Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed the heart-warming way Jack Porter’s family reacted when they were told the teenager was starting his first-ever game for the Gunners.
Porter became the youngest player in Arsenal’s history when he turned out between the sticks during Wednesday night’s 5-1 Carabao Cup victory against League One Bolton Wanderers.
It was somewhat unavoidable, given first-choice goalkeeper David Raya was injured and back-up Neto, who only joined the side this summer, was cup-tied due to his exploits with Bournemouth in an earlier round.
While he might not have had much to do on a quiet evening against Bolton, Arteta spoke glowingly of the 16-year-old during his post-match interview.
On the teen, Arteta commented: “Well, we told him yesterday and he was over the moon straight away.
“I think he spoke to his family and they weren’t prepared for that. It’s a big step, it’s a big occasion for them and I think they were nervous about it.
“But I think he reacted really well, he was really composed yesterday in training and today as well. His teammates really helped him as well on that. What an experience and what a way to break a record…
“Jack has been training with us since pre-season and we were confident that he could do the role. Obviously, he plays in the national team. We’ve seen what he can do and we believe it was the right choice.”
Before adding: “There are a few [young players heading into school in the morning]. There are a few that are going to have to be there. I think it’s going to be great.
“They were buzzing after the game. They spoke to the players just to thank them as well. It was a nice moment.”
On the impact the academy players – all six of them in total – had on the contest, Arteta added: “Yes, a really positive night in every sense, the result, the performance. We gave minutes as well to our senior players and they really showed a lot of quality tonight.
“And on top of that, as you said, we gave the opportunity to quite a lot of academy players, they responded really well and it’s just so fulfilling to see their faces, their reaction, how much it means to them. So, great night.”
Arsenal return to action this weekend when Leicester City visit the Emirates Stadium, before a tasty tie against Paris Saint-Germain in mid-week.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk