---
title: "Ward-Prowse wants to lose his nice guy image"
canonical: "https://readsouthampton.com/2019/03/21/ward-prowse-wants-to-lose-his-nice-guy-image/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Elliott Cuff"
section: "News"
published: "2019-03-21T20:14:14Z"
modified: "2019-03-21T20:14:16Z"
---

# Ward-Prowse wants to lose his nice guy image

Southampton star James Ward-Prowse claims he wants to shake off the ‘academy boy’ tag that he has been saddled with.

The 24-year old has risen through the ranks with the South Coast club and is now one of the stars under manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Having recently received an England re-call after a slew of injuries in Gareth Southgate’s squad, Ward-Prowse has often been viewed as an example that youngsters should follow for the Saints.

![Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.cohttps//media.readsouthampton.com/readsouthampton/2019/03/1134768750.jpg)

However, the playmaker wants to shake this image, and move away from being perceived as the nice guy of football. As reported by the [Daily Echo](https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/17515192.southampton-star-james-ward-prowse-wants-to-lose-the-academy-boy-tag/?ref=rss), Ward-Prowse said:

> Having come through the academy at Southampton I have always been known as the academy boy, the way to go.

> Since the new manager at Southampton came in, he mentioned a few things I needed to change, and I took that on board.

> I want to get away from that perception of the Southampton academy boy. That’s not what I want to be anymore.

> He \[Hasenhuttl\] told me to be a bit more aggressive, to try and stamp my authority a bit more on what’s going on, so it was a good conversation I had, and I respected the way he approached me with that.

> I have the utmost respect for him. He told me my strengths, my weaknesses and I feel I have benefited from that.