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Pressure may be ramping up on Mikel Arteta to bring more silverware to Arsenal but Theo Walcott, speaking at a Premier League community event, believes the club’s definition of success extends beyond trophies
Theo Walcott talks to young children about the importance of self-esteem
Theo Walcott insists silverware is not the be-all and end-all for Arsenal this season.
And that’s because former wideman Walcott reckons the journey rather than the destination is what matters most for Mikel Arteta’s players.
The Gunners visit Newcastle on Wednesday looking to overturn a two-goal deficit in their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Their big weekend win over Manchester City maintained a six-point gap to leaders Liverpool and stretched their unbeaten league run to 14 games, while a last-16 Champions League tie also awaits next month.
There is a growing expectation that Arteta, who won the FA Cup in his first season in charge, must start delivering more trophies to north London after five years of steady progress.
But Walcott takes the opposite view, stressing that patience is required towards both the manager and a squad featuring several youngsters. He even thinks that the game as a whole places too great an emphasis on silverware.
“It’s achievable for Arsenal but I always get the sense we look at the negative side,” he says. “It’s not just about trophies. Yes, it’s great to win trophies but not many players win anything. Making it to this level is a win for me, it doesn’t have to be rewarded with trophies.
“Winning is great, of course it is, but you have to have a lot of thick skin and people should recognise it’s already an achievement to be there. People forget how difficult it is, how the league is developing and how it is harder to win things. Patience is the key. With it the trophies will come.”
As a former wonderkid burdened with huge expectations by going to a World Cup aged 16, Walcott feels a particular affinity towards breakthrough teenagers Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
He has been particularly impressed by Nwaneri’s recent performances in his old position and adds: “He’ll in time lift a Premier League trophy, wherever that may be. And for me this is an opportunity and experience for him to try and win the league that will help him and other people.”
But he reckons landing a league title has become even more difficult than in recent seasons because Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have brought a surprise element. “We’re seeing a lot of teams in different positions. You wouldn’t have imagined at the start of the season where United, Tottenham, Forest and Bournemouth are,” he says.
“It shows how great the league is and we’re learning that it’s a lot more open. Everyone is learning from each other. And that means it’ll be harder for Arsenal to win it.”
As Children’s Mental Health Week gets under way, the Premier League is today launching a new mental health education resource focused on how young people can build their self-esteem.
The free resource – available to over 19,000 primary schools across England and Wales – contains guidance for young people on what self-esteem is, as well as tips on how they can build confidence and increase their resilience through key tools such as such as accepting mistakes, trying new things and positive self-talk.
It is available here.
Walcott was speaking at Christ the King Catholic Primary School in north London as part of a Premier League campaign for Children’s Mental Health Week.
He recalls being so shy off the pitch as a youngster that he would talk in front of a camera to boost his confidence and stresses empathy is more important than ever because “there are a lot more things for the younger generation to deal with now, more things to distract people.”
His awareness partly stems from continuing to see a therapist every week. “It’s really important,” he says. “A lot of people hear sports therapist and think, ‘Oh, what’s going on?’ But it’s not always like that. You can have therapists based on performance but it can just be something to help you learn about yourself, it helps your growth and what you’re doing in life. I’m still learning as I go.”
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