Keown – 'Carling Cup Youngsters Carry Arsenal Passion'

Martin Keown is, without doubt, one of Arsenal’s most colourful and passionate former players, and although his career finished on a low point, till’ this very day, the Oxford born defender remains loyal to the Club he served so well.

Now working as a part-time scout/coach of the Oxford University Blues, Keown believes part of the commitment he has to Arsenal was developed when he came through the Academy system – something which the 42-year-old thinks will complement the talented Young Guns of today.

“The current crop are brilliant, I think if you can get a young group that come through the system together, they really love the Club – like I’ve always done – and they retain that. Maybe they also give that bit extra.”

The Carling Cup offers a big stage for many of the starlets to perform, but whilst the media heaped praise on Arsène Wenger’s side following the 6-0 drubbing of Sheffield United, Keown enthuses that the ‘pat on the back’ handed out will mean nothing if silverware – of any sort – is not brought to North London

“The future looks very bright for Arsenal, but it’s about ‘can they win something?’. I don’t care what it is, but any trophy. It breeds the winning mentality.”

When quizzed on two of the most impressive names from the pool of talent currently in the ranks, it was home grown Jack Wilshere who took the majority of the praise, yet some was reserved for Mexican striker Carlos Vela.

“I think the lad Wilshere is the one I like, he is quite a small guy, but looks to have bags of pace, and vision. He always seems to have plenty of time on the ball.”

“Vela up front looks awesome in front of goal, he is so calm. His little chip over the goalkeeper (against Sheff Utd) was sublime, he also looks to have a great mentality. That’s the thing you notice around the Club, they are all really nice guys.”

Martin also went on to discuss his role when he spent a season working at Arsenal after retiring, he also talked openly about his career, and why the coaching staff do not get enough praise. The complete interview is available via Arsenal TV and Online.

Article By – J.Sanderson

35 thoughts on “Keown – 'Carling Cup Youngsters Carry Arsenal Passion'

  • October 14, 2008 at 6:10 pm
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    Martin Keown – He is a Legend in my book.
    I love his passion and committment for the club. Real fans appreciate that more than anything else.
    One of my highlights of MK was the occasion at Old Trafford with Van Nistelrooy. I love looking at that picture on the stalls outside Arsenal tube station on matchdays. It really gets me going. That was raw passion and committment. Unfortunate that it was taking as something ugly and unprofessional.
    I hope they show the interview on Asrsenal TV as well as I don;t have ATVO anymore. I hope he comes back to do more coaching too. He is an inspiration to us all.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 6:13 pm
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    Any news on Ogogo Dunne and Rogers?

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  • October 14, 2008 at 7:15 pm
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    Yea the decision was yesterday no news at all

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  • October 14, 2008 at 7:30 pm
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    do you think keown will get involved in management at any stage?
    if not for a first team maybe at a youth/scouting level??

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  • October 14, 2008 at 8:14 pm
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    Ramsey is a Welsh Riquelme, period. Wenger has a gold mine on his hand here. What a talent & his position is as follows in order: Behind Striker, CM, LM, RM, RB, LB. Comments welcomed please

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:08 pm
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    Great article.

    Keown is a knowledgable guy and knows what he’s talking about. I suspect he has a future coaching role in place at Arsenal. Would love to see him and Adams back at the club.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:15 pm
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    yh but adams can never manage arsenal IMO. he defineyly doesnt kno what hes talking abwt. hes too how do you call it….uneducated. he struglled at sum team starting with W wycombe or summin. keown would be class tho.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:21 pm
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    yes ramsey is a potential real world-class player; ditto wilshere, vela and merida IMO
    merida is more riquelme-like tho i think

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:33 pm
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    j did you see ramsey goal for wales u21 against england?

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:51 pm
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    omg what a goal by Ramsey! topclass…

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  • October 14, 2008 at 9:53 pm
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    anyone got a link for the ramswey goal? I need to see it!!!

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:01 pm
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    i missed the england – wales match

    how was wales overall performance???….

    i see dis guy as a replacement for cesc

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:02 pm
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    Its his playmaking skills behind the striker that really impresses the most than his his ball striking.

    Every time he receives the ball in-between the lines to his feet, he was very lethal, in fact so lethal that Cattermole was substituted in 1st half and his replacement Muamba didnt do much better in containing the Arsenal startlet.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:08 pm
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    it’ll probably be up on youtube in a couple of weeks. I missed it 2 :(

    Judgeing from what people have been saying on the 606 forums Wales played really well and have been through out qualifying.

    Ramsey has massive potential, i wasnt sure about him over the pre-season but every time hes played in a competative match so far hes been more than just a little impressive. Hes got pace, technique, good on the ball, good movement, great awereness and vision and knows where the back of the net is. Like Phader said…if Fabregas goes in a couple of seasons, it might not be such a massive loss with Ramsey to set into his place.

    I duno about him being the next Riquelme…not slow enough in my opinion.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:23 pm
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    The England – Wales game was a really great match. Wales were the better team. Even though I am 100% English, I found myself supporting Wales because (a) they deserved to win (b) England had too many Tott**ham players to deserve my support but, most of all (c) because Aaron Ramsey was the best player by a country mile. That goal was sensational, especially seen from the left side, where you could see the massive swerve. He deservedly got the Man of the Match award.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:24 pm
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    Rambo was fucking awesome tonight.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:25 pm
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    Johnny M, i was comparing their killer playmaking skills not everything, but i take your point, he is definately not slow.

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:45 pm
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    Yes they have potential but that is all it is nothing more than that

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  • October 14, 2008 at 10:53 pm
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    Ramsey has much more power than Cesc had when he was 17

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  • October 14, 2008 at 11:01 pm
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    soo u people dont think him and cesc could never form a good partnership in midfield..

    in my opinion i dont think dat would work anyway…

    wot about ramsey playing on left midfield doin the nasri/rosicky role??….cutting inside & so on??

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  • October 14, 2008 at 11:16 pm
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    Ramsey is most effective in the middle. You don’t need just a pure DM and a pure AM.

    You can have combination midfielder playing with each other and interchanging defending and attacking.

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  • October 15, 2008 at 12:12 am
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    yeh but two CM’S in midfield dont really work….look a gerrard and lampard for england…

    plus, most teams these days have atleast one holding midfielder

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  • October 15, 2008 at 4:53 am
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    I rate Ramsey as DM very high for our first Team- he always makes an instant impact. I think next year Denilson will be lucky if he’s still on the sub bench, because ramsey is working hard plus making things happen very fast when he comes on. I don’t know why Wenger doesn’t play him more instead of Denilson, it’s a shame, we need Ramsey, he’s the missing link in all those matches where we looked flat, he brings the spark we’ve too often been missing. Denilson is too lazy where’s the urgency he might ask? Ask Ramsey, the motivation the hard work is something Denilson is missing so badly and therefore the first team more often than not

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  • October 15, 2008 at 5:59 am
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    Nobody carries more Arsenal passion than Martin Keown, so his praise is significant. I hope the current 1st team squad also deserves the same praise… but not at the moment, sadly.

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  • October 15, 2008 at 8:18 am
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    Um..that’s because Gerrard and Lampard are thick. Xavi and Deco were the central midfield combo for Barca when they won the CL and La Liga.

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  • October 15, 2008 at 8:52 am
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    Jay,

    Surely Xavi and Deco had just a little bit of help from Edmilson sitting behind them, doing all the defensive work?

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  • October 15, 2008 at 1:18 pm
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    I would love to see Bergkamp as Manager and Keown as his right hand man. Adams should be in the coaching staff! That would be the ideal people to succeed Wenger.

    With Bergkamp we get attacking play, with Keown we get passion and discipline. Adams can make our defenders better…

    What do you reckon guys?!!

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  • October 15, 2008 at 3:52 pm
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    Gotta love Keown.

    And ofc. I would love that Moushin, hope they all got what it takes!

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  • October 15, 2008 at 4:00 pm
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    Xavi was for the whole season that year and it was a blessing in disguise because they were able to play 2 DM/ball winners between [Motta, Edmilson and Van Bommel] with Deco just in front the 2.

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  • October 15, 2008 at 5:24 pm
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    Ramsey and Fabregas can adapt if they do end up playing together. Just look at how good they are for God’s sake! Oh and don’t bring up Lampard and Gerrard as a counter argument.

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  • October 15, 2008 at 8:07 pm
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    i wouldnt mind….fabregas,ramsey and diaby in midfield to be honest…of even song instead of diaby….but arsene will never play a 4-3-3 formation will he

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  • October 18, 2008 at 4:29 am
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    Ramsey-Cesc have to play. Ramsey is hard working unlike Denilson.

    Denilson is a good guy but he is too casual, we need a fffing warrior.

    Bring on RAMSEY

    Reply

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