afc Sanchez Watt " I could have been the next Crazy Titch"

[Guest Tulse Hill]

When Sanchez Watt made his first start for Arsenal against West Bromwich Albion last September he made sure it was a debut to remember.The 18-year-old forward scored in the 68th minute guaranteeing the Gunners’ progress through to the fourth round of the League Cup.Alongside the likes of Theo Walcott and Jack Wilshire, Sanchez is now considered one of Arsenal’s great English hopes but the young Londoner’s life could have easily taken a wrong turn.In an exclusive interview with Goal.com UK, Sanchez Watt revealed how the French manager helped him escape the lure of drugs and gangs in east London and why he’s now swapped the comfort zone of the Emirates for a month-long loan spell League One’s Southend. “It’s not an easy life in Hackney,” says Watt of the deprived East End borough where he grew up. “A lot of people are doing crime or living on the street but I never liked that life."I know quite a lot of footballers that I used to play alongside on the local concrete pitch and they took the wrong path.“Some of them are smoking or selling drugs but these days they say to me ‘make sure you stick with football, it’s healthy and it helps you look after your family’.“I wouldn’t want to be on the street where you can end up in prison and on drugs but I know that if I wasn’t here [at Arsenal] that’s what I’d be doing.” Born to a Jamaican father and Welsh mother, as a schoolboy Herschel Oulio Sanchez Watt was regarded as one of the most promising youngsters in the country and even Barcelona were interested in him.He was spotted by an Arsenal scout while playing for Senrab FC, the Sunday League side renowned for producing talents such as John Terry, Sol Campbell and Jermain Defoe.Last season Watt was a key player in the Arsenal Under-18 team which, under club legend Steve Bould, won the league and FA Youth Cup double. Then last year, the winger-cum-striker announced himself with that debut goal for the Gunners.“That felt good,” says Watt, smiling. “At the time I was more relieved that we were winning but then afterwards everyone was congratulating me and it really struck home - I’d actually scored on my debut!”

[anelka]

lolAlso lol at Barca being interested in Herschel..

[Doug]

lol