Arsenal midfielder reveals summer regret

Ramsey "gutted" to miss Arsenal's pre-season

By Zain Alvi | 4th July 2012

Aaron Ramsey has been outspoken about his delight at being chosen to represent Team GB at the London Olympics this summer but the Welshman admits that missing out on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia is disappointing.

Ramsey, 21, was on the receiving end of some severe criticism from the Gunners’ community for his struggles in the second half of last season but vowed to improve his consistency next season.

With pre-season activities deemed to be the ideal preparation for such young players, the midfielder was naturally looking forward to a high-profile tour of Asia but timing is something he just cannot control.

“I will miss out on the pre-season tour because I’ll be with the Olympic squad from Saturday. We had a great time in Asia last year and it’s nice to give something back to the fans over there,” Ramsey told Arsenal’s official website.

He added: “We had no idea how big the club was over there until we visited so I’m a bit gutted I won’t be going back. But I have a big challenge ahead of me with the Great Britain squad.

“They [the Olympics] will be competitive games right from the start so hopefully that will be beneficial for me at Arsenal because I will be up to speed ahead of the new season. I will be ready to go for Arsenal when the Olympics are over.”

Indeed, the Gunners will hope that Ramsey is raring to go when the season kicks off on August 18 and their pursuit to end a frustrating seven-year trophy drought begins all over again.