"When I arrived, Arsene Wenger spoke a lot with me and was keen to let me know what was expected of me, Eboue said. He knew it was going to be difficult for me at first, but he said he believed in me, and that was all that mattered. You know, when Arsene Wenger says that to you, you know you're going to be OK. All he wanted was for me to give my best."
"At the very beginning, it was hard for me to get into the team because Lauren was already at the club, and was such a great player who had done so much in his career. But I said to him, very early on, Lauren, listen to me I'm here to play. I'm not here to sit on the bench. He was laughing at me, and I wanted to let him know that I was serious."
Emmanuel Eboue joined Arsenal from Belgian club Beveren as a young, promising right-back. Arsene Wenger provided guidance, reassurance, and belief in Eboue's potential. Initial first-team chances were limited because Lauren was an established, highly accomplished right-back who had been part of the unbeaten 2003/04 side and earlier double-winning squad. Eboue insisted early that he had come to play rather than sit on the bench, which prompted Lauren to laugh before offering support. Eboue's persistence, ambition, and Wenger's backing enabled him to overcome the competition and eventually become Arsenal's first-choice right-back.
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