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MCGUANE PAIN
MARCUS McGUANE fell out of love with football during his time at Barcelona.
So he took himself to the team with the smallest budget in Holland’s second tier to rediscover his passion.
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But while initially a loan from the five-time European champions to Telstar, a humble club in the north of the Netherlands, may seem a strange move, it was exactly what he needed.
Now after finding that enjoyment factor again, the 21-year-old has returned home, signing for Nottingham Forest.
McGuane joined the Arsenal academy at six and spent 12 years with the Gunners before earning a dream move to Spain, becoming the first Englishman to play for the men’s first team since Gary Lineker in 1989.
But he struggled for game time and did not get his breakthrough. The Greenwich-born midfielder needed simply to play football.
Andries Jonker, who worked with McGuane during his three years as Arsenal academy manager, came to the rescue.
The Dutchman was named Telstar manager last summer, brought in fellow ex-Gunner Charlie Gilmour then handed McGuane his lifeline.
Jonker told SunSport: “His brother called, 'We're in trouble. Can you help?' I said, 'If you can't find a solution, he can play for me.'
“Marcus said, ‘I’m not enjoying football anymore, I need to rediscover it. You can help me.' I told him this level is too low, he should play at the highest level in a real football country, he’s too good for this.
“But he decided he wanted to play for Telstar, come back to me and enjoy football again.”
Having Gilmour there helped McGuane settle. The pair were born nine days apart and have been friends since joining Arsenal as kids.
I heard he moved to Barcelona. I've been there. It is very, very difficult to come through. On one hand, I was proud of him. On the other, I thought, 'Is this the right thing to do?'
Andries Jonker
Gilmour was released and joined Norwich in the summer but signed for Telstar on loan immediately, and they were delighted to be reunited and living together.
But even with McGuane back in England, they remain in touch daily, along with Brentford’s Josh Dasilva.
Gilmour said: “I felt a bit down at times. It helped having Marcus here. We've known each other since we were six, we grew up together.
“He had a good relationship with Andries at Arsenal. I told him good things about the league, about Telstar.
“I didn't see him for a couple of years when he went to Barcelona so it was nice to see him each day.
“With Marcus and Josh, we talk about football all the time, literally. Strictly football. Any football.”
There were high hopes for McGuane at Arsenal, especially from Jonker, and those expectations increased further when he joined Barcelona.
But Louis van Gaal’s assistant at the Nou Camp had his reservations and his fears were proved when he started working with McGuane again.
He added: “At Arsenal, we had about 250 youth players. I was convinced three of them could make it all the way to the Emirates and the English national team.
“One is Reiss Nelson, one is Marcus McGuane and the other one is not there yet, he's younger. Maybe I will mention it one day.
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“At 16, Marcus played too easy, never lost the ball but was never criticised because of the English culture.
“They didn't have the guts to because he might get angry and leave. We should speak with players about what they have to improve, not just telling what they are brilliant at.
“You can't walk with the ball with unlimited touches. He had difficulties adapting to playing quicker. He was playing in his own half, wide and back, nothing forward.
“That was Marcus when I left Arsenal. A huge talent. He really needed attention, focus and clear feedback on where to improve.
“I heard he moved to Barcelona. I've been there. It is very, very difficult to come through because there’s a preference for the Catalan boys.
“On one hand, I was proud of him. On the other, I thought, 'Is this the right thing to do?'”
Fast forward two-and-a-half years and McGuane’s problem remained.
Jonker continued: “He came to Telstar still the same, sometimes even letting his men go. You can do that sometimes at Arsenal but that’s impossible here because then we lose.
“I spent a lot of time and energy on Marcus. We had strong discussions. I made it very clear he could still become the top player he wanted to become.
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“He said, ‘I'm a box-to-box midfielder.’ If you never score or get any assists, top clubs won’t notice you. We changed the half he worked in. Suddenly he becomes an offensive midfielder.
“I was telling a good tennis player to hold his tennis racket in a different way. Or a good pianist they're touching the piano in the wrong way.
“We started to really work and he got it. He played really well against Ajax. He could stay at their level.”
Gilmour relished linking up with his close pal again after seeing McGuane’s Barca plan not quite come off.
He said: “He's very talented. He's an ideal five-a-side player, always wants the ball, always wants touches. I'm more defensive-minded, calm.
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“Marcus liked Barcelona. He liked staying there, playing and training with the best players in the world. Just seeing them up close. He enjoyed it overall.
“He's not the sort of person who has regrets. He worked hard, was focused but sometimes it just doesn't work out.”
McGuane took on a new agent before the January transfer window and was in contact with various English clubs about a return.
The deal with Forest was agreed at 9.15pm on Deadline Day but not officially announced by the East Midlanders until 26 days later.
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He signed a permanent deal until 2022 and initially joined the Under-23s side but will have his eyes set on breaking into the first team.
Jonker added: “His head and heart were in England. Now he is in Nottingham and I hope he has made the right choice.
“They have a good plan for him. He has to develop further. Hopefully he manages to do that.”
Charlie Gilmour on leaving Arsenal, his mates in Gunners first-team and loan to Telstar
EXCLUSIVE By Joshua Jones
CHARLIE GILMOUR did not dream five years ago of playing for Telstar. In fact, none of his team-mates did. They admitted it to the manager.
But he does and he is determined to make the most of every day of his loan spell to the Dutch second-division side with the lowest budget in the league.
READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE
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