00:00 You started the season so well, did you do anything extra in the summer to get yourself
00:11 in that frame of mind?
00:15 I always try to each summer get that little head start before pre-season. This season
00:22 I had a really good camp, I felt fresh, I felt good. They came to us and had a good
00:27 pre-season where they worked us really hard. I think what helps is the fact that I've had
00:31 opportunities as well from the start, which has been nice getting the first few starts.
00:36 That allows you to build that rhythm and that kind of confidence and gain. I think with
00:40 every game I'm playing I feel more comfortable and getting better. Hopefully I can stay in
00:45 the team and help contribute and keep contributing to the team.
00:48 You just touched on who's helped you through the journey. I guess you, like a lot of young
00:53 players, probably had setbacks along the way. It didn't work out at one club, it did work
00:58 out at Arsenal. When you look back upon those times, does that make you stronger? If you
01:03 don't get signed for one club and it works out for you at another, does that strengthen
01:08 your mentality?
01:09 I think so. At a young age, 14, I had to deal with a big setback. It makes you resilient
01:15 and it gives you a different level of hunger. You know what it feels like to be at the bottom
01:20 and be out. You don't want to get back there. We've all got talent but what separates us
01:25 is our mentalities and how much we want it and how hungry we are. I always try to keep
01:30 that with me wherever I go, whatever level I play at. I think it's really helped me.
01:36 I think Thierry has been really good for you as well. He's the one for mentality, isn't
01:41 he?
01:42 Yeah, Thierry's been magnificent for me. I was able to be coached by him, first year
01:46 of school at 16. It was amazing. One of my best and most enjoyable seasons, being able
01:51 to bounce ideas and learn from him. He gave me a lot of confidence. Still to this day,
01:55 whenever I see him, he's always there and always supporting me. I'm really grateful.
01:59 Eddie, you've always been known as a goal poacher. We obviously saw far more to your
02:04 game with some of the Limp Cup work, particularly on Sunday. Has Mikel worked on that to fit
02:10 into that system more?
02:12 Yeah, I think naturally. I think I've always had more to my game than just goals. Obviously,
02:17 when you score goals, it's a really important role. It highlights a lot of stuff. I think
02:21 with the consistency in the game time I've been getting, I've been allowed to showcase
02:25 obviously more sides to my game. I think obviously working under a manager like Mikel, tactically
02:30 makes you so much better. You understand your role as a striker so much more than obviously
02:34 what you have to do in and around the box. I think I've definitely improved. It's not
02:39 just been this season, it's been gradual obviously over the years and all the hard work I've
02:43 put in on the training ground and also outside. I think we have great coaching staff and obviously
02:47 hopefully I can continue on this trajectory and keep improving.
02:52 You talked about the pride of your parents when the international call-up came because
02:56 of the sacrifices they made. I was wondering if you could give us some insight into some
03:00 of those sacrifices when you were younger?
03:03 It's a long list to be fair. My sisters as well. I remember just in terms of my parents,
03:09 my mum obviously and my dad. My dad would drive me to every game home away. Tours as
03:14 a kid, he would book a flight, come and watch the port. Mum would stay out brushing kit.
03:20 Sisters would finish school, come and pick me up to take me on a train all the way to
03:24 Cobham or if that would be to Hale End. There's been a lot of things and obviously also when
03:29 you get released at the age of 13, 14, them being there and supporting you and knowing
03:34 that it's not the end of the world. I think there's been loads of little things and probably
03:38 so much for me that I can't list them all. I'm so grateful to my family and also my friends
03:42 that's always supported and been there for me through the ups and downs and obviously
03:46 some special coaches along the way. Now I'm proud obviously to have those people part
03:51 of my journey and hopefully I can continue to make them proud.
03:54 You have the number 14 shirt, I'm guessing that's to do with Thierry and also is it a
04:02 sign of your confidence that you're willing to have that shirt? It's a very famous shirt
04:06 at Arsenal.
04:07 Yeah, I think 14 has always been a number I've liked. I wore it at Leeds as well and
04:13 obviously Thierry's wore it which obviously made the number a lot more special. But yeah
04:17 obviously when the number was available and was offered to me, it was one that I embraced
04:21 and obviously I'm not here to try and recreate Thierry's moments. I'm here to try and put
04:26 my own stamp on it and try and create my own special memories in that shirt which I think
04:30 has been a good start and I'm looking forward to the future. I know what it means being
04:34 an Arsenal fan to wear that number so I try to go out there and give my all every time
04:38 I step on the pitch.
04:39 Eddie, what's the best specific bit of advice that Thierry or even Ian Wright has ever given
04:46 you? Anything specific that's stuck in your mind?
04:49 Obviously just to believe in yourself. I think he came in and saw the quality I had at 16/17
04:54 and said you've got a lot of quality and you just need to believe in yourself. No matter
04:58 what anyone says, the most important thing is your belief in yourself. That's what's
05:02 going to drive you and push you and motivate you. So I think that's probably one of the
05:06 best bits of advice I've received.
05:07 And I guess when it's someone like Thierry Henry saying that, that means a lot more than
05:12 most other guys.
05:14 I think he knows what he's talking about so it's not a bad feeling, yeah.
05:18 You spoke a bit about being released. How did that change your experience and did it
05:29 make you even more determined at 13 to take the chances that came after?
05:35 Yeah I think it did. I was there from 9-14 at Chelsea and it came as a shock to me. I
05:41 was doing well at the time. Obviously Declan was of that age group as well so similar experience.
05:46 I think it just gives you a sense of awakening and you just know things can change like this.
05:52 You can lose everything you've worked for. So I think it gives you that extra bit of
05:55 motivation, resilience. When things are hard I'm able to dig a level deeper that maybe
06:01 some people can't and don't want to go into. So I think it's obviously shaped me and it's
06:06 all part of the experiences. Some boys might not have experienced that but they've also
06:09 had different lows in their careers. This was my journey and obviously it's helped me
06:13 become who I am today.
06:14 Can I just follow that up? You mentioned Declan. Is it funny that you've sort of crossed paths
06:18 again after having the same sort of disappointment and hit?
06:21 Yeah it is. I think it's just funny how life works sometimes. I think obviously we've done
06:25 the full 360 to be back together. Like I said we've had different journeys to get here but
06:31 we all are on the same path and want the same thing which is to obviously do well for our
06:35 club and obviously country as well.
06:37 You spoke about the mentality to succeed at your club but during previous seasons when
06:44 maybe you weren't in the team was there ever a consideration that you might have to take
06:48 another path? Some young players your age went abroad when they were younger and things
06:53 like that. Was that ever something you had to think about?
06:56 Yeah of course. I think there's been obviously different opportunities and different thought
07:00 processes along the way. Obviously I've always believed I can make it and play here. Obviously
07:05 everyone's journey is different. This was my journey. There's always been transfer talk
07:09 and speculation but obviously I'm happy that I've done this route and I'm proud to be part
07:14 of Arsenal. I feel like it's home to me and I'm excited to see the future and hopefully
07:18 have a long successful career here.
07:21 And with a lot of the younger players do have quite a lot of loans. You only had one at
07:26 Leeds and it got cut short at the time. Was that experience, did that kind of think to
07:32 yourself that maybe the loan system wasn't for you?
07:37 Not necessarily. I think obviously it was a good loan for myself. It was the season
07:42 that we got promoted. So, Mikel come back I think obviously through my career there's
07:47 been a lot of changes in the management which is something unusual for Arsenal who's obviously
07:52 always had one management. I think I played under three different managers. As a young
07:56 player it's hard to gauge where you are. You have to re-prove yourself each year. So I
08:01 think it's been good to have Mikel in and be here for a few years. I've been able to
08:05 obviously establish myself and progress obviously up through the ranks. I think I'm in a good
08:10 place and like I said everyone's journey is different. Some people go on loan, some people
08:14 go abroad. This was my story and hopefully I can continue to grow my story at Arsenal.
08:19 Thank you everyone, we'll end it there. Appreciate your time today.
08:23 Thank you.
08:24 Thank you.
08:45 Thank you.
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