It’s a case of when and not if Emilie Smith Rowe is confirmed a Fulham player.
His story is not quite the same as Jack Wilshere’s. At 23, he’s still young enough to prove he can perform consistently at the highest level.
Yet the similarities do exist.
An academy graduate predicted to be the future of the club leaving earlier than expected simply because of injuries. All parties are sad because the talent isn’t in question, just the ability to stay healthy.
Having been at the club since the age of 10, the player deserves credit for stepping out of his comfort zone. It would have been an easy for him to stay a squad player at a team he loves, relying on the odd Cup tie for starts.
There are fellow peers from Hales End making a living doing exactly that.
Smith Rowe is too good for that, and for his own development it’s important that he’s got that self-belief to back himself and not tolerate a place on the bench. At his age, he wants to be involved in every Matchday. It’s just depressing it can’t happen in North London.
Rightly or wrong, Smith Rowe has lost the trust of Mikel Arteta. Faith that once existed.
One of the first great things the Spaniard did as a manager was to promote Smith Rowe to regular starter, giving him licence to express himself.
In response to two 8th place finishes, Smith Rowe and Saka became the face of the new Arsenal, the creative responsibility on young shoulders. Smith Rowe would offer double digits from midfield, earning him international recognition with three caps.
If you said 3 seasons later, he be moving to Craven Cottage, no one would have believed you.
Yet, no matter how skilful you are, it means little if you’re not on the pitch.
Surgery was supposed to fix a groin issue that meant there was always little niggles. After the procedure Smith Rowe said for the first time in a while the pain had gone but in reality, it spelled the end of his career at the Emirates.
In the 2023 run in, it was noticeable that when the Gunners needed a goal, the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Vieira, even a change of full backs, were all attacking options ahead of Smith Rowe off the bench.
Gooners tried to convince themselves that this was simply management not wanting to throw someone fragile in at the deep end of title race.
The consensus was that preseason would allow the time for Smith Rowe to be integrated back into the group.
He even cancelled his summer so he could represent England at the Under 21 Championships, something he didn’t need to do having already represented the senior side.
That his employers didn’t object though was telling.
Trying Rice as a sole DM should have opened the doors for more opportunities. It’s hard to understand how Vieira could be picked ahead of him or Reiss Nelson in the wide areas.
It can’t be based on ability.
It can only be because his boss saw something in training that he doesn’t like.
A lot will come down to how much faith you have in the current regime’s man management skills.
I have gone on record saying that too many players have been given up on the moment it’s deemed they don’t suit his ethos.
Yet in this instance, we know Arteta rated the player.
We have to assume that having seen him every day, he simply feels like the player has lost his powers.
In that case, a 27 million fee (rising to potentially 34) is great business.
At a time when most are balancing their books with care, making pure profit on a home-grown player shouldn’t be taken for granted.
From a personal point of view, I want Smith Rowe to reignite his career yet if he does that question marks will be asked why he was let go.
The likelihood is “the mind is willing, but the body is not.”
Very Sad
Dan
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