Source: TheGuardian
Rolando Aarons: 'I’m not in this for money … I want to be a top player'
Wycombe winger on loan from Newcastle on battling negative perceptions and using Wyscout to help him get back to the topRolando Aarons is rowing back to his Newcastle debut five years ago, smiling as he tells a story that is largely immaterial, a footnote from that day at St James’ Park against Manchester City, but one that speaks volumes of his understated character nevertheless. “I tried to get [Sergio] Agüero’s shirt but [Massadio] Haïdara had already asked him,” Aarons says, a little sheepishly. “I was scared to ask players for their shirt. Unless I knew them, I wouldn’t ask, so all of the shirts I have now are players that I know.”As a result Aarons, who joined the League One high flyers Wycombe Wanderers on loan in September after being left out of Newcastle’s 25-man Premier League squad, has only a handful of swapped shirts: jerseys worn by Bobby Reid, who also grew up in Easton, in inner-city Bristol, Yannick Bolasie, his former teammates Ivan Toney and Adam Armstrong, and Raheem Sterling, who was also born in Kingston and acts as a source of inspiration. “He is like superman right now,” Aarons says. “He’s matured and found his mojo. I’ve spoken to him about that [his form]. He said he’s learnt to ignore everyone else and focus on himself and that’s what I’ve been trying to do. He is a massive, massive sort of role model to every kid like me. Raheem has been there and done it. Even though he is only a year older than me, which is crazy; it seems like he has been around for at least 10 years.” Related: MPs say EFL should pay ‘reparations’ to expelled Bury players and staff Continue reading......read full article
