Eddie Nketiah has urged Arsenal youngsters to take their chance as the Gunners begin their pre-season tour in the United States.
The 25-year-old is the best example the twelve academy players presently on tour with Arsenal can emulate if they are in need for any motivation to leave their mark in the United States.
Mikel Arteta will be eager to see Arsenal’s friendly game against Bournemouth on Wednesday night to see what the younger players can offer.
Having once been in those shoes, Nketiah has sent some words of encouragement to the Gunners’ Academy players.
Nketiah urges Arsenal youngsters to take their chance
“Pre-season is really good for a lot of the lads who haven’t trained or played with us that much to show what they can do,” he said. “It gives people opportunities to show themselves and get fit, so hopefully they can take them.”
“It’s a platform, even for us now, to make our mark and start playing games regularly and get fit. I think there are a lot of examples of players who did well in pre-season and gone on to play and have minutes in the first team, so it’s a really good chance.”
“I know what it’s like for the young kids coming through so I’m just trying to make them feel as comfortable as possible. We have a really good group of guys, everyone is really nice and welcoming and tries to make everyone feel good.”
“I think the coaches do a really good job too – at dinner, they mix up the tables so everyone sits with different people and can interact, and the team activities we do allow you to get closer. You’re spending more time together, and you don’t have the escape of going back home or to your family, so you mix and socialise a lot more which is really nice.”
However, he acknowledges that he received far more than just the opportunity to play with some elite Arsenal players and his three substitute appearances; he experienced firsthand what it was like to be at the top and what it would take to stay there.
“It was amazing,” he reflected. “It was a really talented squad at the time. I was young but me, Joe [Willock] and Reiss [Nelson] were together so it was amazing. To have that first taste of senior football was a really good experience.”
“You’re nervous, excited and eager. You just want to make your mark and enjoy it. I think it’s really good when you go away because you can see how the top players work on a day-to-day basis. That’s what I was able to see – how they recover from training sessions, how they prepare for the games up close. It shows you the level you need to get to and allows you to keep progressing.”
