Irawan climbs Espanyol ranks
19 July 2012 07:45
Indonesian starlet Arthur Irawan has been promoted to the Espanyol Reserves squad which will play in Segunda B.
The 19-year-old reported back for pre-season training this week following a summer break in Jakarta and joined his Espanyol team-mates at the training complex at Sant Adria de Besos in the north of Barcelona.
Right full-back Irawan, who officially signed for the club around the turn of the year, played 20 games for the youth squad in around half a season as they won the league title and reached the Catalonia Cup final where they lost 1-0 to Barcelona.
"It was great to be back in Indonesia for a summer break and catch up with my family and friends, but I managed to keep up my fitness work and do a lot of running. It was sad to leave home, but I'm delighted to be back training with my team-mates," Irawan said.
"We're going to be facing some strong teams next season so it's vital we hit the ground running. Many of the teams in Spain go to training camps in the mountains and it will be pretty intensive and hard, but I'm looking forward to it."
Under the watchful eye of coach Raul Longhi the team will go through training and fitness drills this week before heading off to a training camp in the Pyrenees mountains in the north east of Spain.
