Ethan Nwaneri | 15 year old makes Arsenal bench

Fortitude

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Pele made his debut at 15 years 10 months and 15 days.

It’s the quickening!

Ayo it's hell on earth, whose next or gonna be first
The projects is front lines, and the enemy is one time
I ain't gotta tell you
It's right in front of your eyes
 

Donaldo

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This is just self serving nonsense from Arteta. You’re telling me there’s no 17-21 year olds better suited in the academy? Of course there isn’t because then he couldn’t break the record for introducing the youngest player in PL history. The lad’s too young for this type of spotlight and benching him never mind bringing him on was totally needless. It’s the same sort of thing Pep does when he runs over to a young player to spout some random tactics when he sees a camera on him, except this time an actual child is being thrown into the public eye for no reason other to further a managers own acclaim. No doubt he’ll be lapping it up in the post match presser.
True. Some known nonces in the vicinity too.
 

tinfish

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A combination of having poor squad depth, injuries, loaning most of our better established youngsters out and the fact he’s got no school tomorrow due to bank holiday made this happen.

kid doesn’t look 15 and seems to have a better physical build than Vieira.
 

TheReligion

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Weird including him today and imagine most Arsenal fans have never heard of the lad.

Not sure what impression that gives to the rest of the academy but it can’t be a good one.
 

Donaldo

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Some of you lot have had nothing to do with football in your lives aside from watching it on the telly or playing FIFA.
 

Ted Lasso

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Chill out. 15 and 16 year olds making debuts across leagues from Bundesliga to Serie A and on Womens side as well.
 

TheLord

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Isn't there an age cutoff for playing top flight professional matches? I thought that was 16 in the PL.
 

awop

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Isn't there an age cutoff for playing top flight professional matches? I thought that was 16 in the PL.
I can't find a specific rule, some says it's been lowered to 15 but since he's not under a pro contract it doesn't matter and you just need a special authorization from the PL for a one-off. It wouldn't be possible for him to play or maybe even be on the bench every week.
 

Beaucoup

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I assume they're doing this to make him happy to sign his first contract with Arsenal?

If other clubs are sniffing around, Arsenal saying "look you will get minutes if you stay".

Bonkers that people can even be getting poached at 16 but I guess that's football.
Correct, once you step over the white line in a 1st game, normal compensation rules can be torn up and his fee will be huge. As mentioned above, Arsenal have lost talent recently, this is obviously an attempt to both keep the player and maximise their asset at the same time.
 

Nani Nana

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This guy could still be playing in 2042 :houllier:
 

TheReligion

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Correct, once you step over the white line in a 1st game, normal compensation rules can be torn up and his fee will be huge. As mentioned above, Arsenal have lost talent recently, this is obviously an attempt to both keep the player and maximise their asset at the same time.
That’s really interesting. Thanks!

I guess playing FIFA and watching football on the TV doesn’t give you that kind of insight. Magic.
 

Ali Dia

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I assume they're doing this to make him happy to sign his first contract with Arsenal?

If other clubs are sniffing around, Arsenal saying "look you will get minutes if you stay".

Bonkers that people can even be getting poached at 16 but I guess that's football.
Thats all it is. He must also be very good for his age if all the other major clubs are lining up to, I assume, offer him major money. It’s a good way to show he’ll be involved from now on. Loyalty and trust should work both ways.
 

Beaucoup

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Thats all it is. He must also be very good for his age if all the other major clubs are lining up to, I assume, offer him major money. It’s a good way to show he’ll be involved from now on. Loyalty and trust should work both ways.
Unfortunately it usually comes down to money, you can talk about pathway and opportunity all day long, the truth is what some clubs will offer, with the right investment, you can be set for life off your 1st contract.
 

BurgerVan

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Just shows how weak their squad is in my opinion.
Nice sour little dig. Bench would usually include White, Tierney/Zinchenko, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos, Nketiah, Holding, Reiss Nelson. Heard of injuries? actually, you haven't had any, yet. They tend to weaken any bench.

Not sure you are in a place to talk about depth, it doesn't take a genius to work out that one long-term injury to Harry Kane and spurs drop about 4 places. I think you would have to go back to Matt Le Tissier to see a club carried as much by an individual.

Touched a nerve? clearly Arsenal actually performing well hurts you son :)
 
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We need an rvn

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Chill out. 15 and 16 year olds making debuts across leagues from Bundesliga to Serie A and on Womens side as well.
True, but girls / women’s bodies tend to mature earlier than boys / men, plus the amount of players the women’s clubs get to select from is far less at the moment.l - so probably more common in the women’s game, at the moment.

I think if anything it’s put more pressure on the kid from now on, personally speaking. Had he been a Rooney talent for instance he’d have come on with 30 to go, score and start the next match.

probably more contract / media attention for some reason we don’t know yet
 

footyfan019

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He is very similar to Wilshere and is been followed by Liverpool and City. This sub was purely political to keep him happy. At 15-16 it's very difficult to predict how his career would go, let's hope he does well.
 

balaks

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Nice sour little dig. Bench would usually include White, Tierney/Zinchenko, Elneny, Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos, Nketiah, Holding, Reiss Nelson. Heard of injuries? actually, you haven't had any, yet. They tend to weaken any bench.

Not sure you are in a place to talk about depth, it doesn't take a genius to work out that one long-term injury to Harry Kane and spurs drop about 4 places. I think you would have to go back to Matt Le Tissier to see a club carried as much by an individual.
Touched a nerve there!
 

Cloud7

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Surprised at how much this has upset a lot of people here :lol:
 

Mogget

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Bad judgement by Arteta to play him today imo, what with Prince Andrew also being in London.
 

DWelbz19

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He is a genuinely top talent in that age bracket. He is too young to sign professional terms and we are reportedly worried about him leaving for a club that will fast track him into the first team so I think we're just giving him a taste of what this is like. With nine bench players it doesn't really matter.
What position does he play?
 

Cloud7

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I know. That said I’m surprised that The Queen passing away has caused an uproar here too.

The start of a cycle of life and the end. Caf hates both.
The Caf can find a reason to be upset about anything, and a reason to argue about anything. Truly is a one of a kind place :lol:
 

Cascarino

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Absolutely serious. The second the kid was brought on, his childhood was effectively over. While still in his puberty, he will never be able to experience actual privacy or any sort of environment without pressure. It’s become more and more difficult for him to socialise with his peers. And all that for a very loose promise of what might someday become a career.
It’s not ok and no kid should be put into a situation like this.
While I totally get the reasoning behind this thinking, does this extend to all equatable scenarios? Would you have child actors banned? No more kids shows? Magnus Carlsen prohibited from becoming a grandmaster at 13? or the Norwegian Chess Champion at 15?
 

Pogue Mahone

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While I totally get the reasoning behind this thinking, does this extend to all equatable scenarios? Would you have child actors banned? No more kids shows? Magnus Carlsen prohibited from becoming a grandmaster at 13? or the Norwegian Chess Champion at 15?
I presume the difference is that this kid could very easily have been shielded from this exposure that today will bring. It wasn’t necessary or inevitable in the same way as the other examples you mention.
 

Bale Bale Bale

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honestly thought there was a rule that you have to be 16. Playing 15 year olds just feels wrong.
Yeah I thought that too.

Being a minor he wouldn't have even been allowed to get changed in the same dressing room as the first team as far as I know.
 

Sandikan

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You've got to be some talent to be getting on the pitch in the premier league at 15!
More confident with him being at Arsenal than Chelsea.

If he was at Chelsea he'd be loaned out 12 times and end up in league 2 at 27.
 

Sandikan

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honestly thought there was a rule that you have to be 16. Playing 15 year olds just feels wrong.
Nope. I remember Etherington played at 15 for Peterborough and they had to ask permission from his school!
 

Chief123

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I’m too busy being pissed off about the Queen dying than having any energy to be peed off about this.