Midfielder looks on to getting back to pre-season training
Manny Oyeleke, who arrived at St James Park as the Grecians’ first signing this summer, can’t wait to get involved in his first pre-season as an Exeter City player.The former Brentford midfielder joined the club within a week of the end of 2014/15, and now he’s eager to get started when the players reconvene in earnest at the end of the month.
He is also eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Sky Bet League 2 fixture list, which is due to be announced at 9am on Wednesday 17th June, which will give him and the squad an idea of the key dates on the calendar.
“As soon as that fixture list comes out, it’s just more excitement because I know I’m coming back here on June 29th – and I can’t wait,” said Manny.
“Knowing when the season starts and everything gives it a bit more buzz and more enjoyment.
“By God’s grace I’m doing a job that I love and when I’m on a break I don’t enjoy it too much because I want to get back to it.
“So I can’t wait – I’m raring to go, even to get the running out of the way! I’m looking forward to getting ready for the season.”
Oyeleke came through at Griffin Park with Aaron Pierre and Alfie Mawson – both of whom were close to winning promotion to League 1 as Wycombe Wanderers players last season.
Evidently the move to a lower level to secure first-team football was beneficial to the impressive Chairboys pairing, so Manny is hopeful that he can emulate the success that his friends and former teammates have had in League 2.
And in particular he identified Exeter’s reputation as a club of opportunity and development as being an encouraging factor in his move.
“It’s refreshing here – in London everything is fast-paced and if you’re not ready by the age of 16 or 18, you’re probably not good enough,” he continued.
“But I’ve come to Exeter and I’ve seen a lot of posters of players that were here who have progressed and gone to bigger clubs – Dean Moxey, George Friend, and recently Matt Grimes.
“It shows that the club prides themselves on developing players and being patient with them, and making them into the best player that they can be.
“The demands of London can be counterproductive, because the managers probably don’t feel that they have the time and freedom to grow players.
“But Tis has been here for almost a decade and it shows that this is a very patient and understanding club, and that’s something that I need right now in my development.”