By Joe Brewin
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain says he is indebted to his first club Southampton for giving him his break in football.
The 18-year-old rose through the ranks with the Saints from the tender age of seven before eventually breaking into the first team to make his professional debut aged just 16.
After an eye-catching campaign in League One with Nigel Adkins’ side he made the move to Emirates Stadium during the summer after impressing Arsène Wenger.
The young winger has thanked his former employers for transforming him into the exciting talent he is today.
“I owe them massively - I’d been at Southampton since I was seven,” he said. “They put so much hard work into me and the fans down there welcomed me into the first team so warmly.
“I couldn’t have asked for more, so I’ve got a lot of time for them and I hope to be able to play there again one day and show my appreciation. I’ll always have a place in my heart for them.”
Southampton have enjoyed a flying start to their Championship campaign after going up from League One last season and are already being tipped for a second consecutive promotion. Oxlade-Chamberlain would love to see his old friends in the top flight.
“One major factor down there is that it’s such a great group of lads - one of the hardest things about leaving was the boys,” he said. “Whoever comes in is welcomed straightaway, much like here at Arsenal.
“Everyone down there has been going for the same thing, and they’ve had that continuity - they haven’t had many players leaving or coming in, it’s still the tight group that was promoted last season, and I think the lift promotion gave them was massive.
“Things are looking good down at Southampton.”

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain sat down with Arsenal on Thursday and you can watch the video clip now by clicking on the link to the right.
Alternatively, scroll down this page for a transcript of this exclusive interview.
Alex, was Tuesday night a turning point in your career?
I wouldn’t say it’s a turning point, I just think it is the start to a new part of my career. Hopefully it is the first of many for me. It is just the start, I have a lot more work to do and a lot more appearances to hopefully make. It was an OK start for me, I was happy with the way the game went and the fact that we won was positive. More than a turning point I think it was a start for me, hopefully for better things to come.
You were written about in the newspapers and you were talked about on television. Have you consumed that or have you blocked it out?
I haven’t read anything about it to be fair. People have been saying ‘you’re on Sky Sports News’ but I haven’t seen anything and I haven’t read anything. One thing I don’t let myself do is get carried away. I know I have got a long journey and a lot of things I want to achieve here at Arsenal Football Club. I was happy with the way it went on Tuesday night but I know there is a long way and a lot of hard work left to go.
One person you would have spoken to is your father, what did he say to you?
I can’t really remember to be fair, there was a lot of people talking to me when he said something. He said I need to stay in the game as long as I can and he said I need to get fitter so I don’t get cramp! I know all these things and that will come with time, with more game time.
You seemed to be very confident on the night for a young player playing at Emirates Stadium
Definitely. When I am on the pitch I do like to have the ball. That’s why I try to get on it and make things happen. That is one thing about my game, if I’m not creating a goal or making something happen I’m not happy. So I am always trying to do something with the ball. I am quite a confident person and I am quite confident when I am on the pitch. It felt good on Tuesday night and the fans helped because they were positive towards me and that helped. It does help when you have got the fans and the manager behind you. It does help your confidence.
It was a bit different to your debut when you came on late with Arsenal already losing at Old Trafford. Did that game affect you in any way?
There was a few times I was on the bench before that game and I was itching to get on. I was delighted to make my debut on a big occasion like that at Old Trafford. But, obviously, you have got the mixed emotions with the final score that overweighed the happy part of making my debut. It was mixed emotions but when I look back to it I wouldn’t change anything.
Are you seeing the Carling Cup as your competition?
Definitely. The manager sticks to his word and gives a lot of the younger boys a good chance to get first-team football. There are a lot of us that have targeted the Carling Cup because this is where we can make an impression. I will be watching the draw and I am confident that we can do well this year.


Do you feel you can play a part in the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup?
Yeah, definitely. If you don’t aspire to achieve these things then you are not going to go anywhere. Whenever I get the call, I will be delighted with it. You have got to push to become part of the squad more regularly and that only comes with hard work and impressing when you get the chance. It’s important that when you get your chance that you impress. You have got to remember that I am here with a lot of top-class players and it’s going to be very hard for me to get in. But I’m prepared for the challenge.
How have your first few months at Arsenal been?
Brilliant. I have settled in well I think. I’m getting to know the boys a lot better and I feel like this is my home now. I’m really enjoying playing, training, watching and learning from the boys, the manager and the coaches. I’m really happy with the way it has gone.
The boss has said ‘look, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of the biggest signings we made this summer’. That is a little bit of pressure but it also shows his confidence in you.
I think I thrive off a bit of pressure. If people are watching, I don’t know why, but I take confidence from that. I want to prove myself and that is all I am going to try and do. There is pressure but I don’t think about it like that. I think about it more in a positive way. I am young and I have got a lot of learning to do. I am confident that if I keep working as hard as I can that I will prove myself.
You started wide on Tuesday but Arsène Wenger says he can see you as a central midfielder. Has he, or you, started that process of moving?
No, not really. Going back to the question about Theo I think I do naturally drift inside as the game quietens down or I relax more into the game. I do feel comfortable coming inside and almost playing as a central midfielder but I am happy to play where the manager tells me to. If he tells me to go out wide and get at the full-back, I'll do that for the whole game. That's one thing about Arsenal, I think you do get a bit more freedom to roam and link play with the boys. I like that so Tuesday night I did drift inside a bit.
It’s been a sticky start to the season but there are two home games coming up. What would two wins do?
Confidence is the main thing. If you start winning games the confidence will grow within the dressing room. I think it is a great bunch of lads - straight away I felt welcomed. All the new boys that have come in on the last day of the window are all top lads and they've settled in really well. I think it has given the team a lift. Maybe the results haven't been going for us but we all know we have to stick together. I really do believe things will start to get better for this Club.
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