This Arsenal Invincible laughed at me when I first joined. I ended up replacing him in the starting XI
Former Arsenal right-back Emmanuel Eboue has admitted that legendary Gunners Invincibles star Lauren laughed at him when he first joined.
Eboue was not a big name when he arrived at Arsenal, joining as a youngster from Belgian club Beveren after catching the eye of Arsene Wenger.
The Ivorian looked like a promising talent, but he was always likely to struggle to get into Wenger’s starting line up with an experienced name like Lauren in there.
The former Cameroon international was a key part of Arsenal’s Invincibles side that won the Premier League title unbeaten in 2003/04, while he’d also been in that double-winning squad from two years earlier.
Eboue has now admitted, speaking to Ladbrokes at the launch of Ladisfaction, that Lauren laughed at him when he first arrived and told him he wanted to be a starter.
Emmanuel Eboue on Lauren laughing at him at Arsenal
“When I arrived, Arsene Wenger spoke a lot with me and was keen to let me know what was expected of me,” Eboue said.
“He knew it was going to be difficult for me at first, but he said he believed in me, and that was all that mattered. You know, when Arsene Wenger says that to you, you know you’re going to be OK. All he wanted was for me to give my best.
“At the very beginning, it was hard for me to get into the team because Lauren was already at the club, and was such a great player who had done so much in his career. But I said to him, very early on, “Lauren, listen to me… I’m here to play. I’m not here to sit on the bench.
“He was laughing at me, and I wanted to let him know that I was serious. You know, even though I was still so young, I wanted to play. And even though he was the person I was fighting against for a place in the team, he helped me so much… he made everything so easy for me.”
Emmanuel Eboue ended up being Arsenal’s first choice
Eboue arrived at Arsenal in January 2005 and it took some time for him to become first choice, but he grabbed his opportunity with both hands when Lauren got injured the following season.
AFC fans will fondly remember Eboue being part of that makeshift back four that proved rock-solid in that memorable 2005/06 run to the Champions League final.
Eboue was one of the unsung heroes of that run, along with fellow youngster Philippe Senderos, and Mathieu Flamini playing out of position as a left-back.
Arsenal continued to use Eboue as their first choice at right-back the following season, but he was then moved further forward when Bacary Sagna joined.
This led to a loss of form for Eboue, who was once dealt the indignity of being substituted off by Wenger having being subbed on in the first place because things were going so badly for him.
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