Ross Barkley Quotes

I was a promising keeper as a kid and, at 15 and 16, was on the books of Crewe Alexandra.

I began my journey as a 16-year-old boy at the Arsenal's academy, trying to one day become a first team player, going out for evening runs in East Barnet with Jack Wilshere.

There's been a lot come through at Everton: Wayne Rooney, obviously, and lately, Victor Anichebe has made it, James Vaughan, and the likes of myself.

When I first arrived at Napoli, I was the ball boy, which meant that I got to watch as the legends trained. Then, once I joined the youth team as a young teenager, I was a midfielder just like Tardelli.

Me being at Coventry, instead of a big Premier League club, probably helped me develop. You don't get put in the academy system, playing Under-18s and Under-23s.

I got my first taste of real professional football on loan at Northampton. I was 18 at the time, and I played only nine games, but it was a massive opportunity for me.

Coming through the youth ranks at Fulham is a great honour to me.

In Holland you go into amateur teams, come up through the ranks and are generally spotted for senior or professional football. At 16, I had made it into a men's amateur team, and was picked up professionally from there.

I got scouted at six by Everton. My parents said it was maybe a bit too young. A year later, I went down to trials at Everton and have been there ever since.

I played for Barcelona, for Ajax, where it's important to develop and integrate young talent.

I started in League One and went up into the Championship and then into the Premier League, so I've played a lot of games from quite a young age.

I've played for England Under-21s, in the Under-20 World Cup and I've been part of the play-offs in the Championship. But in terms of helping my career and getting me ready, going to Cheltenham Town was a massive experience.

There has been a great list of players who cut their teeth in Europe.

I wish Michael Sam nothing but the best in his quest to become a star in the NFL, and I am confident he will get the opportunity to show what he can do on the field.

People in Real ask me about Mateo Kovacic all the time. He is a phenomenal talent and will play in some of the biggest clubs. Inter is a big club, no doubt, but Kovacic will play in even bigger.

My two years at Juve were fantastic. I was just a lad when I arrived, and I was a real footballer when I left.

If we are encouraging kids to go into academies, then presumably we are selling them the dream that they can play first-team football.

Little details about young footballers catch your eye when you have been around a big club for a long time. At first, it can be minor things, like the way certain young players stand out from the group when the academy lads cross paths with the senior team on their way to training in the morning.

For me, playing through all the youth teams at Borussia Dortmund was a really good experience because I was able to play against talented opponents at a relatively early age.

I was playing first-team football at Cardiff at 16.

I've said it once: I would love to someday play in La Liga at one of the greats. I see their league each week. It suits my style.

I learnt so much at Coventry - I was playing as a regular at 17, most weeks. And that's something that left me in good stead.

Once you have had 10 seasons at this level, the next season is not going to be so different. For a young player with only 20 appearances in the Premier League there is an opportunity to improve.

I started lower down the leagues with Coventry, so I'd had that taste of first-team action at a young age. I'd already played 40 or 50 games before moving on, and when I got to Norwich, I had to bide my time at the start.

Since I made my debut at Sheffield United, I felt like I could step on and climb the leagues.