Friday, April 18, 2025
Soccernet.ng
  • Home
  • AFCON 2025
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Seria A
    • Ligue 1
  • Live Scores
  • Soccernet TV
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Soccernet.ng
  • Home
  • AFCON 2025
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Seria A
    • Ligue 1
  • Live Scores
  • Soccernet TV
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Soccernet.ng
No Result
View All Result

Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals

by Rilwan Balogun
September 22, 2022
in News, NewsNow, Nigeria, Top
0
Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals

In the first game of the season last year, Arsenal and the young forward of Nigerian descent had a reality check

A star with the Arsenal U-21s, Folarin ‘Flo’ Balogun had fire in his bag and ambition in his legs. He was one of the finest finishers in the Arsenal age-grades and had a lengthened discussion on his contract renewal at the club.

Arsenal, by all indications hold him highly and convinced him to commit his future to the club. A loan move to Middlesbrough gave him an idea of what it means when the faces are not familiar but at Reims in the Ligue 1, Balogun better understands what it means when the language isn’t familiar also.

“Pretty much every training session there’s something where I’m confused about!

“There’s a few times I’m asking for simple things like, ‘Can you pass me that water’, and he’s looking at me thinking, ‘What are you saying?’

“The lessons are once a week at the minute, for an hour. I tried to do a bit longer but it started to give me a headache.

“It helps me mature a lot because literally you’re just fending for yourself. You have to try to communicate in different ways if you can’t speak the language.

“I think it’s very important to just throw yourself in at the deep end, as I’m trying to do, and hopefully I don’t drown,” he told the Sun.

Despite the difficulties, the forward who is eligible for Nigeria through his parents, has scored five league goals in six starts. It’s by no measure a mean feat.

He said conversations with Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta were initially unclear but since he moved to the Ligue 1, there’s greater clarity on what he meant. It’s colder outside.

“Before I moved, Mikel just wanted me to develop as a man.

“It was kind of like an open answer and it was for me to interpret what he meant.

“He is a very direct person if he wants to get a message to you in the moment, but I also think he thinks long term. I feel like that is his plan.

“By moving abroad, I’m starting to learn what he meant.

“It doesn’t just mean on the pitch but also off the pitch. I think by the time I go back I’ll be in a better place to compete than I was before I left.”

Tags: ArsenalMikel ArtetaSuper Eagles
Rilwan Balogun

Rilwan Balogun

Rilwan is an editor, writer and loves every opinion.

RelatedPosts

Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals
EFL Championship

Kelechi isn’t the problem – Ex-Super Eagles star hits back at Orta’s “mistake” comments about Iheanacho

4 hours ago
Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals
La Liga

“We know he’ll help us” – Everything Valencia’s Sporting Director said about Sadiq Umar

3 months ago
Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals
News

Don’t leave AC Milan yet – Ex-Real Sociedad star warns Samuel Chukwueze

5 hours ago
Arteta asked me to ‘become a man’ – Super-Eagles eligible forward reveals
La Liga

“I’d compare myself to Jude Bellingham” – Former Super Eagles star

6 hours ago

See other News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Balogun, Dessers, Dele-Bashiru: Which Super Eagles star is left in the Europa League or Conference League?

Has Paul Onuachu played his last game for Southampton? Simon Rusk shares update on Super Eagles star

Italy legend Donadoni reveals what makes Lookman better than Portugal’s most valuable star

Kelechi isn’t the problem – Ex-Super Eagles star hits back at Orta’s “mistake” comments about Iheanacho

Don’t leave AC Milan yet – Ex-Real Sociedad star warns Samuel Chukwueze

Soccernet.ng

Copyright © 2024 Soccernet Media Limited.

Navigate Site

  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Journalist Charter
  • Advertise
  • Terms of Use

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • AFCON 2025
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Seria A
    • Ligue 1
  • Live Scores
  • Soccernet TV
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2024 Soccernet Media Limited.