Tuesday, 23rd December, 2014
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels Charlie Austin’s rise from non-league football to scoring goals in the Premier League is testament to the Queens Park Rangers striker’s grit and determination.
The 25-year-old forward started his career at Hungerford Town, a side currently playing in the Southern Football League, before moving to Poole Town, another team outside the Football League.
Currently at QPR, Austin is one of the Premier League’s in-form strikers this season and has scored eleven league goals, including a match-winning hat-trick against West Brom last weekend.
The Arsenal manager, whose side will host QPR on Boxing Day, is happy for Austin and said that the striker’s rise to the Premier League is testament to his hunger for success.
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"It's good to see that an English striker who had played in lower divisions has managed to come up", Wenger said in a press conference.
"That shows mental strength and tenacity – and that is important at the top level."
The Frenchman feels Austin’s performance in the top flight also suggests that there are players in the lower divisions who are good enough to play in the Premier League.
"It could bring on the idea that there could be other players down there who are good enough to come up to the Premier League but don't get a chance.”
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