Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo has opened up about being rejected by Premier League club Crystal Palace.
The 24-year-old said being refused by the Eagles hit him hard the most of the many rejections he has suffered from football academies.
Semenyo disclosed that he had put on a lot of weight after he was rejected by Crystal Palace and stopped playing football for a year.
“I went to quite a few clubs and was told the same thing that I wasn’t good enough. It’s tough as a kid hearing that,” Semenyo told Sky Sports having been playing Sunday League for local side Kingfisher amid unsuccessful trials with the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Millwall.
“Palace hit me hard the most because I was there for so long. My trial got extended and I thought I was going to be signed – and it didn’t happen.
“I remember getting into the car crying and saying to my dad, ‘Why does this keep happening?’. I stopped playing football for a year after that. I didn’t play any sport, I put on a lot of weight. I didn’t think I’d be here, but God works in mysterious ways.”
