Appiah: ‘Appiah is now somebody new thanks to the coach and his team-mates’
The English right-winger recounts the hell of last season and his personal and professional growth at UD Almería
Arvin Appiah arrived two pre-seasons ago when suddenly, he had to undergo abdominal surgery during the pre-season training camp in Marbella. ‘It was hell. Suddenly I found myself without my family in a different part of Spain and in a hospital. Then, I had to spend seven months off the pitch and all that left its mark on my head,’ Appiah stated in an interview on UDA Radio. ‘This is life. The good thing is that I learned so much from it and it made me stronger for the rest of my footballing career,’ he said emotionally at the Club’s official radio station.
That managed to transform Appiah's way of facing day-to-day life: ‘I’m not the Appiah who arrived two years ago. I’ve grown a lot. My mentality is different. When I arrived I didn’t have the mentality of the first-team and my head was still as if I were a youth player. My style was different. Little by little, I’ve adapted to Spanish football and now I’m much happier. Everything was different,’ he explained in Spanish.
This season, the 21-year-old has several allies who are helping him: ‘Rubi always talks to me. He tells me that I’m great at attacking but that I should improve my defensive skills. He tells me how to do it. He’s helping me a lot. It gives me freedom high up the pitch so when I have the ball I can look for duels. When my mind is free, I feel dangerous to the opponents. José (nutritionist) is taking care of me regarding the fat because body is also key. I’ve become more fit and I’ve gained strength for the sprints. Even the way I eat has changed. Now I eat much healthier and drink more water and I’m noticing all that when it comes to playing.’
Even Spanish is shaping this new player: ‘I started studying Spanish last year but I couldn’t continue because of the pandemic. I’ve Spanish lessons several days a week because I want to speak it properly. It’s really important.’
It is undoubtedly Arvin Appia's most confident moment at UD Almería: ‘I'm finally enjoying myself. The head coach and the team are phenomenal. They give me tremendous confidence. Ramazani, Sadiq and Samú are helping me on the pitch and also encouraging me to keep working hard to become a better footballer. I want to learn every day.’