Nathan-Tella-Player

Tella began his career in the Arsenal academy before joining Saints in 2017 where he went on to make his Premier League debut three years later.  But he struggled to nail down a consistent starting role in the two seasons following his breakthrough and was allowed to depart on loan to Burnley last summer. Moving down to the Championship Tella has flourished, scoring 17 league goals and earning a place in the division’s Team of the Year as his side coasted to the title. READ MORE: ‘Lost our philosophy and consistency’ Bednarek on issues with Saints manager carousel Capable of playing up front or out on the wing, Tella has finally started to showcase the talent that caused Saints to give him a new three-and-a-half year contract last January and speaking to Football Daily he offered some insight into his journey. “I’ve always been an Arsenal fan and at that time I’d look at Thierry Henry and say he was my biggest inspiration in football,” the 23 year old explained.  “He’s someone I tried to model my game after. Of course, at seven years old you can’t really say you play like someone but the stuff he was doing in games I would try to do with my local team.  “Sometimes it worked, sometimes it wouldn’t but just having the confidence to try it, I feel like that’s what made me stand out a bit at an early age. “And then as I was growing up a bit and getting older I started to look at Theo Walcott who moved from Southampton to Arsenal.  🗣️ "Always been an Arsenal fan, Thierry Henry was my biggest inspiration. Growing up I started to look at Theo Walcott who moved from Southampton to Arsenal." 🔴Nathan Tella reveals the footballers he looked up to from an early age pic.twitter.com/9riEcDb8Ir — Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 6, 2023 "For me, being young and being at Arsenal at the time, I wanted to envision myself having that sort of exposure at such a young age. He was someone I looked at and I wanted to play my game like, especially because I moved to the right wing where he played.” It remains to be seen what the future has in store for Tella who no doubt has admirers at both St Mary’s and Turf Moor.  With Burnley going up to the Premier League and Saints almost certainly headed for the Championship it would be no surprise if Vincent Kompany’s side pursued a permanent move but Sport Republic hold the cards and will be able to demand a major fee for the attacking sensation.

NATHAN Tella revealed an improved diet and keeping match sharp by playing for the B team were key to him battling his way back into Saints' starting line-up. The talented 22-year-old was one of Saints' shining lights during the closing weeks of the 2020-21 campaign, netting his first goal for the club in a Premier League victory over Fulham at St Mary's in May. However, despite looking lively during pre-season, including scoring in a win at Swansea, Tella's minutes at the start of this season were limited. He featured for just 10 minutes of the club's first six Premier League matches, although did get a chance and scored in the 8-0 Carabao Cup thumping of Newport County. After starting against Chelsea in the league, another spell out the side followed. But in the past three fixtures, Tella has been granted more opportunities in the side. The attacker came off the bench at half-time against Liverpool, before starting against Leicester City four days later. Tella then kept his spot for Saturday's draw against Brighton, meaning the Stevenage-born ace played more minutes across eight days than in the previous two months. "It’s nice," said Tella in an interview with the Daily Echo. "I was quite frustrated at myself that I hadn’t played as much football as I would’ve liked. The fact that now the manager has picked me to play the last two games and I’ve been involved from the start is something which I’m thankful to him for. "And I hope that there’s many more opportunities if I just continue to do the right thing." Asked how tough it was to stay patient having ended last season so strongly, Tella added: "That’s football. Football is not always just going to be plain sailing. "You’re going to have ups, you’re going to have downs. I have to be honest, this was a down for me. "But at the same time I used it as a learning point, to learn what I need to do to get back into the team, what I need to do to start or what I need to do to come on. "The team have helped me, the coaching staff have helped me, just kept being positive to me and helping me when I was struggling. "But I’m thankful and now I’m back in the team, I just want to hopefully stay there for as long as I possibly can." Discussing his relationship with boss Ralph Hasenhuttl during his spell out of the side, Tella said: "I felt like the main thing for me was I just wanted to play football. I felt like I just needed to be fit, because if I was to get the opportunity, I wanted to be able to play as long as I can and not feel like I’m tired and just focus on my football instead of my fitness. "But of course he’s helped me, told me what I needed to do to get back into the team. I was able to go and play with the B team to go and get minutes and get confidence and he came and watched and told me he was impressed with how I did. "Now I’ve played the last two games, so I feel like it’s worked." Hasenhuttl has previously praised Tella's attitude for asking to go and play for the B team. Despite having been named on the bench at Watford in the Premier League the day before, Tella played for Dave Horseman's side in a Premier League 2 clash against Aston Villa at Staplewood, scoring in the 4-0 victory. "It was just more for minutes to be honest," said Tella when asked why he wanted to play for the B team back in October. "I hadn’t played as much football as I perhaps would’ve liked to or perhaps would’ve hoped to by that point in the season. "Obviously the B team are still a very good team so it was quite challenging and a competitive game. "So the fact I was able to play in that game, I felt like I was able to do well. "It was obviously good for the B team to pick up points, but then also good for myself. So that when I’ve got the opportunity to play, I’ve been able to feel fitter than perhaps I would’ve been if I hadn’t played in those games." As referenced on a couple of occasions by Tella, working hard to keep himself fit has been a key factor in his return to the first team line-up. And he explained how activities away from the training ground have also played a role, notably his new hobby of cooking. Asked how he was getting on in the kitchen, Tella said: "It’s going all right! I can’t lie, I’ve experimented with a few dishes and they’ve gone better than I’ve expected. "But I’ve only had to throw out one meal I’ve made! "But no, it’s all been good and it’s helping me. I feel like my diet has improved as well, which is helping me. "I live by myself. I used to live with Dan N’Lundulu, but obviously now he’s gone on loan I’ve been here by myself for the season." But teammate N'Lundulu should not be expecting any of Tella's speciality dishes when he returns from his spell at Lincoln. Tella said: "No, I’ll be quite selfish with my meals to be honest! "I like my own cooking, I don’t know if he will. I’ll just keep it to myself."

LIKEABLE Saints youngster Nathan Tella has credited his family and friends for helping him make a career in football, adding that they: “Motivated me to live my dream.” The 22-year-old forward has struggled for gametime so far during the 2021-22 season but has already made himself a stalwart in Saints’ matchday squads. He scored his first Premier League goal against Fulham last year, and added his first notch of this campaign in the EFL Cup tie vs Newport County. And now the smiley former Arsenal academy man has revealed how his family were major motivators, in an interview with club media. Read more He said: “They were massive, my Mum and my Dad and my sister as well. Nathan Tella, 22, is a popular figure of the Saints squad (Pic: PA) “They always tried to motivate me when I younger and there was times when I wasn’t in the mood to train or I was tired after school, they were always like ‘it’ll pay off in the long run’ and at the moment it is. “Credit to them, I’m happy they kept pushing me and motivating me to live my dream.” He joked: “It’s good for my Dad, he can go back to the people in the church and be like ‘I told you so’. “But it’s all good and he really motivated me a lot, he’s probably my biggest influence to where I am now. Even the people in the church all helped me as well.” 👉🏾😃👈🏾 pic.twitter.com/NMEzDwgeGd — tella (@NathanTella_11) August 25, 2021 As well as his family, Tella reveals that he has had the same group of friends since he was a schoolboy and that they keep him “grounded”. “Since about the age of five, six, we’ve all been in the same friendship group,” he said, “we all went to the same schools, all followed each other. “They went off to university and then I came here. We all stayed close and I think that probably brought us closer as the further we were apart the more we wanted to stay in contact. Nathan Tella started in the EFL Cup contests (Pic: PA) “We all wanted to be footballers and I was lucky enough to get picked up and get the opportunity to play. But they still see me as the same boy running around school, being disruptive and messing about. “Credit to them, they’ve kept me grounded, they never let me get too big headed even when I started scoring or have a good game, or even if I have a bad game they keep my happy. great win and a good team performance today. Delighted to get my first PL goal and assist #SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/uPqhyD7nLE — tella (@NathanTella_11) May 15, 2021 “I’m happy I’m still friends with them.”

GOALSCORER Nathan Tella dedicated his first Premier League strike to his late grandfather, adding: “That was my first thought once the ball hit the back of the net.” Tella was the star of the show as Saints beat Fulham 3-1 at St Mary’s on Saturday. The 21-year-old came off the bench and just two minutes later slotted home his first Saints goal, on his 21st appearance for the club’s senior side. Asked if there was anybody in particular he would dedicate such a special moment in his career to, Tella told the Daily Echo: “My grandad. He passed away a couple of weeks ago, but him really. “That was my first thought once the ball hit the back of the net. I thought of my family, I thought of him and I know he’s just proud of me and I am dedicating that goal to him.” Tella’s strike came in Saints’ final behind-closed-doors game of the season, with supporters set to return on Tuesday, when Leeds United visit St Mary’s. “Of course I wanted my family here,” said the Stevenage-born ace. “But knowing my mum, she would’ve screamed so loud the whole stadium would’ve known that it was her son that had scored! “Perhaps she did it at home. It’s a great feeling.” Speaking last month, Tella said he had been getting advice off his team-mates, telling him not to worry about the wait for his first Saints goal. But he admits he was relieved to finally break the duck. He said: “Yeah, it’s been a long time! I’ve had chances this season but I’ve known even myself I’ve got to be so much better than that. “But (on Saturday) I’m just thankful that it was able to go in the back of the net, I’m just delighted. It’s just an amazing and unforgettable experience. I’m so happy.” Asked what was going through his mind when the ball came across from Kyle Walker-Peters for him to tap home, Tella added: “Just get the right contact. Che (Adams) put one into me against Leicester and I just completely fluffed my lines when I was thinking too much about the goal and not the contact. “But (on Saturday) as it came in, my first thought was contact and try and get it into the goal. “I just feel happy that I was able put it in the back of the net and just thankful for Kyle for getting the ball into that area.”