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'GREAT FEELING'
Emile Smith Rowe’s amazing youth team with two fellow footballers revealed as ex-Arsenal star’s career goes full circle
The Fulham newboy will be eased into life at Craven Cottage by a familiar face
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EMILE SMITH ROWE was all smiles when he saw the familiar face that will help him settle in at Fulham after spending more than half his life at Arsenal.
Smith Rowe’s move from north to west London has seen a reunion with the coach who first trained him when he was nine years old.
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Not Cottagers chief Marco Silva, but the Portuguese manager’s first-team coach Colin Omogbehin.
In addition to his role at Fulham, Omogbehin has for many years run South London youth side Junior Elite — which counts Premier League stars Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Djed Spence and Smith Rowe among its old boys.
Smith Rowe, now 24, played there for a season before Arsenal pounced in 2010 and developed him for 14 years — selling to Fulham for an initial £27million earlier this month.
And the three-cap England midfield man is now preparing to face Manchester United at Old Trafford in tomorrow’s big Prem kick-off.
Smith Rowe has been back to Junior Elite often and regularly caught up with Omogbehin since Fulham returned to the top flight.
But that did not make their reunion any less special. And Cottagers coach Omogbehin told SunSport: “Emile came into the canteen and we both just started laughing, as we always do.
“Over the last couple of years, I’ve had the pleasure of bumping into him whenever we’ve played Arsenal.
“We gave each other a hug. Then the manager said, ‘Ah, Colin is really happy now!’
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“It’s a real great feeling for it to come full circle. I’m really pleased that he’s come over.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him continue his development and fulfil his potential with us.”
Emile Smith Rowe leaves Arsenal to join Fulham in £XXmillion transfer after 14 years with Gunners
Omogbehin still rates Smith Rowe as the best youngster he has worked with, owing to an “unbelievable” spatial awareness and speed of thought.
Smith Rowe was the star player in a Junior Elite team that also included Tottenham right-back Spence and Sheffield Wednesday centre-back Di’Shon Bernard, both 23.
The Arsenal academy product had a selfless streak rare in one so young as he often set up others from his No 10 position — yet still ended up as the team’s top scorer.
Omogbehin recalled: “It was a great team but I would say he was the catalyst. He was so intelligent for such a young age.
“Most kids at nine normally get the ball without looking, turn into trouble and lose it.
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“But Emile had an ability to check his shoulder, to keep his body shape open, to know what’s around him and always make the right decision.
“His decision-making, for one so young, was of someone a lot older. His touch, his technique, his athleticism were really, really good.
“A lot of the stuff you saw him doing at Arsenal — and hopefully you’ll see him do with us — he’s been doing from a young age.
“He was very introverted, very shy, very quiet. He would just come alive when the balls came out. You get more out of him now when you have a conversation!
“But he was very much loved by his team-mates on and off the field.
“He was the best player and was quiet and humble with that.
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“Sometimes you can be the best player and be a bit arrogant with it and not always conduct yourself in the right way.
“But Emile, the way he carried himself — always immaculately dressed in the club tracksuit, boots always clean — he was ready to play and enjoy himself with team-mates.”
Smith Rowe’s fans will be looking forward to him playing with a smile on his face again after a difficult spell at the Emirates.
Bursting through at Arsenal a few years ago, he struggled with injuries and fell down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta, prompting this summer’s switch across the capital.
The midfielder is desperate to recapture the kind of form that led to him playing for England in 2021 and 2022.
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Omogbehin added: “I know the player. You never lose those qualities. All he needs is game-time and regular time on the training pitch and everything will come back.
“When he has a run of games he’ll be back to his best.
“He wants to prove to himself he can get back to the levels and beyond of what he’s shown in the past.
“It’s all about the future now. He had a great grounding and had some great times at Arsenal.
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“But he belongs to Fulham now and we’re going to embrace having him here.
"We’re going to enjoy having him and the feeling will be mutual, no doubt.”
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