Sharp was an old head on young shoulders, driven to succeed, and clear in his objectives.
After passing his undergraduate degree with flying colours, he moved to Chicago and furthered his academic credentials, gaining a masters degree in business administration at Northwestern University.
“There was a big focus on organisational leadership,” he added. “It was really interesting to put on the cap, and think not just about the football part of being a coach, but also the leadership part.
“What I learned there I can also apply to various parts of my life – how things work, how to create change in your own life, and inspire change in others.”
That off-field grounding led to a rapid acceleration in his coaching career. He was handed a role as performance analyst at New York Red Bulls in 2017.
A rapid ascent from from volunteering to the MLS in three years. And it would get better.
His coaching work caught the eye of one of Red Bulls big players. After a short stint in Toronto, Sharp was hired by Ralf Rangnick, who was working in an executive role at Locomotiv Moscow, and suddenly Sharp was jetting to Europe.
From there, he followed Rangnick to Manchester United and then linked up with another Red Bulls man at Leeds, in Marsch.
“It’s been amazing,” Sharp said, with a beaming smile. “When I left Scotland, I never thought I’d end up living just outside New York and then in Toronto.
“I never expected to go to Moscow, although I wasn’t there for very long. Before I was 30, to have worked at Manchester United and Leeds United in the Premier League, I never expected that to happen.
“I always have to remind myself to enjoy it along the way and appreciate the experiences I’ve had, the places that I’ve been and seen – sometimes you get caught up in what you’re doing.”