Follow our 2024/25 Young Gun series as we get to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Bryony Brodie has come on leaps and bounds since arriving at our academy at 10 years old. We spoke to her about her development, training with the likes of Kim Little and her favourite position.
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My football story all started because of my family. My dad was the coach of a boys’ team – Ely City Crusaders – which my older sister also played for. I joined when I was about five and the rest was history. My dad is probably the reason I am where I am today. Even when we’d have little arguments on the pitch, it was all for the best and his coaching made me a better player.
I didn’t enjoy playing with boys at the time but looking back on it, I definitely think it’s helped me grow. The physicality and speed at which the football is played at Arsenal, especially in the U21s, the boys prepared me for that.
"When you join Arsenal, that technical growth is massive."
As I grew older, I’d start the boys’ games on Saturday and then leave at half-time to play for Cambridge City Girls. It was a successful couple of years there and we even won the Aces National Tournament before I got a trial at Arsenal at 10 years old. There were three rounds to get through and I wasn’t really expecting much because there were over 200 players competing. But my dad just told me to try my best and that’s what I did. In the end, I was one of two girls who was offered a place.
When you join Arsenal, that technical growth is massive. I didn’t even have a set position until a few years ago. I’ve been a centre-back, a left-back, a left-winger, even a striker! Every week I’d play in a different position, and it really helped me see the game from a different view. I’d still say I’m a very versatile player but now I’ve settled in the central midfield role.
You get a bit of everything as a centre mid. Attacking, defending, link-up play – plus making the most of that 360-degree view. It’s a hard position but one I love. I particularly enjoy that box-to-box role because endurance is a big strength of mine. I’ll cover a lot of ground, but my passing range is also good. That previous experience as both a left-back and a left-winger has come in pretty handy too, because now I know how to attack and defend.
I’m left-footed so I’m much more inclined to look in that direction on the pitch. There are times when I might miss an open switch on the right, so I’m really working hard on improving my two-footedness and my positional awareness. There are parts of my match routine that I’d like to keep, though. Even when I was younger, I’d always put my left sock, left boot and left shin pad on first, and I don’t see that changing now.
I’ve made so many friends from football, not just at Arsenal but from different clubs all over the country. That’s what can make a club really special. If you didn’t have good people around you, you might not enjoy it as much. At England camp, I know everyone now, which makes it very interesting when we play against each other for our clubs!
The England and Arsenal youth teams play quite differently as well. A strength of mine is my reading of the game and the tactical understanding, so when we face different types of opposition, I can adapt. But at international level, playing with different people who you don’t train with for the rest of the year, is difficult. If you compare that to Arsenal, we train together five times a week. We know each other and we know how everyone likes to play. It’s about getting used to each other, and building bonds on and off the pitch. By the end of the England camp, I don't want to leave!
As I think about the future, I’m hoping to be a regular starter for Arsenal U21s. I feel like I’ve settled in well already, but I’d like to really find my feet. I’ve already been around the first team set up during pre-season and it was amazing. That first session was a bit of a shock: I was on the field with Katie McCabe! But I quickly got more comfortable. Alessia Russo, especially, was so lovely and welcoming.
I’m going to keep working hard to keep getting opportunities like this at Arsenal and at England. It’s a big jump but if I could make my Arsenal debut in a couple years’ time, that would be a dream come true.
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