Arsenal’s newest addition, Mohamed Elneny, has given his first interview to the official Arsenal website, and he has revealed that his mother and father brought him up from birth to be a top footballer.
This is how he described his upbringing. “My father is a football coach back home in Egypt in my town, Almahalah,” he said. “He has a big passion for football and he always made sure that I accompanied him at every match he had been to, and the training sessions as well. He always had the dream and loved to see me as a footballer.
“We would play in the hot weather for more than 10 hours sometimes. That is very normal in Egypt. I was the same as any Egyptian kid because we all have a very strong passion for football. We would head straight to the football grounds as soon as we left the classroom.
“My parents played a big role in creating this passion in me towards football and they encouraged me to play football. It is really nice and important to have such encouraging parents, I am really grateful to them.
“My mother, she would accompany me in every club I went to. Since I was born my parents wanted to see me as a footballer and they are behind this passion I have for football. I sensed their support at home. It’s really nice to see that they love your job or the job you love to do, and that really helped me a lot.”
It would appear that his parents have done an excellent job! He is the very first Egyptian footballer to join Arsenal, and he is very happy to be an ambassador for his country. “Every player would be so proud to play for Arsenal, if they were Egyptian or not Egyptian,” he ontinued. “Being the first Egyptian player to play for Arsenal is a great honour and that makes me very happy.
“I am very keen to work hard in the Premier League – that’s for my own reputation and Egypt’s reputation, and to show everyone that Egyptian players are capable of playing very well in the Premier League.”
Most of the Egypt national side is made up of players from the top two local teams, Zamalek and Al-Ahly, and Elneny will give them hope that one day they too can come away and play for a great club like Arsenal…
Make them proud Mohamed!
Cant wait to see him play really. All new players need time to settle but I don’t expect him to go the Gabriel way.
If he does not start the game after Chelsea or at least play 30 minutes I will be abit worried. Hope he makes friends asap, this will help him settle quicker and also learn some English. If Wenger has no intentions of throwing him in soon, better to play a game with the youth teams so he keeps his sharpness since he hasn’t played a match in a while now.
I hope Wenger views him as a modern day DM to compete with Coq rather than a box 2 box to compete with Ramsey / Carzola / Wilshere.
@007
Sad to say it bro. But it looks like he’s a replacement for Santi…LOL!!!
Jack and Aaron are either too injury prone or too 1 dimensional. Dude is versatile. Can play either holding or attacking mid. Perfect…
It will be sad seeing him on the bench all the time if thats the case as I don’t see Carzola giving up his position anytime soon and Wenger can never drop his favorites Ramsey and Wilshere. I would rather Elneny battle’s it out with Le Coq as Arteta, Flamini are coming to the end of there careers and Chambers is not the most technically gifted player to hold down that spot.
@007
Thing is, all he has to do is wait, Jack and Aaron are going to get injured sooner rather than later. Santi is pushin 30+ and coming off of a long term injury. He won’t be the same player…And then we’ll all be singin”Now watch him whip, now watch Elneny” LOL!!!!
He actually speaks very good English already – not a problem.
I like this signing alot. Clearly a pattern with Wenger now avoiding the more obvious names and prima donna types and homing in more on humility and hunger. This guy is quoted (very good piece on him by the Guardian: “The tireless street footballer who slept with a ball”) as playing 10 hours a day in the Egyptian sun as a youngster with the engine of a long distance athlete. I don’t think, like Alexis, the PL physicality will shock or intimidate him. I’ve only seen in him a few European matches for Basel (the Spuds having to sub Dembele at half-time because he was getting owned by ME, the Chelsea and Liverpool losses to Basel) and the standard YouTube vids but he looks impressive. He doesn’t really match up attribute wise to any one player we have; stamina and endurance (Ramsey), anticipation, timing and just enough aggression (Coquelin) and assured and good range of passing (Arteta).
The guy was nervous when he trialled for Basel so no doubt gonna be a pretty apprehensive at the moment so we should afford him a bit of time.
I hope wenger does not treat him like paulista
Eboue wants Arsenal return.
Good lad there Eboue, each time he played you could feel his love for the club plus I think he was a big hit in the dressing room too, very good character, unfortunately his way past it now. Best of luck to him in his search for a new team. I’m sure if its just training Wenger can always allow him as he has that fatherly heart for his players and past (except Cech who broke his heart, Adebayo the silly on, Nasri the traitor and little boy).
….aaaaaaand Nacho signs new deal!
Welcome to Arsenal Pharaoh Elneny hope you link up well with Aaron Ramesses II
hope you will help us to be on top of the EPL Pyramid 15th of May
OT…
Monreal has signed a new long term contract.
I see a click-bait from ‘Just arsenal’ with the title:
Experienced Defender Signs for Arsenal. 🙂
Congrats Monreal.
LOL. But I’d expect the click-bait factor to be upgraded to “BOOM. Spanish superstar signs. Arsenal fans excited”.
@jonestown1
Spot on…Lol
Well hurry up and write it you tw@t!!!
Bit OTT there Mr Admin don’t you think? We get banned for calling people tw*ts.
@admin
Whoa admin. Watch your lingo, this is a family friendly place…Thats your last warning…
admin arent you ashamed? sorry but you always preach that you hate swearing and now you go absolutely overboard and insult members of this side for a lil joke which if i have to be honest is often the truth..
this is ridiculous! and this three members arsenal007, NY-Gunner,JT1 are one of the most sensible people one here…
Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha
Oooooh dear… wait… Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha Hahaha Hahaha hahaha
My poor old fat guts are busted ?????
and I pissed my pants toooo ????
Thanks for the Laugh Admin Sir ??
That was unexpected and sooooo funny ?
I hope to see headlines like ” rocks like an egyptian” referring tonthe bangles 80s song