Spending the season on loan at Hull City, Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden talks about his time and what he has experienced with the Tigers so far, admitting that ‘leaving Arsenal has helped him focus on football’, according to the Hull Daily Mail.
Being a London boy all his life, the youngster spoke about the new experiences he’s encountered outside of his busy London life, in his time thus far at Hull.
It’s been fantastic in that sense, you soon get used to living on your own away from home.
This has been my first time living away from London. It’s a lot different.
In my first week I was driving along and there was cows in the middle of the road. I was like ‘Really?’ You don’t get that in the centre of London.
It’s very different but I’m enjoying it. I like it, it’s quiet. You don’t have the hustle and bustle of people like you do in London. That allows me to focus 110 per cent on what it is I want to achieve.
That’s playing football and developing my game.
After Arsene Wenger himself recommended Hayden to Hull City manager Steve Bruce, the midfielder has quickly settled in at the KC Stadium.
With an expected Arsenal first team breakthrough, Hayden spent almost all of last season on the sidelines with an injury, but returned to the pitch sharper, with more opportunities than before.
In terms of learning, it’s a very fine line.
It depends on your age. If you’re 17 or 18 then it’s best to be at Arsenal training with the first team and learning from the best, some of the world’s top players.
As soon as you hit 19 or 20, that almost becomes second fiddle because you’ve learned all you can from training sessions. That’s when you need to learn how to deal with it in a game. That’s why I’m happy to have come here.
The 20-year-old went on to talk about his childhood as a young footballer, and what key decisions he had to make.
I was 14 when I joined Arsenal. I’d been at Southend before from the age of under-10s.
We played Arsenal in a friendly at under-13s and they said they’d take me.
They were my team growing up because my idol was Patrick Vieira. I always watched his game and studied what he did.
As soon as I got the nod, and the choice between Man United and Arsenal, it was an easy decision. I said ‘Drive me there now!’ as soon as I knew they were interested. It felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Man United were keen, but when you’re 13 and living in London with your parents, it was a no brainer.
Isaac made a handful of senior appearances for the Gunners, his first coming away to West Brom in the Capital One Cup at the Hawthorns as an 18-year-old. He was named as a sub a month later in Germany as Arsenal defeated Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in the Champions League.
It’s an almighty experience. You’ve literally got the best of everything. Nothing is barred. We’ve got the best facilities, top level coaches, the best technology and one of the best managers in giving young players a chance.
When me and Chuba (Akpom) were coming through we had Steve Bould as youth team manager for a year. That says it all really.
Having that year, we learned so much from him. And then with him moving into the first team, there’s a pathway to the first team. You feel like you’ve got that chance and it’s up to you to take it.
Hayden was accompanied by Akpom as they rose through the Arsenal and England ranks together, with only months between them.
We’ve been through a lot together as players, we’ve been together since under-14s, been in first-team squads together for the first time, England through the ages, all sorts of things.
We’re both strong enough characters that we don’t need to be around each other all the time.
We can hang around with different people. We’ve had dinner together a few times but it’s not like we’re together every day just because I know him well.
When you’ve been playing with someone for so long, rooming together with England, that’s just how it is. We’re not a 24/7 married couple. People think we’re bound to be together all the time but we’re strong enough characters to stand on our own feet.
Arsenal will be keeping a close eye on Hayden this season as he’s expected to flourish at the KC, it’s a great opportunity for the youngster to show the management team what he’s about, and how he can contribute to the first team.
