Date: 30th August 2022 at 9:30pm
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Emile Smith Rowe, in his latest interview, has decided to reveal his source of inspiration on and off the pitch.

THE LOWDOWN: HOMEBRED

Emile Smith Rowe enjoyed a break-out season in 2020. The youngster made his senior competitive debut for the Gunners back in 2018 against Vorskla Poltava in Europa League. He was a light in an inconsistent season for Arteta’s men in the 2020/2021 season. The 22-year-old Croydon native managed almost 2,500 minutes of action across competitions, which yielded 3 goals and 8 assists in total.

Last season, Smith Rowe made 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and two assists. However, he has struggled with injuries this term for the Gunners.

Emile joined the Hale End Academy at the age of 10, and from day one he was surrounded by aspirational and inspirational people, stories and examples as he progressed through the age ranks.

THE LATEST: SMITH ROWE REVEALS INSPIRATION

In an interview posted on the Arsenal website, Smith Rowe was asked a series of questions and some, in particular, caught the eye.

He revealed that he found his main inspiration closer to home.

“Yes, that was always my dad,” Emile begins.

“From a very young age he always did absolutely everything he could for me to be able to play football. He always took me to the park behind our house with my older brother, so yes definitely, he was the main inspiration for me, and still is.”

“And there is one particular occasion when Emile’s dad, Les, was instrumental in keeping our talented young midfielder on the path to success. There was a point when I was 14 and I basically said to my dad that I didn’t want to play football anymore,” Emile recalls.

“I don’t know if it was the pressure, or the criticism I was getting or what, but I remember being a bit overwhelmed with it all and I just said to him one day: ‘I can’t take this anymore, I want to stop.’

“At the time I just wasn’t enjoying my football. Then I remember my dad talking me through it, reassuring me about stuff and what he said made the difference. I had a think about what he told me for a couple of days, and then I was OK again. I don’t think it was anything specific that he said to me, just the way he spoke to me and explained things.

“He’s been everything for me in my career. My mum and my brother as well have been big, big parts of my career too; all of my family. I still live with my mum, so she helps me every day when I need it, but my dad used to play a bit of football too, so he could relate to how I was feeling. He helped me a lot.

Speaking about inspiration from a footballing perspective, the midfielder has no one else to turn to than the gaffer, Mikel Arteta.

“There is no shortage of people to listen to now, but obviously the gaffer is so important for me at this stage of my career,” says Emile. “I always listen to him and try to take in as much as I can. The impact he has on players is just ridiculous, the way he speaks to us.

“For somebody who is not that experienced as a manager himself, it’s crazy how well he can talk to the players and man-manage us. I know all of us young players appreciate him. He was in our position not too long ago, he knows all about what we are going through, and you can tell that when you speak to him.”

THE VERDICT: ONE FOR THE FUTURE

Emile Smith Rowe is one of the players to look out for in the Arsenal team in years to come. You can be rest assured that the future is bright for Arsenal and Rowe has a role to play in it.

 

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