Eze: Zaha and Olise are on my wavelength

First-team

18 Oct 2022

Ebere Eze has long wowed supporters at Selhurst Park with his silky dribbling ability – and he says the free-thinking performances of Michael Olise and Wilfried Zaha can only help him express himself further.

“From watching [Zaha] when he was in the Championship, him and Yannick [Bolasie] and seeing what they were doing, it was inspirational for guys like me to see that being done at a high level,” Eze explained.

“For him to do it in the Premier League as well, you can see how much of a star he is. To play with him, to enjoy playing with him, setting him up and scoring and celebrating is powerful and I'm just grateful to be able to play alongside him.

“[Olise] is the same sort of feeling I have with Wilf. Playing with guys who are on your wavelength: they express themselves, they are free, they are intelligent. Always looking to be effective.

“He’s got so much potential – only God knows where he can get to!”

Eze and Zaha were at the club when Patrick Vieira arrived, later joined by talented prospects like Olise, Marc Guéhi and Odsonne Edouard in an exciting young squad. He says his relationship with the manager is strong.

“It’s good – obviously he’s had trust in me, playing me every game and that’s important as a player,” Eze said. “It gives you confidence and helps you on your journey.

“He’s been good because he’s helped me learn more about the game and what I can do to help the team.

“[He has] given me more belief in myself; coming back from injury wasn’t easy and having to get back in the team slowly wasn’t easy. Having him support me along the way was big.”

“At the start it was weird, because you know everything he has accomplished and you can see when he is speaking it means something, not just saying something for the sake of it.

“That effect is obviously still there now. It’s not as thick as when he first came but we got to know him, we’ve got a better relationship. It’s good to have a guy like that behind you giving you information, because he’s been there and done that.

“He’s someone you can go to, speak to, be honest with. It’s a good relationship.”

Away from football, Eze says a strong support network around him can keep him grounded – through times both good and bad.

“I enjoyed playing football from young,” he said. “It’s all I wanted to do as a child, as is the same with the other players on the pitch. On the pitch I just want to express myself.

“I enjoy playing football so I'm never too caught up in my emotions, I'm just trying to express myself and enjoy really.

“[Have I ever] lost the passion? No. I’ve always wanted to play football. But there have been moments where you’re doubting yourself and have been worried. It’s a difficult journey being in an Academy from young and being let go.

“But I never lost the passion. I have always known that I can make it as a footballer and that has always been the goal. I’m thankful to God that the people around me for their faith in trying to achieve that.

“My family, my missus: they’re always around me helping me to realise that there is more to life than football. Whether it’s going well or not so well with the injury, I have these people around me that allow me to know that life is bigger.

“There are much more important things in life and as long as I can keep that perspective of life it makes it easier to deal with that kind of stuff.”

First-team

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