Walcott: 'I fell out of love with football' at Arsenal
Everton winger Theo Walcott admits to losing his love of football in his final years at Arsenal.
In discussion with formal Arsenal women's star and current pundit Alex Scott, Walcott said the end of his lengthy Gunners stay sucked the fun out of the game. "I'm not going to lie, I fell out of love with football for a little bit. Because I had some good performances, but then just didn't get the chance to play on," Walcott told Sky Sports' Scott.
One of 19 to bag a century of goals for the north London lot, Walcott's 12-year association with Arsenal ended in January when the 47-time capped England international was shipped to Everton in a reported £20-million deal. A once-promising star who later witnessed stretches of inactivity courtesy of a slew of injuries, Walcott made just six substitute appearances in his final half-season at the Emirates, prompting the Merseyside move.
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"Scoring over 100 goals for Arsenal is a great achievement for me personally, and then just the last year and a half was tough, I can't lie. It was really tough, not being able to get into the team, being in and out," the 29-year-old added. "I just felt I wanted to get the excitement of football again. I didn't feel like it was going to be at Arsenal then.
"I got the buzz and enjoyment back (at Everton), and I couldn't be in a happier place to be honest, I'm playing football with a smile on my face. I just love football again."
Walcott, who penned a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Toffees, will mark his return to the Emirates when Everton visit Arsenal on Sunday in the league - the second reunion between the two parties.
"We obviously played Arsenal two weeks after I moved (losing 5-1), and it still felt like I was a little bit there, because it was too soon," he said.
"But this will be completely different. I'm really excited, I really am. Just to see where we're at with them. I really feel like we're in a good place."