IPSWICH SHOWED FAITH IN ME SAYS JOSH, 19
WHILE West Ham United made him feel expendable, Josh Emmanuel says Ipswich Town have showed the patience he required after they whisked him away from London as a youngster.
The 19-year-old defender made his first-team bow for the Tractor Boys last season, but he was initially a Hammer before moving to East Anglia in 2011.
The move came about only after West Ham were reluctant to take into account a debilitating condition he started to suffer during his adolescent years.
“I suffered from OsgoodSchlatter disease – growing pains, basically – and it did affect me quite badly at the time,” Emmanuel revealed.
“I did a lot of growing in a relatively short space of time, and even now I’ve still got lumps in both knees.
“I got it in what was my last season with West Ham. They made it clear that I had only a certain amount of time in which to prove myself if I wanted to remain there.
“My dad wasn’t happy and took me out of the club. Then, Ipswich came along.”
It was a twist of fate that has so far paid off for Emmanuel, who is out to prove himself before his contract runs out at the end of this season.
And, after experiencing the atmosphere of Old Trafford in an EFL Cup defeat to Manchester United last season, the teenager is hungry for more.
“Hopefully I’ll be going there a lot more in the future,” he added.
“I’m talking about going back to play there – in fact, at all the big grounds.
“That’s my main focus and it should be everyone’s focus, to play at the highest level.
“It drives me forward every day.
“For me it’s about setting new challenges, new goals – that’s my vision.”