He could have solely ever performed as soon as for Arsenal however native lad Daniel Boateng considers that sport because the spotlight of his profession thus far.
Boateng spent over a decade in Arsenal’s academy, signing an expert contract in 2010 and making his debut for the primary crew the next yr, however by 21 he had been launched having failed so as to add to that one look.
Nevertheless, he’s simply proud to have represented such an enormous membership, even when it was solely as soon as.
“It was a tremendous expertise,” he says. “I used to be lucky as there are many footballers who play the sport however by no means get to play for such an enormous membership as Arsenal. It was the most effective feeling ever.”
His huge second got here towards Bolton Wanderers within the League Cup in October 2011 when he performed the ultimate six minutes of a 2-1 victory on the Emirates by which Park Chu-Younger scored the winner.
It was quick, however candy.
“I really feel like that was testomony to the laborious work I’d been doing via the youth ranks,” Boateng says. “Clearly, I’d have favored for the time I obtained to be a bit extra, however soccer’s not a simple sport, particularly if you’re at an enormous membership like Arsenal.
“It’s nonetheless the best feeling, I’ve not performed the rest in soccer that may match that.”
A number of months later, as is the case for a lot of children at Arsenal, Boateng was despatched out on mortgage to additional his growth.
He joined Swindon City in League Two for the second half of the 2011-12 season, and although he performed solely twice, working with Paolo Di Canio was one other expertise he seems to be again on fondly.
“Being at Swindon was good,” Boateng says. “Di Canio is a superb coach in terms of coaching periods on the sector, he even nonetheless joins in coaching. In all probability off the sector is the place his downside was, therefore why he’s out of the sport.
“He’s small in stature, however his character made him an enormous within the room. He was a really passionate man and a perfectionist. He at all times regarded on the small particulars and tried to make all the pieces excellent.
“I undoubtedly loved my time with Swindon, I discovered rather a lot with Di Canio, however I obtained into an off-the-field downside which reduce my mortgage quick, which is why it didn’t go in response to plan.”
Life after Arsenal
Boateng had additional mortgage spells at Oxford United and Hibernian, however when he was finally launched by Arsenal he didn’t drop down into the Soccer League however as a substitute moved to Sweden to play for third-tier outfit Södertälje FK.
He would advise any younger participant in an analogous place leaving an enormous membership to observe his lead.
“I do consider that for gamers who get launched from Arsenal, going overseas is the most suitable choice,” he says. “League One, League Two, Convention, if we’re being trustworthy, it doesn’t go well with gamers who’re coming from Arsenal and some different Premier League groups.
“It doesn’t go well with our type, because it’s rather a lot totally different, it’s end-to-end, there’s probably not a lot of the ball on the bottom. I’m not saying gamers can’t do it, however gamers want time to adapt to that type of type. I’d say, for almost all, going overseas fits us extra.
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“It was difficult as a result of I used to be at Arsenal from the age of 10 proper via to 21 so it was all I knew on the time.
“Although I went on loans to some groups, it simply wasn’t the identical, so after I used to be launched I might solely look to myself and stick with it combating to maintain this dream alive.
“There are fairly just a few different gamers that I’ve performed with who’ve packed it in, they’re not gamers anymore, they’re doing 9 to fives. It’s unhappy as that wasn’t the plan, however generally life may be merciless.
“It was a good league (in Sweden), there have been some respectable technical gamers, the tempo was clearly rather a lot slower, and it’s simply as pleasant.”
Brit Overseas
Following a season again in Britain with Scottish aspect Airdrie, Boateng determined to go again overseas in 2017 when the chance arose to affix Rakow Częstochowa, a membership based mostly in probably the most spiritual metropolis in Poland, the place many pilgrimage however hardly ever go to for the second division soccer crew.
“The soccer is basically good, it’s underrated,” Boateng says. “Lots of people don’t know what it’s about, however there are some superb gamers. You get a very good combination of technical and bodily gamers as effectively.”
And having acknowledged his attributes are greatest utilised overseas, Boateng will fortunately think about any alternatives that come his method sooner or later, realizing he’s fulfilling his ambitions of taking part in soccer for a dwelling.
“I’m one in every of these guys, I’m not scared to problem myself,” he says. “There are different gamers who take pleasure in being of their consolation zone.
“There are younger English gamers who presumably might have gone overseas however they might reasonably keep in England and be comfy, though they don’t just like the league or the type of soccer they’re taking part in. They go for consolation reasonably than chasing the dream.”
In 2018 Boateng moved once more, becoming a member of Olimpia Grudziadz, additionally in Poland, earlier than heading to Aerostar Bacau in Romania a yr later. Clearly, he’s a participant who doesn’t depend on dwelling comforts.
By Will Unwin
This text was initially printed in October 2017.
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