Emile Smith Rowe interview: ‘I’m shy but I turn into a monster on the pitch’

Emile Smith Rowe is the self-confessed “shy” young man who becomes something else when he steps onto a football pitch. “I kind of just turn into a monster,” the 24-year-old explains. “I just try to let it all out. I just try to put in as good a performance as I can. I try to play every game as if it is my last. I just try to give everything for the team. That’s important.”

It is, surely, also exhausting to play like that? “No, not really,” Smith Rowe says. “Because I am so relaxed and reserved my energy builds up. So, when the game comes I am ready to release it all.”

This is Smith Rowe’s first major interview since leaving Arsenal, where he had been since he was nine, where he was one of the great success stories of the club’s famed Hale End Academy, and where he was loved by the fans, and crossing London to join Fulham for a club record fee that could rise to £34million.

‘It was probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make’

Why did he go? It is simple. He needed to re-find that release. He needed to play again. Needed to be a monster once more. “I can’t remember an actual, exact moment,” Smith Rowe says when asked if there was a particular time this year when he realised he had to leave Arsenal.

“But for the last two seasons I haven’t played as much as I wanted to and it was always in the back of my mind that I wanted to be happy again,” he adds. “I wanted to be playing. Sometimes you have to think of the best for yourself. I always want to put my club first but at the same time I have to make myself happy. It was probably the toughest decision I’ve had to make (to leave). But I spoke to my family and we decided it was the best thing for me.”

Smith Rowe broke through at Arsenal with Bukayo Saka in Mikel Arteta’s first season in charge in 2020-21. He made such an impact that he was fast-tracked into the England senior squad, following Saka, earning three caps.

He took the legendary number 10 shirt at Arsenal after Mesut Ozil left; with Saka awarded the number seven. The two were intertwined, it seemed. They even had a song – to the tune of Status Quo’s ‘Rocking All Over the World’ – together. And then injuries struck. First serious ones; then niggly ones.

“Really difficult. Definitely,” Smith Rowe says. “Ups and downs with injuries and then getting back fit and then not getting the opportunities that I obviously wanted. But at the same time Arsenal were pushing to win the league. So I had to wait and be patient. It was really tough. My family were there for me and I tried to stay as positive as I could. But it’s football and these things happen.

“Coming through the academy all you want to do is just play for your club and when you are not getting the opportunities there is only so much you can take. Like I said there is no bad feelings or anything. I am still supporting them, I still talk to a few of the boys. It’s all love.”

That love extends to playing once more. Smith Rowe has made an immediate difference at Fulham, who are flying ahead of hosting Aston Villa on Saturday, and the attacking midfielder is back among the goals. Recalling his first in Fulham colours – in the 2-1 win over Leicester City - brings a broad grin.

“It was a relief. Just because I haven’t had a feeling like in a long time,” of scoring for the first time since he played for England Under-21s on the way to winning the European Championship in June last year. He had not scored for Arsenal since April 2022.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling. Just knowing that you have scored the goal and everyone is looking at you. I have really missed that feeling. It’s literally addictive. You want to know what it’s like tomorrow and the next day,” Smith Rowe says.

Fulham’s other goal-scorer against Leicester was Alex Iwobi. Along with Bernd Leno he is a former Arsenal team-mate at Fulham. As is Reiss Nelson – who Smith Rowe has known since he was nine – and who joined on loan on deadline day. “I was so happy for him as he deserves the chance,” he says.

Iwobi and Leno messaged Smith Rowe during the summer when talk started that he would leave. “But obviously I could not say anything at the time,” he admits, apologising for “ghosting” them. But their presence helped him make his decision as he discusses why he chose Fulham even if he insists it would have “gelled straight away” anyway at such a “family” club.

“Just the project that the manager (Marco Silva) spoke to me about. I spoke to him in the summer and we had a really good conversation about the opportunities I would get, where I would be playing and the freedom to express myself. That really sucked me into the project,” Smith Rowe explains. “It was mainly that and knowing there were some players here already that I knew would help me settle in.

“He (Silva) is very intense. Very detailed in what he wants and what he does so I’m really happy with the training and the games and the tactics. It’s been amazing and learning stuff. I have been with one manager for a long time so coming out of my comfort zone and seeing a different environment and learning new things.”

The aim this season? A top half finish for sure and then? We want to push for Europe eventually,” Smith Rowe says. “But for me there is no limit when it comes to setting targets. I am really confident in the team.”

That freedom to express himself means much to Smith Rowe who emerged from the cage football culture of south London. His family home backed on to a park in Thornton Heath, Croydon.

“After school, at the weekends. With my (older) brother (Jamal) and my dad, the neighbours,” he says. “I would jump over our back garden fence and there was a river in-between. I can visualise it now. I had to jump over the river to get to the cage. We played there for hours until it was dark. Sometimes the lights would come on. That was pretty much my childhood.”

Is that where he honed his distinctive skills and that competitive instinct; that desire to be a “monster” on the pitch?

“I would say so,” Smith Rowe says. “Just little turns and stuff, dribbling. In cage football there are obviously no rules. People just do what they want. There’s concrete as well so no-one wants to fall over and it got very competitive at times as well. That’s where I get that from. I always want to win.”

But how does that tally with being, as he admits, shy? “I am obviously quite a reserved person anyway. I am quite shy and stuff,” Smith Rowe says. “I think it’s just off the pitch, really. I feel really comfortable on the pitch. Off the pitch I just keep myself to myself. I am not the loudest person. It’s just having that good balance.

“I try to just cancel out all the noise. Of course there is going to be pressure from outside, social media and stuff, but you try not to think about it. And obviously coming from Arsenal as well there’s always going to be conversations about stuff. A lot of attention – ‘how’s he doing?’ – but I just try and focus on myself.”

He feels no burden at being Fulham’s record signing. “No, I don’t feel pressure, to be honest. Even at Arsenal wearing the number 10 that was enough pressure already. That was a lot of pressure but I tried not to think about it,” Smith Rowe says. “Coming here as the record signing doesn’t really bother me. I just want to make sure I am fully fit and performing.”

Naturally there is a point to prove and maybe lost time to make up for.

“For sure. Everyone knows that I haven’t really played for the past two seasons,” he adds. “They obviously saw glimpses when I broke into the Arsenal team and making my England debut as well. When I prove that I can get back to my top level I want to keep improving. A target will be to get back into the England squad but I am not trying to think about that too much now.

“For me it’s important to be playing and get back into the rhythm and make sure I am fully fit. Things happen but I want to make sure I am on top of everything and don’t get any more injuries.”

England is an ambition – as Silva said – and Smith Rowe, also a World Cup winner for the Under-17s, says he has “belief and confidence” because he has seen so many of the players he came through with, from Phil Foden to Angel Gomes, given a chance.

Giving something back

Interestingly Smith Rowe embraces the concept of footballers as ‘role models’. In fact he raises the phrase himself, when he talks about appreciating the fans and discusses the importance of “giving something back”. It follows on from both his parents – Les and Fiona – working in social care.

“Having both of them as teachers and carers it was kind of important for me to understand the importance of giving something back. My dad is heavily involved in stuff like that,” Smith Rowe says.

“At Christmas he is always at the social clubs and looking after the kids and stuff which is nice to see. I try to give back as much as I can and that’s really important as a footballer. We are in the position to do that.

“It’s a busy schedule but when you do have time you have to understand different environments and different lives. Even just through a conversation or a Zoom call. It can pretty much change someone’s life. I love doing stuff like that.”

But, again, how does that tally with being shy? “It’s difficult. But I am pretty much used to it now. My parents have been on to me since I was 18, 19,” Smith Rowe admits as he recalls going to the Arsenal Hub, next to the Emirates Stadium, on Christmas Day, which is a haven for young people.

“I went in and them seeing me as an Arsenal player it was a great day for them. Little things like that are good and I definitely need to start getting back into it now that I am settled (at Fulham),” he says.

And, clearly, Smith Rowe is settled. And thriving. And back. “Yeah, I can’t really speak highly enough of everything around me: the club, all the staff. I am really happy. There’s a massive smile on my face,” he says. And there is.