Cohen Bramall has revealed he was ‘gobsmacked’ when he arrived at Arsenal’s training ground for his trial and thanked Gunners’ scout Brian McDermott for giving him the opportunity to impress Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal are yet to confirm the deal that sees the 20-year-old swap Hednesford Town’s 6,000 capacity Keys Park stadium for the Emirates but the left-back says he’s already moved out of his mum’s house and is looking forward to challenging for a first team place in pre-season.
Reflecting on his big break, Bramall told Sky Sports News: “I drove in there and then I saw Arsenal Football Club, I was absolutely gobsmacked. It was like a dream. It was so weird.
“I was with the first team on the Thursday and the Friday. My eyes just lit up straight away. I had to do my job. I just played to the best of my ability. Used my speed a lot overlapping from left-back and tried to get my body out there in front of Wenger.
“He came up to me after the session and it was literally a ‘hi, nice to meet you’. And he said ‘I like how you play’. Just them words, you don’t get that a lot do you. It’s amazing.”
“I’m speechless. I’ve just been on the phone to my sister and she can’t believe what’s happened.”
Bramall also revealed the role McDermott, who in the last seven years has twice managed Reading and coached Leeds United, played in organising the opportunity to showcase his talents alongside the Gunners first team.
“Brian McDermott… he’s done class. He’s given me the opportunity. I’m so grateful for it.
“I’ve already moved out [of home]! It’s going to be a big task but I think I can do it. Over the next six months I’m going to work physically and mentally and be ready for pre-season and hopefully break into the first team.”
You can watch a snippet of Bramall’s interview with Sky Sports News, here.
Some faint Koscielny parallels here. Here’s hoping…
If true, then what a story; I hope it all works out beautifully, as we need a breath of fresh air amidst the obscene spending of oil Sheikhs, Chinese, and Russian oligarchs.
Really when you think about it…this is what the game is meant to be about. Not the money. But getting to highest standard you can in the sport we all love. I love just playing 6 a side. Imagine being scouted for Arsenal. Bloody mental and good luck lad!!
Good luck lad!
Living the dream. Even that small of a comment from Arsene would make me weak in the knees – I can’t imagine the flurry of emotions he must be going through. Hopefully he works hard and surprises us all.
All the best to him!
I really like reading these fairytale stories. Much more than paying over inflated prices for overrated english players like the Citehs of this world do. Stones anyone?
Hope he does well.
you are hoping Stones does well?
I’m genuinely excited about purchasing a lower league player, despite knowing nothing about him. Might sound a bit perverse, but this sort of dream-come-true story brings back some of the old romance about football from my childhood. It makes a refreshing change from always bringing in players who have established themselves overseas (though a nice balance is good) or snapping up all the best players in this country while they are still children. Good to know that there’s still room for someone to work hard elsewhere and then still get a dream move at the grand old age of 20.… Read more »
Agreed 100%. Romance in football isn’t dead!
…and if the romance is ever dead, Chelsea, City and the others killed it.
Nothing perverse about it. This is why the sport is still so fascinating and one likes this club so much.
He doesn’t even have his own wiki page. Hope it works out for him and the club
That’s all I love in Wenger! No need to always splash the cash! Be smart!
I wish him to succeed, we need a new left back for the post Montreal era…
But that was my dream!!!!
I think you just spoke for all of us!
Good luck to the kid.
Does he have a good measure of Ashley Cole in him before he became Cashley, I mean.
Just watched some footage of him playing and he is clearly a huge talent. Great work by Brian McDermot in getting him on Wengers radar and he may well be Nacho Monreals successor in waiting. At 20 years old that may not be far off, look at Hector now.
I kinda heard about this player… I guess my friend managed to make a custom player with similar name.. He was quite good on fifa with overall attributes of 91 and sprint of 100
Literally none of that happened
Dammit Will Smith and this son of his signing for us!
I live near Hednesford and my mother in law told me about this just before Xmas. After she told me I was thinking what is she on about. But there you go it’s true.
On an otherwise crap – filled workday, this is the sort of story that makes me smile. Best of luck to the young man.
vardy has managed it so why not every one likes a Roy of the Rovers story welcome Cohen Bramall
Fun to see this kind of stuff can still happen. Hope he succeeds, good luck to him 🙂
Quit dreaming! Nacho needs a rest and there’s an FA cup match on soon
Really like reading about things like this – makes me feel good about the club, despite Kroenke et al. Good luck to the lad. I hope his dream comes true and he never has to spend another day on the factory floor!
asked about Cohen’s availability in saturday’s cup game, wenger replied:
“cohen’s a bit gobsmacked at the moment. He will starting running outside after three weeks. I give three weeks because it’s a mild grade of gobsmack.”
asked about Cohen’s availability for saturday’s cup game, wenger replied:
“cohen’s a bit gobsmacked at the moment. He will start running outside after three weeks. I give three weeks because it’s a mild grade of gobsmack.”
WOW FOR YOU… ALL THE BEST. COYG
Bodmas mate, you really need to find a new keyboard with a working caps lock key.
That comment from Arsène though eh? You imagine he says that to everyone he meets the first time but what a man to go up and say it to a 20 year old from the 7th division who you might never even see again if he doesn’t make it. Respect Arsène so much for it. So much to learn from him on the human side.
Imagine the huge cheer he should get should he ever come on as a sub/start his first game. This is fairy tale stuff and good luck to him!
Spurs signing of Alli is a wake-up call to the availability of talent from the lower leagues
Would anyone be kind enough to explain what tier Hednesford Town play in? I know it’s the Northern Premier League Division but I am not quite sure how Divisions work in England. Would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
I love English football, and most of all I love The Arsenal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_football_league_system
The system has a hierarchical format with promotion and relegation between leagues at different levels, allowing even the smallest club the theoretical possibility of ultimately rising to the very top of the system, although in practice it would take a team at the bottom levels at least two decades of consistently finishing at or near the top of each successive league to reach the top level.
First Vardy then this? Man I should get a job in a factory