Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Ife Ibrahim spoke to us recently, and here's how the young midfielder's reflected on playing at the Emirates, learning from Declan Rice and aiming high.
My first season as a scholar has been really positive. There’s been a lot of learning, and every day at the training ground offers something new, both on and off the pitch.
One of the standout moments has to be the FA Youth Cup quarter-final against Manchester United at the Emirates. It was an absolute privilege to play there, and being in front of the fans made it even more special. It’s an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life – the highlight of my career so far. I thought we performed really well as a team. Although we narrowly lost, we gave everything out there.
The whole day was unforgettable. From stepping into the changing room, which was surreal, to staying at the team hotel, everything was top class. The facilities were incredible. Walking out onto the pitch at the Emirates, it felt so much bigger than what we’re used to at the Sobha Realty Training Centre. I had loads of family in the stands, and even some of my schoolmates came down to support us – that meant a lot.
But it wasn’t just the Emirates that stood out. I really enjoyed playing at Hertford Town in the third round of the Youth Cup as well. The atmosphere was completely different – fans shouting and jeering at us – but we thrived off that energy. It was a proper football environment and one we embraced.
The under-18s are on a good run at the moment – six wins on the bounce – and we’re taking it game by game. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, but of course winning the Under-18s Premier League would be a dream. Right now we’re focused on staying prepared and ready for whoever we face. At the start of the season we were a bit inconsistent, but now we’ve hit our stride. That’s a credit to how we train day in, day out. Adam Birchall constantly drives high standards and reminds us that no one should train harder than us. Off the pitch we also hold ourselves to high standards, and I think that discipline shows in how we perform on the pitch.
Playing alongside someone like Max Dowman has been brilliant – he’s a special talent, and the sky is the limit for him. He’s still young and learning every day. It’s inspiring to see players like Max playing above their age group. Then you’ve got Ethan and Myles featuring for the first team – we all look at that and use it as motivation. They’ve been consistent in their performances and are proving why they deserve their place in the starting XI.
"Declan is always encouraging, making people feel welcome. He's a top pro with an elite mentality."
I’ve had quite a few opportunities to train with the first team, which has been a massive learning experience, especially working with someone like Declan Rice, who plays in a similar position. He’s always encouraging, always making people feel welcome. He’s a top professional with an elite mentality, and you can see why he’s had such an impact since joining the club. He’s a real leader – he’ll give me pointers on things like body shape and positioning, which has been so helpful.
Looking ahead, my goals for the rest of the season are to hopefully win the league with the under-18s and, fingers crossed, get the chance to play at the Emirates again. I’d also love the opportunity to step up and play for the under-21s if it comes – but ultimately, it’s all in God’s timing.
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