Mesut Ozil is certain that Arsenal’s youngsters will be better for their first tour - just as he was.
The playmaker was still a teenager when he was selected to train with hometown club Schalke’s senior squad.
Ozil still has fond memories of making his breakthrough, and now he’s helping Arsenal's inexperienced players feel at home in the Far East.
"The young players are enjoying being part of the squad - you can see that off the pitch too. They laugh a lot, they are happy and they feel at ease"
“Of course [tours are] very important for young players as they can develop themselves,” Ozil told Arsenal Player at the launch of the new PUMA away kit. “I can still remember training with the professionals and I wanted to prove myself and show that I could keep up with them.
“That’s the same today. The young players are enjoying being part of the squad - you can see that off the pitch too. They laugh a lot, they are happy and they feel at ease. That’s the most important thing.”
Ozil is enjoying his first trip to Singapore.
“I’m enjoying it here,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve visited Singapore and the people are extremely friendly, the weather is good and we’re enjoying it. We’re looking forward to our task here and the way our fans have supported us is incredible.
“The people support us from so far and wide, and they don’t always have the opportunities to watch matches live or to see the players in person.
“These tours give them the opportunity to get close to the players and support them, or even to watch them live. That’s why it’s really important.
“We saw it at open training - so many fans were there and really enjoyed seeing us. That makes us very proud.”
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