She raised them pretty much as a single mother. It’s not easy.”
He has found joy in bonding with each child. “The eldest likes football, basketball, badminton, tennis—so we do things together. He keeps me active. We even play FIFA together.” The middle child, once shy and distant, now gives him side hugs and is slowly coming out of her shell. “That kind of affection means a lot. Our relationship has grown leaps and bounds.” The youngest, who once had a fear of Simon due to early discipline, has also grown close. “He’s lost that fear now. Our relationship is very strong.”
Building Character Through Football
As the founder of G8 Academy, Simon is using football as a platform for mentorship and transformation. “We’re not here to be the best academy in the Philippines. I just want us to be the best version of ourselves,” he says.
He adds, “Don’t get me wrong, I love winning. I like the podium, I like trophies, I like medals. But I want to do it in the right way. I’m not just want to win at all costs. I want to have the foundations and the right values in place that get us there. And it’s got to the point that, yeah, we are highly successful— even domestically and abroad. We now winning championships consistently, and it’s so pleasing. But I dedicate that to the Lord. I’m not there to try and put myself on a pedestal to be like, this is all because of me.”
“Yeah, I tried to actually detach my name from it. The academy is called G8 Academy. It’s not called Simon Greatwich Academy. I never wanted it to be about me.”
G8 offers scholarships that level the playing field. “We bring them abroad. We offer scholarships in schools. We’ve built a system that gives kids opportunities—not just in football, but academics, too. That’s something that, growing up, I didn’t take too seriously. But now, we’re helping kids by creating these pathways for them to play for the Philippine national team, get scholarships in colleges, or even go abroad. I’m really proud of what we’ve managed to achieve—and the support of sponsors in helping us do this, too, has been so instrumental, as well.”
Anchored In A New Identity
Simon’s life today is no longer defined by his past, but by his faith and the purpose he’s discovered through it. “Sure, we have problems in the business and around football—that’s normal with the amount of children that we have. There’s going to be problems. But overall, I’m so confident and happy and at peace with the project that we’ve built.”
He adds, “I think it wouldn’t have got there if I hadn’t transformed my personal life, for sure.”
Simon now stands as a man redeemed—no longer running from the past but walking in a new, God-fearing identity. “I’m so blessed with the spiritual community I have. I also have more patience now, through prayer and reading the Word. I just cannot fathom how that transformation has just been doing it from my way to doing God’s way. It has transformed my life individually, with my family, as a husband, as a friend, the community I now hang out with,” he smiles.
His advice to men, at any life stage, who might be going through tough times like he had before? “If you are going through struggles—whether it’s emotionally, physically, spiritually—even if you’re not a believer, just go to church. Connect with a pastor and just find a roadmap. Start the journey. You’ll receive spiritual feedback and connection,” he answers.
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