ATLANTA BRAVE
Bold switch to MLS was best move of my career says Walkes
IN A state famous for REM and Gone with the Wind, Georgia peaches and the Masters golf, Englishman Anton Walkes is blazing a trail in Major League Soccer.
The 23-year-old Londoner joined Atlanta United on a permanent basis ahead of their new season this spring in what could become a trend for young English players.
Walkes grew up with Harry Winks and Kyle Walker-Peters at Tottenham’s academy but he made a bold decision when the time came to leave in search of regular football.
It was former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, right, who persuaded him to move to the MLS on loan. After another loan spell in England with Portsmouth, he could not wait to get back to the US.
The MLS’s perception as a retirement home for European players has changed and David Beckham’s Inter Miami will only raise the league’s profile further once it is up and running again.
Walkes said: “It was something totally different – I had to leave my family, my comfort zone and it was such a big change.
“I realised I couldn’t sit and play reserve or Under-23s football anymore. I was sitting in the dressing room one day when Mauricio Pochettino came over and asked me how I felt about the move.
“Pochettino said he knew the coaching staff and said I’d get more minutes and, after speaking to my family, it was definitely something I had to do.
“I’d always recommend coming here rather than dropping down the leagues in England. Some guys have been at academies since they were eight years old and to leave at 21 or 22, it’s a big wrench, but it’s definitely worth leaving your comfort zone.
“My family mean the world to me and stepping away was always hard.
But you have to realise there’s opportunities elsewhere, be brave and take it full steam ahead.
“I met my girlfriend while I was there and now we’ve got a little one – I’ve got my own little family now to keep me focused and that’s always important.”
And Walkes has told other potential movers that the standard
in America will surprise them now. “I think you’ll only see MLS get better and better,” he said. “A lot of people’s opinions have changed of late.
“Younger players are coming here. It’s not a place if you’re older and just somewhere to see out the last two or three years of your career. It’s way beyond that stage. I wanted to be a part of it.” Walkes had a different path into professional football after being spotted by Tottenham playing for Dulwich Hamlet as a 14-year-old. He signed as an apprentice and, after playing in the League Cup, first left for the US. Atlanta United are now
managed by Frank De Boer, their president is Darren Eales, who was formerly at Tottenham, and they have one of the biggest fan bases in the United States plus a spectacular 71,000-seat stadium.
Walkes added: “The stadium is perfect, the atmosphere is incredible. They support you, sing their songs and they want to make you happy, which helps you enjoy the game so much more. In terms of comparison, it’s a lot better than League One.
“I didn’t get many games in the Championship but I would say MLS is definitely on a par and some of the top teams could even go further.
“Some of the players could move to Premier League teams or top teams in Europe. In the next few years you’ll see a crazy amount of top players coming to the league.”