7 minute read
Interview with Norwich City’s Brandon Williams
BRANDON WILLIAMS:
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Norwich City full-back Brandon Williams speaks on gaining experience on a season-long loan from Manchester United.
How has your journey been to get to where you are now?
I think a lot of people are under the impression that you just come and train and then you just play the games without any problems but for me personally and specially my family, we know what we have gone through to get to where we are now.
When I was seven, I wasn’t really into football, but my friend needed an extra player for a football match, and he was my best friend. I wasn’t really into football, but he came and asked my dad if I could go and sit on the bench so that they could play this Sunday league game. Anyway, I did, and someone got injured, so I had to come on and play. I ended up doing well scoring three or four goals and I just thought I liked it from there. I then just kept on going to these games, just playing and then we went to this tournament in Blackpool that same year that had all the northern teams like Everton, Liverpool, City, United.
Obviously with my family being from Manchester and supporting United I went to
Manchester United. From the ages of seven to nine you’re in a foundation so you’re not really signed to a club, and then I got signed at nine [years-old] and from there it was just step by step having fun playing football as a young kid for Man United. Then around 15/ 16 [years-old] you start thinking, some players are starting to get dropped now, some players that you have been with since you were seven. So, it starts to get a bit serious and then when I was 15, I had two bad injuries. I broke both my feet. I broke one and then I came back for 6 months and then I broke the other one the same week I came back.
At this moment I’m going through growth, and I moved away from home when I was 14 as well, so that was difficult, and then going through this growth and then not being at the top of the group no more because when I was a kid, I was near the top on the top group then at 14, 15, 16 yearsold I started to slow down a bit because of my growth.
In the back of your mind is [the thought of] getting a scholarship at 16 as well. At the time I was worried about that I had school to do and all these things and yeah I recovered from that and managed to get a scholarship and then went into the 18’s and went year to year strength to strength. I’ve always believed in myself that I could do anything to be honest. When I set my mind to something I know I can do it. I made my debut when I just turned 19 and then from there that’s history and I’m just looking forward now and I’m trying to get more memories.
You mention that you had two big injuries in the early stages of your career. How was your support system at the time and how did u manage to overcome that?
There is so much staff in so many different areas at the club and there is literally a person for anything, and you can just go to them and speak to them, and they can get you through it. That time was probably the toughest I’ve had off the pitch in terms of football. It was down to the people I had around me to be honest, my friends, my family, and the people at united which got me through it and like I’ve said before they have a really good team that will help youngsters. They don’t just teach you how to play football, they also teach you how to ➡
be a good person off the pitch and how to become a man, so I think it’s really key that you have these influences in your life.
What has the transition to play for Norwich City on loan been like?
It’s very different because I’ve never done it in my career before. I’ve always been at united since I was seven so coming here has been a bit different and out of my comfort zone but I’m involved in the group now and I’m getting to know everybody on a personal level as well. Its good to also make new
friends and to learn a different style of football, which can help me in my career down the line.
I moved here [Norwich] by myself, and my family comes to every game, they love a drive. Obviously, they have work and stuff, so I only get to see them when we got games so that part is difficult but its part of it and I knew what I was getting myself into, but I’m just happy to be here and happy to be playing football.
When I first came, I only really knew Max Aarons, I’ve played against Billy [Gilmour] a few times, but I really get along with everyone. I’m getting to know people and seeing their lives off the pitch as well. It’s been really easy because everyone is so welcoming as well, so it was very easy.
How do you think this loan will allow you to develop as a player?
I think getting the experience through playing matches on a weekly basis and getting them weekly games in. This is why I came here, because I just want to play football and I’m just grateful for
the manager allowing me to join the squad and allowing me to gain experience playing the matches.
What are some key things that you want to take from this season and bring back to Manchester United?
I think my head. Where my mental state is and just to build that whatever situation, we get ourselves into. I think fitness as well through playing on a weekly basis sometimes there will be mid-week games as well, which is important to have that fitness because when you play for a team like Manchester United, you’re more than likely going to have a game on the weekend and then a game during the week that you have to play in, so fitness is key for me.
Also, just working on stuff like staying after training and working on my positioning stuff and stuff that I know that needs to improve as well, which I will also have time to do and also good when you don’t have games during the week. We have a lot of time on the training pitch to work on yourself so I think that will be important for me.
What are some of your main aims for the future?
I want to do everything I can and achieve all my goals and dreams. The [English] Premier League, the Champions League, playing for England at a major tournament: All these things that I have watched as a kid and we’ve joked about with my friends and my parents saying that I’m going to do this one day and score in the premier league one day and laugh about it, and then to actually do it is incredible.
The goals are whatever I can do to myself is whatever I get out, so I just need to put the work in, put my head down and keep on working and ill be able to be successful and I just want to have a long career. I want to be playing until I can’t run anymore so that’s important to me. ◆
